Essex · London and the South East
Fairstead Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Fairstead from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us.
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Blocked or leaking gutters
What we look for on each type of roof
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay and concrete tiles commonly last 50 years or more. We check for slipped, cracked and missing tiles, and for mismatched replacements that point to past repairs.
Flat roofs
Many homes have a flat roof somewhere, frequently over an extension. Felt often lasts around 15 to 20 years, EPDM rubber 30 to 50 and GRP up to about 30. We look for signs of age and failure.
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Fairstead
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where applicable, along with a same-day report. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we’ll say so and look from the ground, windows and the loft instead. If you are worried about sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes and worn or lifted lead flashings, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on clay and concrete tiles, chimney stacks and gutters and downpipes alike.
Somewhere as small as Fairstead, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings often sit beside a few newer homes. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Place
- Fairstead (CM3)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Practical tips
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. Our suggestions:
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
With Standard, you get a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. If anything in the report isn’t clear, ask us.
Keep the loft ventilated. Poor ventilation lets condensation build up, wetting timbers and insulation. Keep insulation clear of eaves vents so air can move.
Fairstead questions
Do you cover Fairstead?
Yes, Fairstead is within the area we cover. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Just call 07833 053749 or email us and let us know about the property, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Is Fairstead within the area you cover?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and that is where a roof survey helps. It is not a replacement for a RICS survey.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Fairstead?
Simply phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. After a few questions, we confirm the price and fix a day.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
Once your offer has been accepted, and before exchange. That way you can still act on what we find.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, if whoever owns or manages the building agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we are allowed to reach.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. It’s a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, and you get a written report with photos. It isn’t a RICS survey and doesn’t cover the rest of the house.
What happens on the day
There isn’t much for you to do on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will get on with the inspection. A typical survey takes between one and two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Around Fairstead, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it is safe.
- You book once your offer is accepted and let us know the address and your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- The roof is inspected from each safe vantage point, inside and out.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
How to prepare
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Arrange a survey
Getting a price is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email, let us know about the property and we will explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
Also near Fairstead
What else we do in Fairstead
What we are asked to look at in Fairstead
Gutter problems often look minor from the street. Overflowing water soaks walls and can rot the timber behind. Valley and parapet gutters can overflow inside the house. They’re part of what we look at.
Look out for signs like these:
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
What to check before booking
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Whether you get a written report with photos
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- A structural engineer’s report
- The condition of the rest of the house (that’s a RICS home survey)
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will point you to the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- The size of the roof
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
What we need to know
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, tell us:
- The address and postcode of the property
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- What’s prompted the survey
We survey roofs on any day of the week. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Fairstead
Listing and conservation areas can both shape what roof work is allowed on an older home. The council is the place to check, along with Historic England’s list, before anyone quotes for re-roofing. Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
If you own a rental within reach of White Notley station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Fairstead is about 3 miles north-west of Witham, in Essex. From houses to flats and shops in Fairstead, the roof can be surveyed. Our area takes in places right across Essex, large and small. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
All of CM3 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. If you are just outside Fairstead, we cover Terling (1 mile south), Gambles Green (1 mile south), Fuller Street (1 mile west), Flacks Green (1 mile south) and White Notley (1 mile north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Colchester (15 miles east), Chelmsford (7 miles south-west), Braintree (4 miles north), Maldon (8 miles south-east), Billericay (15 miles south-west) and Witham (3 miles south-east).
Around Fairstead
For rail, the closest station is White Notley station, about 1.8 miles north-east. A little further out are Cressing Temple (2.3 miles north-east) and William Julien Courtauld Hospital (3.8 miles north). The countryside around Fairstead includes Sandylay and Moat Woods.