Essex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Great Yeldham, Essex
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Great Yeldham, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photos.
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
What affects the price in Great Yeldham
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Building height and the viewpoints available
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What we need to know
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Anything about access we should know
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Great Yeldham
Buying a flat brings its own roof questions. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that’s frequently not the individual flat owner, with costs frequently passed on through the service charge. We check 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. We survey clay and concrete tiles, gutters and downpipes and natural slate, and common reasons people get in touch are gutters choked with leaves and moss and slipped or missing slates and tiles.
For a small place like Great Yeldham, 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 as you book, so the visit can be planned around them. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
Nothing in the report is left vague: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, and where it can wait, that’s said too.
- Place
- Great Yeldham (CO9)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Places near Great Yeldham
Also in Great Yeldham
Can I check my roof myself?
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Do not go up yourself.
Tips from our surveys
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Let us know your timetable
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
It’s worth sharing the report with your solicitor so questions can go to the seller’s solicitor. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it.
Do not block the vents at the eaves. Condensation in a roof space can look like a leak and can damage timbers over time. Keep insulation clear of eaves vents so air can move.
When you need someone else
It’s a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. Its limits include:
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll point you to the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings and valleys
How the survey works
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes an hour or two for most houses, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. You are welcome to ask questions while we’re there. Somewhere like Great Yeldham needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. The roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it’s safe.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
Before we arrive
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Getting a price
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email to find out.
Advice
What we are asked to look at in Great Yeldham
Patch repairs are common on roofs of every age. Bitumen over flashings, mortar fillets in place of lead and odd replacement tiles can point to a problem that keeps coming back. We note what we see so you can ask about it.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Parish Church of St Andrew, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs frequently have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- When you will get the report
- What exactly goes into their report
- Is VAT included in the price?
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Great Yeldham: local notes
In Essex, older buildings are often clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, and lots of post-war and modern estates besides. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. Historic houses like Hedingham Castle, about 2.3 miles south-east, show how far back building in the area around Great Yeldham goes. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Great Yeldham is about 6 miles north-west of Halstead, in Essex. Roofs in Great Yeldham get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Essex. Great Yeldham is one of the towns and villages in Essex we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. Chelmsford is in our area too.
We cover every part of the CO9 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Church Road, Market Grove and High Street or a nearby road, we can survey it. If you’re just outside Great Yeldham, we cover Oaker Hill (1 mile north-west), Tilbury Juxta Clare (1 mile north), Little Yeldham (1 mile north-east), Toppesfield (2 miles south-west) and Ridgewell (2 miles north-west). Larger places within reach include Braintree (9 miles south), Witham (15 miles south), Saffron Walden (14 miles west), Halstead (6 miles south-east), Great Dunmow (13 miles south-west) and Great Notley (11 miles south).
Local landmarks in Great Yeldham
We work in homes and buildings around The Three Bottles Public House and Hedingham School and Sixth Form, among other places. Nearby you will also find Halstead Hospital (5.7 miles south-east) and Hedingham Castle (2.3 miles south-east).
Great Yeldham questions
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Great Yeldham?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Great Yeldham?
Yes, Great Yeldham is within the area we cover. Our area covers London and the South East. Just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know about the property.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll explain what’s needed.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Do you need access inside the house?
Where we can, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If we can’t get in, the report says so.
How long does the survey visit take?
On site, it typically takes an hour or two at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Report times depend on the package, from the same day for Premium to within 48 hours for Basic.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We carry out surveys seven days a week. To arrange a date, ring 07833 053749 or email us.