Essex · London and the South East
Stratford St Mary Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Stratford St Mary and the rest of Essex. Surveys run on any day of the week.
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- A ridge or slope that dips
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Stratford St Mary
The best time to book is once your offer has been accepted and before you exchange contracts. That is when the findings are most useful, while you’re not yet committed. We survey seven days a week, which helps when a sale is moving quickly. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. If you’ve noticed damp timbers or stains in the loft and roof slopes that look uneven or sagging, we can find out what’s behind it, on chimney stacks, gutters and downpipes and the roof space alike.
In a village or hamlet like Stratford St Mary, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Whether you are buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
The written findings come by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Place
- Stratford St Mary (CO7)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from ground level
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 part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
What we look for on each type of roof
Flat roofs
Standing water, blisters, splits and tired upstands all point to wear. Blocked outlets are checked as well, and we say what we see from wherever is safe.
Natural slate
Older slate roofs often have bitumen felt under them, and very old ones may have none. From inside the loft space, we report what we can see of it.
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Stratford St Mary
Stratford St Mary is within about 5 miles of the coast, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, and loose ridges, slates and tiles are the first to lift in a gale. If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
Landlords with a home close to Manningtree station may find that it’s worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it. If you live in an older home near Church of St Mary, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are. With Castle House about 1.7 miles south-east, the area around Stratford St Mary has a long history. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area.
Stratford St Mary is about 6 miles north-east of Colchester, in Essex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Stratford St Mary. Stratford St Mary is one of the towns and villages in Essex where we work. Chelmsford is in our area too.
Surveys in CO7 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on The Street, Kenyon Close and Strickmere. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Higham (1 mile north-west), Dedham (1 mile south-east), Lamb Corner (2 miles south), Holton St Mary (2 miles north-east) and Hornestreet (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Colchester (6 miles south-west), Clacton-on-Sea (14 miles south-east), Harwich (13 miles east), Camulodunum (7 miles south-west), Halstead (15 miles west) and Greenstead (6 miles south).
Near you in Stratford St Mary
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to East Bergholt High School and The Anchor pub, among other places. The nearest railway station is Manningtree station, about 3.3 miles south-east. A little further out are Severalls Hospital (5 miles south-west) and The Munnings Museum (1.7 miles south-east). The countryside around Stratford St Mary includes Cattawade Marshes.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- Which survey package you book
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- The size of the roof
- Height and safe access
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where it applies) come with the Premium Survey, from £400 inc. VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
What we need to know
When you call or email, these details help:
- When you need the report by
- What’s prompted the survey
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Towns and villages near Stratford St Mary
Also in Stratford St Mary
How it works
We will ask a few questions first, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Around Stratford St Mary, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it is useful to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it’s safe.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- 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.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
Before we arrive
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Check we can get to the back of the property
Booking a survey
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form, tell us about the property and we’ll suggest the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Read more
Before and after the survey
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Ask for loft access on the day
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
It is worth sharing the report with your solicitor so they can raise enquiries with the seller’s side. Past repairs, re-roofing and any records of that work are all fair questions.
After strong winds, look at the roof from ground level. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Stratford St Mary
How do I find out if my home in Stratford St Mary is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you cover smaller places like Stratford St Mary?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. You might ask for work to be done, ask questions or ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller, so we cannot promise any saving.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS home survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so we need permission from the building owner or managing agent. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Honest limits
A survey is a careful look at the roof, but it can’t do everything. The main limits are:
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll suggest the right survey before you book. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Stratford St Mary
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers