Essex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Point Clear, Essex
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Point Clear. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Point Clear
Our packages start with the Basic Survey from £150, while Standard starts from £250 and Premium from £400, inc. VAT. Standard adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. Premium adds thermal imaging, a drone inspection where applicable and an in-person consultation. Pick the one that fits the property. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. We survey chimney stacks, gutters and downpipes and lead flashings and valleys, and common reasons people get in touch are blocked or leaking gutters and flashings that have lifted or split.
Somewhere as small as Point Clear, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings often sit beside a few newer homes. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Place
- Point Clear (CO16)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Before and after the survey
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Let us know your timetable
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller.
Every so frequently, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
What we cannot see
A survey is a close look at the roof, but it can’t do everything. The main limits are:
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will recommend the right survey. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Point Clear
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
Towns and villages near Point Clear
More services for Point Clear
Point Clear homes and their roofs
Point Clear lies within about 1 mile of the sea, where wind off the sea can be strong. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. There are about 500,000 buildings on England’s list of listed buildings, and around 10,000 conservation areas. If your home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission, so check with the council.
Take an older house close to Church of St James: the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Point Clear is about 5 miles west of Clacton-on-Sea, in Essex. Whether the building in Point Clear is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, the roof can be surveyed. We cover towns and villages across Essex, from the larger towns to small villages. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
Surveys in CO16 are booked the same way as anywhere else. That includes homes and businesses on Oakmead Road, Seaview Terrace and Alpha Road. If you are just outside Point Clear, we cover Brightlingsea (1 mile north), Lee-over-Sands (2 miles south), St Osyth (2 miles east), East Mersea (2 miles west) and Seawick (3 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Colchester (9 miles north-west), Clacton-on-Sea (5 miles east), Harwich (14 miles north-east), Camulodunum (9 miles north-west), Heybridge (15 miles west) and Greenstead (8 miles north-west).
Around Point Clear
Around Point Clear, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Ferry Boat Inn and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Great Bentley station, roughly 4.1 miles north. Green spaces nearby include Howlands Marsh.
Different roofs, different checks
Flat roofs
Many homes have a flat roof somewhere, often over an extension. Felt frequently lasts around 15 to 20 years, EPDM rubber 30 to 50 and GRP up to about 30. We look for signs of age and failure.
Natural slate
Slate is common on Victorian and Edwardian houses. We look for slates that have slid, cracked or gone, and for clips or tingles that show past repairs.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Point Clear
Landlords and letting agents in Point Clear book surveys as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photos.
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we will plan the survey around it.
FAQs for Point Clear
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Point Clear?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
Is Point Clear within the area you cover?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Will you climb onto the roof?
When conditions and the roof make it safe, yes. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft, and a drone is part of the Premium Survey where it applies.
How long does the survey visit take?
On site, it normally takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, and more on a big or complicated roof. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
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 soon is the report ready?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed with photos included.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
How the survey works
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. We then inspect everything that can safely be seen, from the ground, from windows, in the roof space and by drone where it applies. Most surveys take about one to two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Cottages and farmhouses around Point Clear often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- 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 is safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Before we arrive
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
Getting a price
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email to find out.
Advice
What we’re asked to look at in Point Clear
Many roofs have had quick fixes over the years. Bitumen over flashings, mortar fillets in place of lead and odd replacement tiles can be signs that something has leaked before. Our report records them so you can ask the seller what was done and when.
People normally book a survey when they’ve noticed one of these:
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Flashings that have lifted or split
If you own a rental within reach of Great Bentley station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
What to check before booking
- What the survey won’t cover
- Will the report include photos?
- Whether the price includes VAT
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours