Essex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Great Sampford
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Great Sampford, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photographs.
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
Practical tips
Small things make a difference. Our tips:
- Do not leave it until just before exchange
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. The photos show the defects and where they are, so each quote covers the same ground.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. A pair of binoculars from the garden shows a lot.
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Great Sampford
Buying a flat brings its own roof questions. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that is often not the individual flat owner, with costs often passed on through the service charge. We look at as much of the roof as access safely allows, and the report gives you clear points to raise with your solicitor or the managing agent. If the building has a flat roof, we look at that too where access allows. Typical surveys look at loose pots and cracked flaunching and slates or tiles that have slipped or gone, on lead flashings and valleys, the roof space and gutters and downpipes.
For a small place like Great Sampford, the visit is planned like any other: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at when booking. Whether you are buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Visits can be booked seven days a week.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, sent by email. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Place
- Great Sampford (CB10)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Great Sampford questions
Is Great Sampford in the area you cover?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Great Sampford as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Will you come out to Great Sampford?
Yes, Great Sampford is covered. Our area covers London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
Do you need to go inside the property?
If it can be arranged, yes. From the loft space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If we cannot get in, the report says so.
How do I book a survey in Great Sampford?
It is easiest to call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. Give us the address and some details about the roof, and we will suggest the right survey. Surveys run on any day of the week.
What if it rains on the day?
Light rain is typically fine; heavy rain and wind are different. In strong wind or a downpour, a drone cannot fly and access may not be safe, so we’d move the date with you.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so we need permission from whoever owns or manages the building. We inspect only the parts we are allowed to reach.
How long does the survey visit take?
It usually takes roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Report times depend on the package, from the same day for Premium to within 48 hours for Basic.
What happens on the day
We do not take risks to get a closer look. Everything that can be seen safely is inspected, and if part of the roof can’t be seen, the report says so. The survey typically takes roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Rural addresses near Great Sampford can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- You book once your offer is accepted and let us know the address and your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from ground level, 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 report with photographs and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
Book a survey
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Read more
Landlords, agents and block managers in Great Sampford
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer.
Different roofs, different checks
Gutters and parapets
Gutters, downpipes and outlets carry water away from walls. Leaking joints, sagging lengths and blockages are all noted.
Flat roofs
Standing water, blisters, splits and tired upstands all point to wear. We check outlets too, since a blocked one leaves water sitting on the roof, and we say what we see from wherever is safe.
Why get it checked now?
Without a survey, you’re relying on a glance from the pavement. That rarely shows the back slope, the valleys or the top of the chimney. We fill that gap before you’re tied in, with photos of anything that needs attention. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Great Sampford, driving rain gets into any weakness, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how it can be reached and seen safely. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Why book with us
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Prices that include VAT
- Plain-English reports with photos
- 5,000+ surveys completed
Take a look at our cost guide and our case studies.
Local roofs and buyers in Great Sampford
If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. There are about 500,000 buildings on England’s list of listed buildings, and around 10,000 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, so check with the council.
In and around Great Sampford, as anywhere, a roof is easiest to deal with when its problems are found early. Take an older house close to Church of St Michael: older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Great Sampford is in Essex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Great Sampford and the surrounding area. Our area takes in places right across Essex, large and small. You can also see our page for Chelmsford.
We cover every part of the CB10 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on Sparepenny Lane South, Parsonage Farm Lane and Willetts Field or anywhere close by, we can help. Other places close to Great Sampford include Wimbish Green (3 miles west), Bardfield End Green (3 miles south), Tye Green (3 miles west), Thaxted (3 miles south-west) and Howlett End (4 miles west). Larger places within reach include Braintree (10 miles south-east), Saffron Walden (7 miles west), Halstead (11 miles east), Great Dunmow (8 miles south), Stansted Mountfitchet (11 miles south-west) and Great Notley (11 miles south-east).
Around Great Sampford
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Red Lion Inn, among other places. Other landmarks nearby include Castle Camps (4.5 miles north). Not far away are West Wood.
What this survey can’t tell you
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers