Essex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Sewards End, Essex
We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Sewards End and the rest of Essex. We survey seven days a week.
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
When to book a survey in Sewards End
Most viewings never get near the roof. You walk round the rooms, but the roof stays out of sight. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, which is why buyers book a closer look before committing.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
Take an older house close to St James' Church: ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs frequently have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- What the survey will not cover
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- What happens after the report arrives
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
Pre-purchase roof survey in Sewards End
Older homes often have roofs that have been patched over the years. Corroded nails let slates slide, valley linings wear thin and chimney mortar erodes. Most of it can’t be seen from the street. Our survey picks it out, with photos that show you exactly where. Each finding is explained in plain words, so it is clear what it means for your purchase. If you are worried about slates or tiles that have slipped or gone and sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
For a small place like Sewards End, the visit is planned like any other: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed beforehand. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when you book, so the visit can be planned around them. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Visits can be booked on weekdays and at weekends.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Where
- Sewards End (CB10)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What a survey costs
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
- The size of the roof
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- House, block, shop or office
We offer three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What we need to know
The more you tell us, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, let us know:
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- The kind of building and roof involved
Most bookings start with a short call: call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
How the survey changes by roof type
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’, and we note how widespread it looks.
Gutters and parapets
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter, normally to the back of the house. If the home you’re buying has one, that gutter and its outlet get a careful look.
FAQs for Sewards End
Do you cover Sewards End?
Yes, Sewards End is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Sewards End as anywhere else.
Is Sewards End within the area you cover?
Yes, Sewards End is covered. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it is applicable. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. It’s a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, and you get a written report with photos. It does not cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
Once your offer has been accepted, and before exchange. That gives you time to use the findings.
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. Tell us your exchange date and we’ll help you choose.
Does someone need to be in?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. Access is agreed with you when you book.
Buying a home or a new roof in Sewards End
The wider area around Sewards End has a long history of building, with Audley End House about 2.7 miles west. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Landlords with a home close to Audley End station may find that a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Sewards End is about 2 miles east of Saffron Walden, in Essex. In Sewards End, as across Essex, every roof gets the same careful survey. Across Essex, we cover Sewards End. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
Here we cover the CB10 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. We cover properties on Walden Road, Tylers and Radwinter Road. We also cover Cole End (1 mile south), Saffron Walden (2 miles west), Little Walden (3 miles north-west), Audley End (3 miles west) and Littlebury (3 miles west). Further out, we also cover Braintree (15 miles south-east), Great Dunmow (11 miles south), Stansted Mountfitchet (9 miles south-west), Great Notley (15 miles south-east), Bocking (15 miles south-east) and Elsenham (8 miles south).
Around Sewards End
For rail, the closest station is Audley End station, about 3.5 miles west of the centre. A little further out are Saffron Walden Museum (1.9 miles west) and Saffron Walden Community Hospital (1.2 miles west). Not far away are Hales and Shadwell Woods.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Sewards End
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To discuss a number of properties, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
The survey, step by step
The visit normally starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the loft space if there’s safe access. In total, it takes about one to two hours on an ordinary house, and more on a big or complicated roof. Cottages and farmhouses around Sewards End often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- We agree a time and how we will get in, including the loft.
- We check the roof from ground level, from windows, from the roof space and from the roof where safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Before the survey
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Arrange a survey
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Read more
Nearby places to Sewards End
What else we do in Sewards End
Can I check my roof myself?
A lot can be seen from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.