Essex · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Chase Cross, Essex
Independent roof leak investigations in Chase Cross. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
Can I check my roof myself?
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That is where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Roof leak investigation in Chase Cross
Most roof leaks start at a joint rather than the middle of a slope. Flashings at chimneys and walls, valleys, gutters, parapets and flat roof upstands and outlets are the usual suspects. We check each likely route and follow the evidence. Every chimney, dormer and roof light adds more joints to check. We check all of them, from every safe viewpoint. If you’re worried about water through the ceiling under a flat roof and damp walls below an overflowing gutter, we can find out what’s behind it, on valleys and parapet gutters, flat roof details and lead flashings alike.
Older cottages and houses around Chase Cross may have roofs with little or no underlay. Without a sound underlay, any gap in the coverings lets water straight through. Whether it is long-term wear or recent damage makes a difference to what happens next. In the loft, damp battens or wet insulation are frequently the first clues.
What you get is a clear record of the leaking roof on the day we saw it. It’s useful straight away, and a good reference for later.
- Location
- Chase Cross (RM5, RM1, RM4)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Also near Chase Cross
Other services in Chase Cross
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney stacks
A stack has several possible ways in for rain. Each is looked at from each safe vantage point.
Valleys
Stains from a valley leak frequently show some distance off. We trace the route from the loft where there is safe access.
What a roof leak investigation looks like in Chase Cross
Hare Hall, about 2 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Chase Cross. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs. Clay tiles and timber weatherboarding mark out many of the older buildings in Essex, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. The covering and its details give the first clues when tracing where water is coming from.
For an older house near a landmark such as St James, the leak may come from a chimney, a valley or tired lead rather than the covering itself. Living close to Havering Country Park is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls.
Chase Cross is about 2 miles north of Romford, in Essex. We carry out roof leak investigations in Chase Cross for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Chase Cross is one of the places in Essex we cover for roof leak investigations. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
We work across the RM5, RM1 and RM4 postcode area for roof leak investigations and the streets around it. We offer roof leak investigations to properties on Merlin Road, Avelon Road and Vernon Road and the roads around them. If you are just outside Chase Cross, we cover Havering-atte-Bower (1 mile north-east), Redbridge (2 miles west), Stapleford Abbotts (2 miles north), Lambourne End (3 miles north-west) and Chigwell Row (3 miles west). Further out, we also cover Basildon (12 miles east), Harlow (12 miles north), Brentwood (6 miles east), Billericay (11 miles east), Loughton (6 miles north-west) and Wickford (15 miles east).
Near you in Chase Cross
In Chase Cross, that means homes and buildings near Colley Rowe Inn, Clockhouse Primary School and Havering Country Park and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Gidea Park station, roughly 2.1 miles south-east of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Romford Shopping Hall (1.8 miles south) and Harold Wood Hospital (2.3 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Bedfords Park.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Chase Cross
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out in order of urgency where relevant, which helps with budgets and planning.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan.
Common roof problems in Chase Cross
A roof valley collects the rain from two slopes. Worn lead, cracked linings or a build-up of leaves and moss can push water under the slates or tiles. The stain may appear well away from the valley itself.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
- Staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall
- Water that shows only in certain storms
For landlords with property near Gidea Park station, a tenant living with a leak needs the cause found, not just the stain painted over.
What to check before booking
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- What exactly goes into their report
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- What they will not be able to tell you
FAQs for Chase Cross
Is Chase Cross in the area you cover?
Yes, Chase Cross is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Chase Cross as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Is Chase Cross within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Will you check the loft?
Where it’s relevant to the survey and there’s safe access, yes. Please clear anything stored under the hatch.
Will I get photos?
Yes. Photos are taken throughout the survey, and the report uses them to show each finding alongside our recommendations.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only where it’s safe to do so. We inspect whatever is safely visible: from ground level, from windows, from inside the roof space, from the roof where it’s safe and by drone where applicable. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Not necessarily. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
What affects the price in Chase Cross
Prices always include VAT. What changes the price is:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- The roof’s overall size
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
For a price for your roof in Chase Cross, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us about the roof. We will confirm the figure before booking.
What to tell us when you contact us
You do not need to know any roofing terms. Just tell us:
- Anything about access we should know
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
If you are buying, it’s useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email whenever suits you.
What we do, step by step
We don’t take risks to get a closer look. We inspect what can be seen safely, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours for a house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. A visit to Chase Cross is planned like any other: the time, the access and where to park are agreed ahead of time. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. If there are outbuildings or garages you want looked at, mention them.
- We start with what you’ve seen: where the stain is and when it gets worse.
- The visit starts indoors, at the stain and in the loft.
- Outside, we look at every likely route in.
- Moisture readings and thermal imaging are used where they help.
- We email a report with photographs, the likely entry point and recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Arrange a survey
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or email us to find out.