Essex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Long Green
A careful look at the roof at your property in Long Green, with photographs and a written report.
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Long Green
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where it applies, along with a same-day report. Where a flight isn’t possible, because of airspace rules or the weather, we tell you and inspect from every other safe vantage point. Typical surveys look at damp timbers or stains in the loft and standing water on a flat extension roof, on natural slate, chimney stacks and flat-roofed extensions and dormers.
Older buildings in small places like Long Green may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials a new roof may use, so check with the council and Historic England’s list. Whether you are buying or signing off new roofing, it is worth knowing where you stand, as well as what condition the roof is in. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
After the visit, you get a written report with photographs, sent by email. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- Long Green (CM77)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey changes by roof type
Flat roofs
Standing water, blisters, splits and tired upstands all point to wear. Blocked outlets are checked as well.
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay and concrete tiles commonly last 50 years or more. We check for slipped, cracked and missing tiles, and for mismatched replacements that point to past repairs.
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, so a survey has limits:
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you before you book. The full list of what we check.
What we check
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Gutters and downpipes
Practical tips
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Don’t leave it until just before exchange
If you want quotes for the work, roofers can work from the report. They’ll see exactly what we found, and where, so each quote covers the same ground.
Look in the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Long Green
Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it is listed or in a conservation area. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas. Clay tiles and timber weatherboarding mark out many of the older buildings in Essex, and plenty of post-war and modern estates besides. Whether you’re buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
For landlords with property near Braintree Freeport station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one. If you own one of the older houses in the streets near St Barnabas, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Long Green is about 2 miles south-east of Braintree, in Essex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Long Green and the surrounding area. Long Green is one of the towns and villages in Essex we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in CM77 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Local streets include Pine Road, Fir Drive and Long Green. We also cover Tye Green (1 mile south), Hawbush Green (1 mile south-east), Black Notley (1 mile south-west), The Green (1 mile south-west) and Braintree (2 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Colchester (13 miles east), Chelmsford (10 miles south-west), Maldon (10 miles south-east), Witham (5 miles south-east), Camulodunum (12 miles east) and Halstead (6 miles north).
Local landmarks in Long Green
Around Long Green, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Alec Hunter Academy, Bocking Blackwater and Fowlers Farm pub and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Braintree Freeport station, about 0.8 miles west. Well-known places in the area include William Julien Courtauld Hospital (2 miles west) and Tudor House Museum (Braintree) (2 miles north-west). Not far away are Belcher's and Broadfield Woods.
Long Green questions
Is my home in Long Green listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Long Green?
Yes. We work right across London and the South East, and Long Green is part of that. You can phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a few details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. What the seller agrees to is their decision, so we cannot promise any saving.
Will you need to get into the loft?
If it can be arranged, yes. From the loft space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If we cannot get in, the report says so.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Long Green?
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know the address and what you’d like to know. We’ll confirm the price and agree a day with you.
Does the weather affect the survey?
It depends on the weather and the survey. In high wind or heavy rain, a drone can’t fly and access may not be safe, so we’d move the date with you.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys or testing. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings.
DIY checks: what’s safe
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and falls from height are serious. That’s where a survey comes in.
Why act early in Long Green
Without a survey, you’re relying on a glance from the pavement. That rarely shows the back slope, the valleys or the top of the chimney. We fill that gap before you are tied in, with photos of anything that needs attention. Older cottages and farmhouses around Long Green can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it’s left.
Prices start from £150, with VAT included, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400. You’ll know the price for your survey before booking.
Why us?
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Plain-English reports with photos
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
Read what a roof survey costs or our case studies.
Places near Long Green
More services for Long Green
How it works
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photographs go into the written report. It typically takes about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Somewhere like Long Green needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect what can safely be seen, inside and out.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Preparing for the visit
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Let us know about parking near the property
Book a survey
To get a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Long Green, phone 07833 053749 or email us. Some details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.