Essex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Housham Tye
Find out the condition of the roof at your property in Housham Tye. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Housham Tye
Some roofs cannot be seen well from the ground or from windows. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where applicable, along with a same-day report. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we’ll say so and inspect from every other safe vantage point. If you’ve noticed damp timbers or stains in the loft and worn or lifted lead flashings, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Being in a small place like Housham Tye makes no difference to the inspection itself: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed in advance. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when 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.
We write the report in plain English, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Each point is backed by a photograph where possible, and recommendations are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
- Where
- Housham Tye (CM17)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips from our surveys
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Ask for loft access on the day
- Don’t leave it until just before exchange
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. They’ll see exactly what we found, and where, so each quote covers the same ground.
After strong winds, look at the roof from the ground. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Dealing with them early keeps water out.
Different roofs, different checks
Gutters and parapets
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter, usually to the back of the house. If yours does, we check that gutter and where it drains.
Natural slate
Slate is common on Victorian and Edwardian houses. We check for slipped, cracked and missing slates, and for clips or tingles that show past repairs.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Small roof defects let water in slowly. Damp can spread into timbers and ceilings before anyone sees a mark. Finding the cause at the survey stage means you know about it from day one. In a small place like Housham Tye, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all with VAT included. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Why book us in Housham Tye
- An independent view of the roof
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
For landlords and managing agents
Letting agents and landlords in Housham Tye book surveys as well as householders. A written report with photos gives you a clear record of the roof, useful for planning maintenance.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. Access is agreed with the tenant beforehand.
What we can’t see
It’s a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- Whether timbers meet design loads
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll suggest the right survey before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
Also near Housham Tye
Other services in Housham Tye
Buying a home or a new roof in Housham Tye
With Barrington Hall about 4.8 miles north-east, Housham Tye sits in an area with a long building history. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. In Essex, older buildings are frequently clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, while many towns grew with post-war and newer estates. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new.
If you own a rental within reach of Harlow Mill station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Housham Tye is about 3 miles east of Harlow, in Essex. We provide pre-purchase roof surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Housham Tye. Across Essex, we cover Housham Tye and the places around it. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
We survey roofs across CM17 for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. Other places close to Housham Tye include Matching Tye (1 mile east), Matching (1 mile north-east), Loyter's Green (1 mile south-east), Newman's End (1 mile north-east) and Foster Street (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Chelmsford (13 miles east), Harlow (3 miles west), Brentwood (12 miles south-east), Billericay (15 miles south-east), Loughton (10 miles south-west) and Waltham Abbey (10 miles south-west).
Landmarks near Housham Tye
We work in homes and buildings around Gibberd Garden. The closest station to Housham Tye is Harlow Mill station, roughly 2.2 miles west of the centre. A little further out are Harlow Mill (2.4 miles west) and Mark Hall Cycle Museum (2.5 miles west). Not far away are Sawbridgeworth Marsh.
Housham Tye questions
Do you cover smaller places like Housham Tye?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Is my home in Housham Tye listed or in a conservation area?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
How experienced are you?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys, across London and South East England.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We don’t sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it’s disturbed.
How long will you be at the property?
On site, it usually takes about one to two hours at most homes, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Report times depend on the package, from the same day for Premium to within 48 hours for Basic.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes, you can. You’ll have photos and a written description of each defect, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. How the seller responds is up to them.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Let us know about it when booking and we’ll explain what’s needed.
What happens on the day
We work from the outside in: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the roof space where it can be reached. All told, expect about 1–2 hours at most homes, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Somewhere as small as Housham Tye, access is often the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- 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 beforehand.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- You get a report with photographs and recommendations before you exchange.
Before we arrive
- Tell us about parking before the day
- Find any records of previous roof work
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
Arrange a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.