Essex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Jack's Hatch
Not sure what state the roof is in? You can book a pre-purchase roof survey in Jack's Hatch and across Essex.
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
Surveys for landlords and agents in Jack's Hatch
Landlords and agents in Jack's Hatch book surveys as well as householders. A written report with photos gives you a clear record of the roof.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Jack's Hatch
Buying a home is a big commitment, and the roof is one of the costliest parts to put right. Our pre-purchase roof survey gives you a close look at it before you are committed. We look at the slates or tiles, the ridges and valleys, the flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, plus the loft where there is safe access. You get a report with photos. If you are worried about patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem and a ridge or slope that dips, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on chimney stacks, lead flashings and valleys and flat-roofed extensions and dormers alike.
Somewhere as small as Jack's Hatch, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings frequently sit beside a few newer homes. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Whether you are 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: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent, whichever applies.
- Place
- Jack's Hatch (CM16)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Also near Jack's Hatch
What else we do in Jack's Hatch
Honest limits
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- The condition of the rest of the house (that’s a RICS home survey)
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will point you to the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
What we check
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
Jack's Hatch: your questions answered
Is Jack's Hatch within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
How do I find out if my home in Jack's Hatch is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. We check the parts we’re given access to, and the report makes that clear.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. It is a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, and you get a written report with photos. It doesn’t cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
How quickly will I get the report?
It depends on the package: within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Let us know your timetable when you book.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime. Let us know your preferred days when booking.
Can I check my roof myself?
A lot can be seen from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Jack's Hatch
Prices vary from roof to roof, and it comes down to:
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, which starts from £400, with VAT included. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Helping us price your survey
We’ll typically ask about:
- The property’s address and postcode
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Anything about access we should know
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
If you’re buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply ring 07833 053749 or email us whenever suits you.
The survey, step by step
There isn’t much for you to do on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will get on with the inspection. A typical survey takes roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, and more on a big or complicated roof. Rural addresses near Jack's Hatch can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- You get a photo-illustrated written report and recommendations before you exchange.
How to prepare
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Keep pets in another room
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Book a survey
To book a survey, call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Advice
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings are a common source of leaks, so they get close attention in a pre-purchase survey. Any that need attention are photographed and explained.
Chimney stacks
We inspect the outside of the stack, and it is not a flue or gas safety check. We will say if the flue needs a specialist.
Local roofs and buyers in Jack's Hatch
Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the council can say whether a street is in a conservation area. Re-roofing in different materials may need permission there. If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near St James with St Luke, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are. For landlords with property near Roydon station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Jack's Hatch is about 3 miles south-west of Harlow, in Essex. We survey roofs in Jack's Hatch and the rest of Essex, as part of our work across London and the South East. Our area takes in places right across Essex, from the larger towns to small villages. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
Here we cover the CM16 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. You will find Jack's Hatch on the B181, so it is easy for us to get to. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Broadley Common (1 mile west), Epping Green (1 mile south), Tylerscross (1 mile north-west), Staple Tye (1 mile north-east) and Great Parndon (1 mile north). We also work in nearby towns such as Harlow (3 miles north-east), Brentwood (13 miles south-east), Loughton (6 miles south), Waltham Abbey (5 miles south-west), Great Dunmow (15 miles north-east) and Epping (3 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Jack's Hatch
Around Jack's Hatch, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Travellers Friend pub, Nazeing Triangle and Stewards School, among other places. The nearest railway station is Roydon station, about 3 miles north-west. Well-known places in the area include Harlow Mill (4.1 miles north-east) and Nazeing Glass Museum (3.3 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Cheshunt Lake and Hunsdon Mead.