Essex · London and the South East
Magdalen Laver Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Magdalen Laver. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Magdalen Laver
A Basic Survey starts from £150, with the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check. Premium goes further, with thermal imaging, a drone where it applies and a same-day report. Choose the level that suits the home you’re buying. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. Common reasons to book are gaps where slates or tiles have come loose and flashings that have lifted or split, across natural slate, lead flashings and valleys and the roof space.
For a small place like Magdalen Laver, the visit is planned like any other: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed in advance. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when booking. Whether you’re buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Visits can be booked on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Where
- Magdalen Laver (CM5)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
When to book a survey in Magdalen Laver
Viewings rarely include a proper look at the roof. You see the rooms, not the slates. New paint on a ceiling can hide old water stains, which is why buyers book a closer look before committing.
Problems we come across often include:
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Flashings that have lifted or split
Take an older house close to Parish Church of St Mary Magdalen: a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- When you’ll get the report
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Will the report include photos?
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, including offices, shops and units. Bigger roofs take more time.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Magdalen Laver: your questions answered
Are there drone restrictions around Magdalen Laver?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. North Weald Airfield is about 3 miles away, so we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before any flight. The flight also waits for calm, dry weather, and the rest of the survey does not depend on the drone.
Is Magdalen Laver within the area you cover?
Yes, Magdalen Laver is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Tell us about it as you book and we’ll plan the survey around it.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it’s safe. We also inspect from ground level, upper windows and the roof space.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It is not a replacement for a RICS survey.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That way you can still act on what we find, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. You’ll have photos and a written description of each defect, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. We can’t promise how the seller will respond.
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Magdalen Laver
Weatherboarded walls and clay tile roofs are typical of older Essex buildings, and plenty of post-war and modern estates besides. The covering on a house you are buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest. An older home may be listed, or stand in a conservation area. Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the council can say whether a street is in a conservation area. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent.
For landlords with property near Harlow Mill station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Magdalen Laver is about 3 miles east of Harlow, in Essex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Magdalen Laver and the surrounding area. Across Essex, we cover Magdalen Laver. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
Every address in CM5 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Close by, we survey roofs in Loyter's Green (1 mile north), Foster Street (1 mile west), Hastingwood (1 mile west), Housham Tye (2 miles north) and Matching Tye (2 miles north). Further out, we also cover Chelmsford (13 miles east), Harlow (3 miles west), Brentwood (10 miles south-east), Billericay (13 miles south-east), Loughton (9 miles south-west) and Waltham Abbey (9 miles south-west).
Near you in Magdalen Laver
In Magdalen Laver, that means homes and buildings near The Green Man Public House, among other places. Magdalen Laver’s nearest station is Harlow Mill station, roughly 3.4 miles north-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Harlow Mill (3.6 miles north-west) and Mark Hall Cycle Museum (3.2 miles north-west). For a walk, there is Gernon Bushes.
Places near Magdalen Laver
What else we do in Magdalen Laver
What happens on the day
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the roof space if there’s safe access. In total, it takes about 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Somewhere as small as Magdalen Laver, access is often the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
How to prepare
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
How to book
Not sure which survey you need? It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Advice
Leave it or get it looked at?
Sellers are not always aware of roof problems. The forms they complete only show what they’re aware of. Our survey shows you the roof as it is today, whatever anyone remembers. Older cottages and farmhouses around Magdalen Laver can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. The price is confirmed before you book.
What you get with us
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- Surveys on weekdays and at weekends
- Package prices that include VAT
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
Practical tips
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Request records of any re-roofing
- Let us know your exchange date when you book
- Ask for loft access on the day
- Book once your offer is accepted
If you want quotes for the work, roofers can work from the report. The photos show the defects and where they are, which makes quotes easier to compare.
After you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, ideally once the leaves have dropped. Overflowing water is behind a lot of damp. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.
What we can’t see
In fairness, a roof survey has limits:
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will tell you before you book. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers