Essex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Totham Hill, Essex
Know where you stand with the roof before you decide what to do next. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Totham Hill.
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
How the survey works
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. It normally takes about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Around Totham Hill, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it is useful to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- We agree a time and how we’ll get in, including the loft.
- We inspect the roof from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it is safe.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
Arrange a survey
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
Pre-purchase roof survey in Totham Hill: what you get
We survey roofs for buyers in Totham Hill and across London and South East England. Whether it’s a terrace, a semi, a detached house or a flat, the roof gets the same careful look. The report says what’s in good order, what is not and what to deal with first. We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and have 20+ years’ experience. To book, ring 07833 053749 or email us. We are often asked to look into blocked or leaking gutters and worn or lifted lead flashings, on clay and concrete tiles, gutters and downpipes and flat-roofed extensions and dormers.
In a village or hamlet like Totham Hill, 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. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
It is not only a list of defects. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Location
- Totham Hill (CM9)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Before and after the survey
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Request records of any re-roofing
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
- Tell us your exchange date when you book
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or agent. You might ask for the work to be done before completion, or ask to adjust the price. The outcome is between you and the seller, and we cannot promise any result.
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. Dealing with them early keeps water out.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the addresses.
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you get in touch and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
Totham Hill: your questions answered
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Totham Hill, take more of a battering?
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 my home in Totham Hill listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a 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.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes, you can. The report sets out what we found, with photos, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. We cannot promise how the seller will respond.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Where it helps and it is safe, yes. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. It is a dedicated roof survey, and you get a written report with photos. It doesn’t cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
When will the report arrive?
That depends on which survey you choose: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Let us know your timetable as you book.
How long will you be at the property?
Allow an hour or two at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. We’ll confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Also near Totham Hill
What else we do in Totham Hill
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
A survey is a close look at the roof, but it can’t do everything. The main limits are:
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- Whether timbers meet design loads
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll point you to the right survey. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Totham Hill
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
Survey packages start from £150, including VAT. The price for your roof depends on:
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. The price is always agreed first.
Getting in touch
A little information up front helps. It helps to include:
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- When you need the report by
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
When you’re ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Totham Hill
Gutter problems often look minor from the street. Overflowing water soaks walls and can rot the timber behind. Hidden gutters behind parapets or in roof valleys can send water indoors. We check them as part of the survey.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Church of St Peter, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- What they will not be able to tell you
- What experience they bring
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
Buying a home or a new roof in Totham Hill
Totham Hill is within about 4 miles of the coast, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, and loose ridges, slates and tiles are the first to lift in a gale, so exposed details get a proper look whether you are buying or signing off new work. Layer Marney Tower, about 4.9 miles north-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Totham Hill. If yours is one of the older homes, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
For landlords with property near Witham station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Totham Hill is about 4 miles south-east of Witham, in Essex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Totham Hill. We cover towns and villages across Essex. There is also a page for Chelmsford.
Every address in CM9 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We also cover the places around Totham Hill: Little Totham (1 mile east), Tolleshunt Major (2 miles east), Goldhanger (3 miles south-east), Oxley Green (3 miles east) and Tolleshunt Knights (3 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Colchester (11 miles north-east), Chelmsford (10 miles west), Braintree (10 miles north-west), Maldon (4 miles south), Rayleigh (14 miles south) and Witham (4 miles north-west).
Near you in Totham Hill
In Totham Hill, that means homes and buildings near The Bull Public House. For rail, the closest station is Witham station, roughly 3.5 miles north-west. A little further out are Maldon & District Agricultural & Domestic Museum (3 miles south-east). Not far away are Shut Heath Wood.