Essex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Great Notley
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Great Notley, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
What we can’t see
Before booking, it’s worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
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 before booking. What our survey covers.
What we check
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
Pre-purchase roof survey in Great Notley: what you get
Our packages start with the Basic Survey from £150, with the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all with VAT included. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check. Premium adds thermal imaging, a drone inspection where applicable and an in-person consultation. Choose the level that suits the home you are buying. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. We’re often asked to look into slipped or missing slates and tiles and cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing, on lead flashings and valleys, clay and concrete tiles and the roof space.
Bungalows, chalet bungalows and older cottages are common in smaller places like Great Notley, many of them extended or given dormers over the years. Low roofs are easier to see from the ground, but dormer cheeks, valleys and flat-roofed additions still need close attention. That applies whether you’re buying in Great Notley or checking a new roof there. Lead around a dormer and the edges of a flat roof are common places for snags and wear alike.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent.
- Place
- Great Notley (CM77)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Also near Great Notley
Other services in Great Notley
When to book a survey in Great Notley
A chimney stack stands out in the wind and rain and they’re often the least maintained part of a roof. Pointing crumbles, flaunching cracks and flashings lift. A stack may be shared with the neighbours, which matters if work is needed.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
Take an older house close to The Church in Great Notley: a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- What they will not be able to tell you
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- How soon the report will arrive
Practical tips
Most of what helps is simple and safe from ground level. A few suggestions:
- Let us know your exchange date when you book
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
After you move in, keep the report somewhere safe. Work through the urgent items before anything else, and keep the photos to compare against later. The Premium Survey includes a 12-month follow-up.
After you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, especially after autumn. Blocked gutters cause much of the damp we see. Get a professional in rather than climbing up yourself.
Great Notley questions
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Great Notley?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Is Great Notley in the area you cover?
Yes, Great Notley is within the area we cover. We cover the whole of London and South East England. You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and some details, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
Surveys run on any day of the week. To find a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Do you need access inside the house?
If it can be arranged, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If access isn’t possible, we note it in the report.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
It typically takes an hour or two for most houses, or half a day or so for a commercial building. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, if the freeholder or managing agent agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we are allowed to reach, and the report makes that clear.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it is applicable. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
Buying a home or a new roof in Great Notley
An older home may be listed, or stand in a conservation area. To find out, check Historic England’s list and ask the council about conservation areas. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent. Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
If you let a flat or house near Braintree station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Great Notley is about 2 miles south-west of Braintree, in Essex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Great Notley and nearby. We cover towns and villages across Essex. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
Here we cover the CM77 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on London Road, Harnham Drive and Colville Close or a nearby road, we can help. We also cover Row Green (1 mile south-east), Young's End (1 mile south), Little Common (1 mile north-west), Rayne (1 mile north-west) and Black Notley (2 miles east). We also work in nearby towns such as Chelmsford (9 miles south), Maldon (11 miles south-east), Witham (6 miles south-east), Camulodunum (15 miles east), Halstead (7 miles north-east) and Great Dunmow (7 miles west).
Landmarks near Great Notley
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Notley High School and Braintree Sixth Form, The Essex Cricketers pub and Cuckoo Wood and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Braintree station, roughly 1.6 miles north-east of the centre. Nearby you will also find Tudor House Museum (Braintree) (2.2 miles north-east) and William Julien Courtauld Hospital (1.1 miles north-east). Open spaces near Great Notley include Phyllis Currie Nature Reserve.
What a survey costs
We confirm the price for the job before you book. This is what makes a difference:
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- How big the roof is
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Building height and the viewpoints available
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so they’re priced to match. The price is confirmed before booking.
Getting in touch
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
If you’re buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form when you are ready.
What we do, step by step
When we arrive, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you need to know. We then inspect everything that can safely be seen. The survey usually takes about 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. In a smaller place like Great Notley, parking is seldom the issue; lanes, gates and long drives are worth mentioning. On bungalows and lower roofs, much can be seen from the ground, with the loft showing the underside.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Preparing for the visit
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
Getting a price
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to phone 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Read more
Leave it or get it looked at?
Once you exchange, the roof’s problems become yours. Before then, you can still ask questions, ask for work to be done or reconsider. A survey after you’ve moved in tells you the same things, but too late to use them in the purchase. Arranging work in a smaller place like Great Notley is easier with notice than in an emergency. A survey gives you that notice.
Every price we give includes VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Why book with us
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- A written report with photos
Read our cost guide and our case studies.