Essex · London and the South East
Willows Green Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Willows Green, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photos.
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Old water stains in the loft space
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Willows Green
Book after your offer is accepted and before exchange. That’s when the findings are most useful, because nothing is binding yet. We survey seven days a week, which helps when a sale is moving quickly. The report comes within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. We survey the roof space, chimney stacks and gutters and downpipes, and common reasons people get in touch are old water stains in the roof space and bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs.
For a small place like Willows Green, the visit is planned like any other: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed ahead of time. 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. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
We write the report in plain English, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Each point is backed by a photo where possible.
- Place
- Willows Green (CM3)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Willows Green
A chimney stack stands out in the wind and rain. Mortar erodes, the flaunching around the pots cracks and the flashings work loose. On terraced and semi-detached homes, a stack may be shared with next door, which can affect how any work is arranged.
People normally book a survey after spotting one of these:
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
Around Willows Green, as everywhere, small roof faults are simplest to sort before they let water in.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- What insurance they carry
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
What this survey can’t tell you
In fairness, a roof survey has limits:
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
What we check
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
Local roofs and buyers in Willows Green
Older buildings in Essex often have clay tiles and weatherboarding, alongside lots of post-war and newer estates. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new. If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
Landlords with a home close to Braintree station may find that a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Willows Green is about 4 miles south-west of Braintree, in Essex. If you’re in Willows Green, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Willows Green is one of the places in Essex where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys. There’s also a page for Chelmsford.
Here we cover the CM3 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Local streets include Main Road and Evelyn Road, and we cover them all. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Bannister Green (2 miles north-west), Little Leighs (2 miles south), Watch House Green (2 miles north-west), Blake End (2 miles north-west) and Causeway End (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Chelmsford (8 miles south), Braintree (4 miles north-east), Maldon (11 miles south-east), Witham (7 miles south-east), Halstead (9 miles north-east) and Great Dunmow (6 miles west).
What’s near Willows Green
In Willows Green, that means homes and buildings near Cuckoo Wood and the streets around them. Willows Green’s nearest station is Braintree station, roughly 3.1 miles north-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Tudor House Museum (Braintree) (3.7 miles north-east) and William Julien Courtauld Hospital (2.7 miles north-east). The countryside around Willows Green includes Phyllis Currie Nature Reserve.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
For a price for your roof in Willows Green, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the roof. We’ll confirm the figure before booking.
What to let us know when you contact us
You do not need to know any roofing terms. Just tell us:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- When you need the report by
When you’re ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
Places near Willows Green
Also in Willows Green
What we do, step by step
We’ll ask a few questions first, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes between one and two hours at a typical home; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Rural addresses near Willows Green can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Before the survey
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
Getting a price
Most bookings start with a short call: ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
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Willows Green questions
Is my home in Willows Green listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Is Willows Green in the area you cover?
Yes, Willows Green is within the area we cover. We survey roofs across London and South East England. You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and a few details.
How long will you be at the property?
The visit usually takes an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. We will confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Are you insured?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability.
When will the report arrive?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed with photos included.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. It is a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, and you get a written report with photos. It is not a RICS survey and doesn’t cover the rest of the house.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
It’s your choice, but the two do different jobs. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Ours sits alongside a RICS survey rather than replacing it.
Before and after the survey
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Request records of any re-roofing
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
We email the report to you, with photos of each finding. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Findings are set out in plain English, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant.
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.
For landlords and managing agents
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps when budgeting.
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf, and the report can go to both. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.