Essex · London and the South East
Great Burstead Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Know where you stand with the roof before you spend money on it. Pre-purchase roof surveys in Great Burstead, with photographs and a clear written report.
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Flashings that have lifted or split
Tips that help
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. What helps most:
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
- Share the report with your solicitor
It’s worth sharing the report with your solicitor so questions can go to the seller’s solicitor. Past repairs, re-roofing and any records of that work are all fair questions.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Watch for gaps in the pointing, cracked flaunching and loose lead. Binoculars from the ground are enough for a first look.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Great Burstead: what you get
The best time to book is once your offer has been accepted and before you exchange contracts. At that point you can still ask questions, while you are not yet committed. Visits run on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when the chain is moving fast. The report comes within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Common reasons to book are blistered or split felt on a flat roof and gutters that overflow or drip at the joints, on flat-roofed extensions and dormers, the roof space and clay and concrete tiles.
Being in a small place like Great Burstead makes no difference to the inspection itself: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when you book. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Visits can be booked on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later.
- Location
- Great Burstead (CM11, SS15)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What a survey costs
All our prices include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- Building height and the viewpoints available
Every price we give includes VAT. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. We confirm the exact price before booking.
What we need to know
You don’t need to know any roofing terms. It is enough to let us know:
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Dates you’re working to, like exchange
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or send us an email when you’re ready.
How the survey works
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. After that, we look at everything we can see safely, from ground level, from windows, in the loft space and by drone where applicable. Most surveys take about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Somewhere like Great Burstead needs a little journey planning: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect everything that’s safely in view, inside and out.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Before we arrive
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Booking a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Read more
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Great Burstead?
Asbestos was banned in UK construction in 1999. Cement roof sheets, soffits and flue pipes are typical places to find it. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys, but our report flags materials that could contain it so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before anything is disturbed.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
If you let a flat or house near Billericay station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- What happens after the report arrives
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Their report turnaround times
- Will the report include photos?
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
We only report what can safely be seen on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will tell you before you book. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
Great Burstead questions
Will you come out to Great Burstead?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Is Great Burstead in the area you cover?
Yes, Great Burstead is within the area we cover. We work right across London and the South East. You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and a few details.
Does someone need to be in?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that in advance, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
It normally takes roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
How quickly will I get the report?
That depends on which survey you choose: within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Let us know your exchange date and we will help you choose.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. The outcome is between you and the seller, so we can’t promise any saving.
Great Burstead homes and their roofs
The wider area around Great Burstead has a long history of building, with Ingatestone Hall about 4.6 miles north-west. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St Mary Magdalene, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Great Burstead is about 2 miles south-east of Billericay, in Essex. We survey roofs in Great Burstead and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and South East England. We cover towns and villages across Essex. For surveys nearby, see our Chelmsford page.
All of CM11 and SS15 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys. Local streets include Mill Road, Southend Road and Tyrrells Road, all of which we cover. Other places close to Great Burstead include Crays Hill (1 mile east), Little Burstead (1 mile west), Billericay (2 miles north-west), Ramsden Bellhouse (2 miles north-east) and Ramsden Heath (3 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include Chelmsford (9 miles north), Brentwood (6 miles west), Maldon (13 miles north-east), Canvey Island (8 miles south-east), Rayleigh (7 miles east) and Wickford (4 miles east).
Near you in Great Burstead
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Kings Head pub and The Billericay School, among other places. Great Burstead’s nearest station is Billericay station, roughly 2.1 miles north-west of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Eastgate Shopping Centre (2.5 miles south) and Barleylands Farm Museum (under half a mile south). Open spaces near Great Burstead include Norsey Wood.
How the survey changes by roof type
Flat roofs
Many homes have a flat roof somewhere, often over an extension. Felt roofs often last around 15 to 20 years, rubber longer and GRP up to about 30. We check how the covering is wearing.
Natural slate
Good slate is one of the longest-lasting roof coverings, yet the nails that fix it frequently give out first. When slates start to slip, corroded nails are often the reason.