Essex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Little Dunmow
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat around Little Dunmow, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Little Dunmow
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- The size of the roof
- Height and safe access
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. The price is confirmed before you book.
What to tell us when you get in touch
Some details help us point you to the right survey and price. When you contact us, it helps to mention:
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
- Anything about access we should know
- The property’s address and postcode
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or email us to find out.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Little Dunmow
With a written roof report, you can go back to the seller or agent with specifics. You might ask about past repairs, ask for work to be done before completion or think again about your offer. We cannot say how a seller will respond, but you will be negotiating from a clear picture rather than a hunch. It also helps you decide whether to go ahead at all. If you’re worried about signs of past leaks inside the loft and sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on the roof space, chimney stacks and flat-roofed extensions and dormers alike.
Bungalows, chalet bungalows and older cottages are common in smaller places like Little Dunmow, and many have been extended or had dormers added. Low roofs are easier to see from the ground, but dormer cheeks, valleys and flat-roofed additions still need close attention. The same goes for a purchase or a new roof around Little Dunmow. Snags and wear both tend to show at dormer lead work and along flat-roof edges.
What you get is a clear record of the roof on the day we saw it. It is useful straight away, and a good reference for later.
- Location
- Little Dunmow (CM6)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Leave it or get it looked at?
Once you exchange, the roof’s problems become yours. Before then, you can still ask questions, ask for work to be done or reconsider. Finding out later gives you the same facts, but too late to use them in the purchase. With lower homes, common in places like Little Dunmow, there is little between a roof defect and the ceiling, so water can show inside quickly once it gets past the covering. Catching the cause first saves redecorating as well.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where it applies, from £400 with VAT included. We can help you choose the package that fits what you need to know.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Little Dunmow
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- 20+ years’ experience
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Little Dunmow
Clay tiles and timber weatherboarding mark out many of the older buildings in Essex, and a good many post-war and modern estates besides. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
In and around Little Dunmow, as anywhere, a roof is easiest to deal with when its problems are found early.
Little Dunmow is about 6 miles west of Braintree, in Essex. We provide pre-purchase roof surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Little Dunmow and the surrounding area. We cover towns and villages across Essex, large and small. For surveys nearby, see our Chelmsford page.
We cover every part of the CM6 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. You will find streets like Station Road, Worrin Road and Durand Lane, and we cover them all. Other places close to Little Dunmow include Brookstreet (1 mile west), Felsted (1 mile east), Causeway End (1 mile south-east), North End (1 mile south) and Watch House Green (2 miles east). We also work in nearby towns such as Chelmsford (9 miles south), Braintree (6 miles east), Harlow (14 miles south-west), Maldon (15 miles south-east), Witham (10 miles south-east) and Saffron Walden (13 miles north-west).
Near you in Little Dunmow
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Flitch Of Bacon Public House and the streets around them. Other landmarks nearby include Little Easton Moat (4 miles north-west) and Braintree Community Hospital (5.4 miles east). For a walk, there’s Phyllis Currie Nature Reserve.
Questions from Little Dunmow
Do you cover Little Dunmow?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Little Dunmow as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Is Little Dunmow within the area you cover?
Yes, Little Dunmow is covered. We survey roofs across London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
How long does the survey visit take?
It usually takes between one and two hours at a typical home, and more on a big or complicated roof. Report times depend on the package, from the same day for Premium to within 48 hours for Basic.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Where we can, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If we can’t get in, the report says so.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It does not stand in for a RICS survey.
How quickly will I get the report?
That depends on which survey you choose: 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.
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 is not a RICS survey and does not cover the rest of the house.
Also near Little Dunmow
Also in Little Dunmow
Before and after the survey
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
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, particularly where we have found patch repairs.
Look in the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.
How the survey works
We work from the outside in: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the loft space where it can be reached. In total, it takes about 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Some parts of a survey depend on the weather, so a visit to Little Dunmow is booked with the forecast in mind: the parts that need calm, dry weather are planned around it.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed in advance.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from ground level 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.
How to prepare
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Let us know about parking before the day
Booking a survey
Once you know what you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
Related advice
How the survey changes by roof type
Clay and concrete tiles
Concrete interlocking tiles are common on post-war and newer homes. They’re heavy and hard-wearing, but they weather and can crack.
Natural slate
Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but the nails holding it corrode long before that. Slipped or missing slates are a sign of ‘nail fatigue’.
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Little Dunmow?
Rear extensions, dormers and garages often have flat roofs. Felt flat roofs often last around 15 to 20 years, and ponding, blisters and splits are common signs of age. A buyer can easily miss them, especially when they’re only visible from an upper floor.
We’re frequently asked to look at:
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Mary the Virgin, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Their insurance cover
- Whether VAT is added on top