Essex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Great Oakley, Essex
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat across Great Oakley, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Get in touch for a price.
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Old water stains in the loft space
Pre-purchase roof survey in Great Oakley: what you get
Our packages start with the Basic Survey from £150, while Standard starts from £250 and Premium from £400, including VAT. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check. Premium adds thermal imaging, a drone inspection where applicable and an in-person consultation. Pick the one that fits the property. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. If you’ve noticed worn or lifted lead flashings and blocked or leaking gutters, we can find out what’s behind it.
Older buildings in small places like Great Oakley may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials a new roof may use, so check with the council and Historic England’s list. For a buyer or someone with a newly finished roof, it’s worth knowing which applies, as well as what condition the roof is in. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, each with a short note and a photo. It records what’s sound as well as what isn’t.
- Where
- Great Oakley (CO12)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What this survey can’t tell you
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey can’t cover:
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will point you to the right survey before you book. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Great Oakley
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Not every roof costs the same to survey, and it comes down to:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- The shape of the roof and its details
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Which survey package you book
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Booking your survey
There is no need for technical words. It’s enough to let us know:
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- When you need the report by
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
Most bookings start with a short call: call 07833 053749 or email us and we will ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Great Oakley
Rear extensions, dormers and garages often have flat roofs. Felt flat roofs often last around 15 to 20 years, and ponding, blisters and splits are common signs of age. They’re easy to overlook on a viewing, because many can only be seen from an upstairs window.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Blocked or leaking gutters
For landlords with property near Wrabness station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
What to check before booking
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Will the report include photos?
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Which limits apply to the survey
The survey, step by step
After the inspection, everything we found is written up in a report with photographs. On timing, it usually takes an hour or two for a house, and more on a big or complicated roof. Older roofs in small places like Great Oakley can have low, tight loft spaces, so it helps to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Before we arrive
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
Getting a price
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know where you stand. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. To book, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Read more
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Great Oakley
Great Oakley lies within about 2 miles of the sea, and wind near the sea can be strong. A small drone cannot fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. The wider area around Great Oakley has a long history of building, with Thorpe Hall about 3.5 miles south. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters.
For an older house near a landmark such as Parish Church of All Saints, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Great Oakley is about 4 miles south-west of Harwich, in Essex. In Great Oakley, as across Essex, every roof gets the same careful survey. Our Essex coverage includes Great Oakley and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Chelmsford page.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in CO12 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Streets in the area include High Street, Orchard Close and Hamford Drive, and we cover them all. If you’re just outside Great Oakley, we cover Wix Green (1 mile north-west), Wix (2 miles west), Wrabness (3 miles north), Bradfield (4 miles north-west) and Bradfield Heath (4 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Colchester (12 miles west), Clacton-on-Sea (7 miles south), Harwich (4 miles north-east), Camulodunum (13 miles west), Greenstead (11 miles west) and Wivenhoe (10 miles west).
Local landmarks in Great Oakley
In Great Oakley, that means homes and buildings near The Maybush pub, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Wrabness station, roughly 2.6 miles north of the centre. Green spaces nearby include Stour Estuary RSPB reserve.
Common questions in Great Oakley
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Great Oakley, take more of a battering?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch, and Great Oakley is within about 2 miles of the coast.
Is Great Oakley within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
It’s your choice, but the two do different jobs. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Ours sits alongside a RICS survey rather than replacing it.
Are you insured?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
How long does the survey visit take?
Allow an hour or two at most homes, and more on a big or complicated roof. We’ll give you an idea of timing when booking.
How do I book a survey in Great Oakley?
Simply call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. After a few questions, we confirm the price and fix a day, weekday or weekend.
Different roofs, different checks
Flat roofs
Repeated coatings on a flat roof can mask what’s underneath. We record what we can see and say where a closer look is needed.
Lead flashings and valleys
Many older houses have lead in their valleys and hidden gutters. Splits in a lead valley send water inside, and lead is also a target for theft.
Can I check my roof myself?
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and falls from height are serious. That part is for a survey.
A lot can be seen from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.