Essex · London and the South East
Shellow Bowells Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Shellow Bowells, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
Prices vary from roof to roof, and it comes down to:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- The roof’s overall size
- House, block, shop or office
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, inc. VAT, and we can help you choose.
Booking your survey
These details help when you contact us:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- Access details, like a loft hatch or a shared roof
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know the cost up front. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. To book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Shellow Bowells
Buyers in Shellow Bowells and right across London and South East England use our pre-purchase roof survey. From terraced and semi-detached homes to detached houses and flats, we follow the same careful process. The report says what’s in good order, what isn’t and what to deal with first. We are insured for professional indemnity and public liability, with more than 20 years’ experience behind us. To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. We’re often asked to look into gaps where slates or tiles have come loose and a ridge or slope that dips, on clay and concrete tiles, natural slate and lead flashings and valleys.
Some older homes in villages like Shellow Bowells are listed or sit 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’re buying or signing off new roofing, it’s worth knowing where you stand, as well as what condition the roof is in. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
You receive the findings by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Location
- Shellow Bowells (CM5)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings and valleys
Many older houses have lead in their valleys and hidden gutters. Worn or cracked lead lets water straight into the roof, and lead is also a target for theft.
Flat roofs
Repeated coatings on a flat roof can mask what’s underneath. We record what we can see and say where a closer look is needed.
Towns and villages near Shellow Bowells
Also in Shellow Bowells
What we do, step by step
We work from the outside in: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the loft space where it can be reached. All told, expect roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Rural addresses near Shellow Bowells can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from the ground, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- We email a written report with photographs and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
How to book
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We’ll confirm the price before you book.
Advice
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Shellow Bowells: local notes
Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. To find out, check Historic England’s list and ask the council about conservation areas. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent. If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
For any home in Shellow Bowells, it’s the small, early fault that is cheapest to put right.
Shellow Bowells is about 7 miles west of Chelmsford, in Essex. Surveys in Shellow Bowells work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful look at whatever is safely visible, photos and a clear written report. Our area takes in places right across Essex. Chelmsford is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: CM5. We also cover Willingale (1 mile west), Berners Roding (1 mile west), Radley Green (2 miles south), Chalk End (2 miles north-east) and Roxwell (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Chelmsford (7 miles east), Basildon (13 miles south-east), Braintree (14 miles north-east), Harlow (9 miles west), Brentwood (8 miles south) and Maldon (15 miles east).
What’s near Shellow Bowells
Other landmarks nearby include Willingale Doe (0.7 miles west) and Chelmsford and Essex Hospital (5.7 miles east).
Shellow Bowells questions
Is Shellow Bowells in the area you cover?
Yes, Shellow Bowells is within the area we cover. We work right across London and South East England. You can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and some details, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Will you come out to Shellow Bowells?
Yes, Shellow Bowells is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is frequently shared, so we need permission from whoever owns or manages the building. We inspect only the parts we’re allowed to reach.
What insurance do you have?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and details are available on request.
How soon is the report ready?
That depends on which survey you choose: within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Let us know your exchange date and we’ll help you choose.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. It’s a dedicated roof survey, with a written report and photographs. It is not a RICS survey and does not cover the rest of the house.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Let us know your preferred days as you book.
Honest limits
A survey is a proper look at the roof, but it can’t do everything. Its limits include:
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- The condition of the rest of the house (that’s a RICS home survey)
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll tell you. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
Before and after the survey
Small things make a difference. Some pointers:
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Tell us your exchange date when you book
- Book once your offer is accepted
With Standard, you get a follow-up consultation, while Premium includes a consultation in person. If anything in the report is not clear, ask us.
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. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.
What we are asked to look at in Shellow Bowells
Chimneys take the worst of the weather and they’re frequently the least maintained part of a roof. Mortar erodes, the flaunching around the pots cracks and the flashings work loose. A stack may be shared with the neighbours, which can affect how any work is arranged.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed something like this:
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Church of St Peter and St Paul, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Questions to ask before booking
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- What happens after the report arrives
- Will the report include photos?