Essex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Henham
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Henham from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us.
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Henham
If you’re buying a flat, the roof may well be shared. Depending on the lease, roof repairs may fall to the building owner or a management company. We look at as much of the roof as access safely allows, and the report helps you ask your solicitor or the managing agent the right questions. Where the building has a flat roof, it is checked as far as access allows. We survey lead flashings and valleys, the roof space and clay and concrete tiles, and common reasons people get in touch are old water stains in the roof space and chimney mortar that has eroded.
In a village or hamlet like Henham, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent.
- Location
- Henham (CM22)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
We will ask a few questions first, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes about 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. In a small place like Henham, access is normally the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- 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.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
How to prepare
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
Getting a price
We confirm the price for your roof before you book, so you know the cost up front. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. To book, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Advice
What you can safely check yourself
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Henham
With a portfolio of properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan.
Tips that help
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
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.
Once you’ve moved in, keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, especially after autumn. Blocked gutters cause much of the damp we see. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.
Why get it checked now?
When a chain is moving fast, a roof survey can feel like one more delay. Weekend visits are available as well as weekdays, and a Premium report comes the same day, which helps it fit around your exchange date. In a place like Henham, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we can help you choose.
What you get with us
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Visits on any day of the week
See our cost guide or our case studies.
Nearby places to Henham
Also in Henham
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Henham
Older buildings in Essex often have clay tiles and weatherboarding, alongside a good many post-war and newer estates. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most. Horham Hall, about 2.7 miles east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Henham. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Mary the Virgin, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light. If you let a flat or house near Elsenham station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Henham is about 6 miles north-east of Bishop's Stortford, in Essex. We provide pre-purchase roof surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Henham and nearby. Our area takes in places right across Essex, large and small. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: CM22. We cover properties on High Street, The Row and Crow Street. Other places close to Henham include Elsenham (2 miles south-west), Ugley Green (2 miles south-west), Fuller's End (2 miles south-west), Ugley (2 miles west) and Broxted (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Braintree (14 miles east), Harlow (13 miles south-west), Saffron Walden (6 miles north), Great Dunmow (6 miles south-east), Stansted Mountfitchet (3 miles south-west) and Great Notley (13 miles east).
Local landmarks in Henham
Around Henham, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Cock Inn. For rail, the closest station is Elsenham station, about 1.2 miles south-west. A little further out are Little Easton Moat (4.7 miles south-east) and Herts and Essex Hospital (5.6 miles south-west). For a walk, there is Aubrey Buxton Nature Reserve.
FAQs for Henham
Will you come out to Henham?
Yes, Henham is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
How do I find out if my home in Henham is listed?
We cannot confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
What’s the best way to book?
The quickest way is to ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. Tell us the address and a little about the roof, and we’ll take it from there. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
Once your offer has been accepted, and before exchange. That way you can still act on what we find.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
The visit typically takes about one to two hours at a typical home, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. We’ll confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, if the building owner or managing agent agrees access. We check the parts we’re given access to.
Roof by roof
Natural slate
Slate is common on Victorian and Edwardian houses. We check for slipped, cracked and missing slates, plus the metal clips that show earlier patching.
Gutters and parapets
The rainwater system keeps water off the walls. Leaking joints, sagging lengths and blockages are all noted.