Essex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Hobbs Cross
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Hobbs Cross, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Call or email for a price.
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
It is a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer before booking. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
Pre-purchase roof survey in Hobbs Cross
Our packages start with the Basic Survey from £150, with the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all including VAT. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check. Premium adds thermal imaging, a drone inspection where it applies and an in-person consultation. Pick the one that fits the property. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. We survey lead flashings and valleys, gutters and downpipes and chimney stacks, and people most often book us about damp timbers or stains in the loft and roof slopes that look uneven or sagging.
Somewhere as small as Hobbs Cross, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings often sit beside a few newer homes. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Whether you are buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
Most points in the report come with a picture, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Place
- Hobbs Cross (CM16)
- Region
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens if roof problems are left?
Lots of buyers go ahead anyway, but with their eyes open. The report shows what needs doing first, so you can plan work before small faults get bigger. For older village homes like those around Hobbs Cross, the right replacement materials are not always easy to find quickly. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. The price is always agreed first.
Why book with us
- Visits on any day of the week
- An independent view of the roof
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- PI and public liability insurance
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or two real surveys.
Tips from our surveys
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out:
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Ask for loft access on the day
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so questions can go to the seller’s solicitor. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it, especially where we have found patch repairs.
Chimneys and flashings need watching. Watch for gaps in the pointing, cracked flaunching and loose lead. Binoculars from ground level are enough for a first look.
How it works
Before we start, tell us why you’ve booked: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. For a village or hamlet like Hobbs Cross, the journey is planned in advance: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect what can be seen safely, inside and out.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed in advance.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
How to book
For a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Hobbs Cross, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. The address, the type of property and what you want to find out help us price the survey accurately.
Read more
Landlord and commercial surveys in Hobbs Cross
Landlords and agents in Hobbs Cross book surveys as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photographs, useful for planning maintenance.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
Different roofs, different checks
Flat roofs
Standing water, blisters, splits and tired upstands all point to wear. Blocked outlets are checked as well, and we say what we see from wherever is safe.
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay plain tiles are common on older South East homes, and some still have peg tiles. Where pegs have rotted, tiles can slip.
FAQs for Hobbs Cross
Do you cover smaller places like Hobbs Cross?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We survey roofs across London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Are there drone restrictions around Hobbs Cross?
It depends on the exact address and the weather on the day. Hobbs Cross is about 2 miles from Stapleford Aerodrome, so the Drone Safety Map is checked for restrictions around it before we fly. A small drone cannot fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, and the rest of the survey doesn’t depend on the drone.
Does the weather affect the survey?
A survey can typically go ahead in light rain, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Strong wind or heavy rain can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so if conditions are not right we will arrange another day with you.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That way you can still act on what we find, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Where it’s safe, yes. Much of the inspection is done from ground level, from windows and from the roof space. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where applicable.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling aren’t something we do. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We carry out surveys on any day of the week. To find a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Places near Hobbs Cross
Also in Hobbs Cross
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Hobbs Cross
Hill Hall, about 0.9 miles east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Hobbs Cross. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead. Clay tiles and timber weatherboarding mark out many of the older buildings in Essex, alongside lots of post-war and newer estates. Whether you are buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of All Saints, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Hobbs Cross is about 3 miles north-east of Loughton, in Essex. We visit Hobbs Cross as part of our work across Essex. We cover towns and villages across Essex, from the larger towns to small villages. There is also a page for London.
Surveys in CM16 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. We also cover the places around Hobbs Cross: Theydon Garnon (1 mile west), Steward's Green (1 mile north), Fiddlers Hamlet (1 mile north), Abridge (2 miles south) and Ivy Chimneys (2 miles north-west). Further out, we also cover Harlow (7 miles north), Brentwood (8 miles south-east), Billericay (13 miles east), Loughton (3 miles south-west), Waltham Abbey (5 miles west) and Harold Wood (7 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Hobbs Cross
A little further out are St. Margaret's Hospital (2.3 miles north) and Epping Signalling Museum (1.7 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Gernon Bushes.