Essex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Great Dunmow
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in Great Dunmow, with photos and a written report.
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
Honest limits
It helps to know what a survey won’t do before you book:
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
Pre-purchase roof survey in Great Dunmow: what you get
A RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey covers the whole building, so the roof is one item among many. We do not offer a RICS home survey, and ours isn’t a substitute for one. What it adds is a closer look at the roof alone, with photos and written recommendations you can act on. You can have both if you want the fullest picture. If you’ve noticed slates or tiles that have slipped or gone and cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing, we can find out what’s behind it.
Bungalows, chalet bungalows and older cottages are common in smaller places like Great Dunmow, and many have been extended or had dormers added. Low roofs are easier to see from the ground, but dormer cheeks, valleys and flat-roofed additions still need close attention. The same goes for a purchase or a new roof around Great Dunmow. Snags and wear both tend to show at dormer lead work and along flat-roof edges.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Place
- Great Dunmow (CM6)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Landlords, agents and block managers in Great Dunmow
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. We survey on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
What affects the price in Great Dunmow
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- The roof’s overall size
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so they’re priced to match. You will know the figure before booking.
What we need to know
You don’t need to know any roofing terms. Just let us know:
- What’s prompted the survey
- What kind of property and roof it is
- The address and postcode of the property
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
For a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Great Dunmow, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. Some details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Great Dunmow
Do you carry out roof surveys in Great Dunmow?
Yes, Great Dunmow is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos.
Will you come out to Great Dunmow?
Yes. Great Dunmow is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it’s safe. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Does someone need to be in?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the roof space, someone has to give us access.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That gives you time to use the findings, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. If the conditions aren’t right, we will talk to you about another date.
Great Dunmow homes and their roofs
Weatherboarded walls and clay tile roofs are typical of older Essex buildings, while many towns grew with post-war and newer estates. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
For landlords with property near Stansted Airport station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Great Dunmow is about 9 miles west of Braintree, in Essex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Great Dunmow and nearby. Our Essex coverage includes Great Dunmow and the places around it. Chelmsford is in our area too.
Surveys in CM6 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include Market Place, High Street and Station Road, all of which we cover. With the B1008 and B1057 close by, Great Dunmow is simple for us to get to for pre-purchase roof surveys. We also cover Church End (1 mile north-east), Little Easton (2 miles north-west), Barnston (2 miles south-east), High Roding (3 miles south-west) and Great Canfield (3 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Chelmsford (11 miles south-east), Braintree (9 miles east), Harlow (13 miles south-west), Witham (13 miles south-east), Saffron Walden (11 miles north-west) and Halstead (13 miles east).
Around Great Dunmow
Around Great Dunmow, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Helena Romanes School and Sixth Form Centre and The Chequers Public House. The nearest railway station is Stansted Airport station, about 4.3 miles west. A little further out are Little Easton Moat (1.6 miles north-west).
How the survey works
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. The inspection then takes between one and two hours at most homes, and more on a big or complicated roof. With a bit of garden around a house, as there frequently is around Great Dunmow, the roof can be viewed from several angles. Mention any side of the property we can’t get to. Inside, the loft is checked where it can be reached safely.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from the ground, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Arrange a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email whenever suits you.
Advice
Tips from our surveys
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Request records of any re-roofing
- Check we’ll be able to get into the loft space
- Let us know your timetable
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller, and we cannot promise any result.
After strong winds, look at the roof from the ground. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.
When to book a survey in Great Dunmow
Blocked or leaking gutters do damage that is not obvious at first. Overflowing water soaks walls and can rot the timber behind. Valley and parapet gutters can overflow inside the house. We check them as part of the survey.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
For an older house near a landmark like Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Before you book anyone
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- What the survey won’t cover
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- How soon the report will arrive