Essex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Little Totham
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Little Totham, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
The survey, step by step
It helps to start with what’s prompted the survey: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. That way we can focus on what matters to you. The visit typically takes an hour or two for a house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Older roofs in small places like Little Totham can have low, tight loft spaces, so it’s useful to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it is safe.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it’s safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Getting a price
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
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About our pre-purchase roof survey in Little Totham
The best time to book is once your offer has been accepted and before you exchange contracts. That’s when the findings are most useful, while you are not yet committed. Visits run on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when a sale is moving quickly. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. We’re often asked to look into loose pots and cracked flaunching and ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof, on the roof space, gutters and downpipes and clay and concrete tiles.
Somewhere as small as Little Totham, 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’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- Little Totham (CM9)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney stacks
A leaning stack, cracked flaunching or crumbling pointing can all need work. We note them with photos so you can ask about them.
Lead flashings and valleys
Lead-lined valleys and gutters are common on older homes in London and South East England. Splits in a lead valley send water inside, and missing lead is not unknown, as it is a target for thieves.
Useful tips for Little Totham property owners
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
We email the report to you, with photos of each finding. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Findings are set out in plain English, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant.
After strong winds, look at the roof from ground level. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Dealing with them early keeps water out.
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Little Totham
Not every roof costs the same to survey, for these reasons:
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- The size of the roof
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT.
What to let us know when you contact us
A little information up front helps. It’s useful to include:
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
Not sure which survey you need? It is easiest to call 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll explain the options and the price.
Little Totham: your questions answered
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Little Totham, take more of a battering?
Often, yes. Within about 3 miles of the sea, as Little Totham is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
Is my home in Little Totham listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you cover Little Totham for pre-purchase roof surveys?
Yes. We survey roofs across London and South East England, Little Totham included.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it isn’t a RICS home survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day. Let us know your preferred days when you book.
Do you go up on the roof?
Only where it’s safe to do so. Much of the inspection is done from ground level, from windows and from the roof space. On Premium, a drone is used where applicable.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling aren’t something we do. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it.
What you can safely check yourself
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date.
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Little Totham
Landlords and letting agents in Little Totham book surveys as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photographs, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, putting the urgent items at the top.
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Little Totham
Little Totham is within about 3 miles of the coast, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, and loose ridges, slates and tiles are the first to lift in a gale, so exposed details get a proper look whether you’re buying or signing off new work. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Take an older house close to Church of All Saints: the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light. If you own a rental within reach of Witham station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full. Layer Marney Tower lies about 4.1 miles north-east, so building around Little Totham goes back a long way. When you buy an older home, the roof’s age, past repairs and any listing all affect what you might spend later.
Little Totham is about 4 miles north-east of Maldon, in Essex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Little Totham for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings. Across Essex, we cover Little Totham and the places around it. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
All of CM9 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Streets in the area include The Street, Sawyer's Road and Bakers Lane, and we cover them all. Close by, we survey roofs in Tolleshunt Major (1 mile south-east), Totham Hill (1 mile west), Oxley Green (2 miles north-east), Goldhanger (2 miles south) and Tolleshunt Knights (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Colchester (10 miles north-east), Chelmsford (11 miles west), Braintree (11 miles north-west), Maldon (4 miles south-west), Rayleigh (14 miles south-west) and Witham (5 miles west).
Near you in Little Totham
We work in homes and buildings around The Swan pub, among other places. Little Totham’s nearest station is Witham station, about 4.8 miles north-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Maldon & District Agricultural & Domestic Museum (2 miles south-east). Not far away are Tiptree Heath Nature Reserve.