Essex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Great Berry, Essex
A careful look at the roof at your property in Great Berry, with photos and a written report.
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Great Berry
A Basic Survey starts from £150, while Standard starts from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. Standard adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. Premium adds thermal imaging, a drone inspection where applicable and an in-person consultation. Pick the one that fits the property. All three include a report with photographs and recommendations. If you’ve noticed loose pots and cracked flaunching and gutters choked with leaves and moss, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Smaller places like Great Berry frequently have bungalows and cottages as well as houses, and many have been extended or had dormers added. Low roofs are easier to see from ground level, but dormer cheeks, valleys and flat-roofed additions still need close attention. That applies whether you are buying in Great Berry or checking a new roof there. Snags and wear both tend to show at dormer lead work and along flat-roof edges.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Place
- Great Berry (SS16, SS15, CM13)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How it works
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the roof space if there’s safe access. All told, expect about one to two hours on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. With a bit of garden around a house, as there often is around Great Berry, the roof can be viewed from several angles. Mention any side of the property we can’t get to. Inside, the loft is looked at where it can be reached safely.
- You book once your offer is accepted and let us know the address and your timetable.
- We agree a time and how we will get in, including the loft.
- We inspect the roof from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it is safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- We email a written report with photographs and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Before we arrive
- Tell us where we can park nearby
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
Booking a survey
You can call us seven days a week. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Related advice
Towns and villages near Great Berry
Other services in Great Berry
What a survey costs
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. That comes down to:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- How big the roof is
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. You’ll know the figure before booking.
Getting in touch
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, let us know:
- Access details, like a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
For a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Great Berry, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. A few details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.
What we cannot see
Before you book, it’s worth knowing what a survey won’t do:
- The condition of the rest of the house (that’s a RICS home survey)
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
Before and after the survey
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
With Standard, you get a follow-up consultation, while Premium includes a consultation in person. Whichever package you choose, you can ask us what a finding means.
Look in the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
Local roofs and buyers in Great Berry
Great Berry lies within about 5 miles of the sea, and wind near the sea can be strong. A small drone can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you own a rental within reach of Laindon station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it. If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near St John, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Great Berry is about 2 miles west of Basildon, in Essex. We survey roofs in Great Berry and the rest of Essex, as part of our work across London and South East England. Our Essex coverage includes Great Berry and the places around it. There is also a page for Chelmsford.
Every address in SS16, SS15 and CM13 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. You will find streets like New Avenue, Coburg Lane and West Avenue, and we cover them all. Close by, we survey roofs in Langdon Hills (1 mile south-east), Laindon (1 mile north-east), Lee Chapel (2 miles east), Steeple View (2 miles north-east) and Basildon (2 miles east). Further out, we also cover Chelmsford (12 miles north), Brentwood (6 miles north-west), Canvey Island (8 miles east), Billericay (4 miles north), Rayleigh (9 miles east) and Wickford (6 miles north-east).
Landmarks near Great Berry
Around Great Berry, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Gloucester Park and The James Hornsby School. The closest station to Great Berry is Laindon station, roughly 0.7 miles east. Other landmarks nearby include Basildon University Hospital (1.9 miles east) and Eastgate Shopping Centre (2.2 miles east). The countryside around Great Berry includes Langdon Nature Reserve.
What we look for on each type of roof
Natural slate
Many older homes in London and South East England have slate roofs. We look for slates that have slid, cracked or gone, and for clips or tingles that show past repairs.
Lead flashings and valleys
Lead-lined valleys and gutters are common on older homes in London and South East England. Splits in a lead valley send water inside, and missing lead is not unknown, as it’s a target for thieves.
Great Berry questions
How do I find out if my home in Great Berry is listed?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Will you come out to Great Berry?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
They do different things. A RICS home survey covers the whole building, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Our survey complements a RICS survey and does not replace one.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, if the building owner or managing agent agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we are allowed to reach.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. You need the report before you exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it is applicable. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. It is a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, with a written report and photographs. It isn’t a RICS survey and does not cover the rest of the house.
Can I check my roof myself?
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.