Essex · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in Great Notley
An experienced roof surveyor for roof leak investigations in Great Notley. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us.
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
- Water coming in around a roof light or dormer
- Damp underlay across a wide area
How it works
It helps to start with what’s prompted the survey: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit normally takes about 1–2 hours, more where the leak is intermittent or the roof is large. A visit to a smaller place like Great Notley is no different on the day: we look from ground level, from windows, from the loft and from the roof where it is safe. It helps to show us anything you’ve already noticed.
- We start with your notes and photos of the leak.
- Inside, we look at the stain and the ceiling around it.
- From the roof space, we trace the water’s route where there is safe access.
- We inspect the likely entry points outside, from ground level, windows and the roof where safe.
- We email a written report showing where the water most likely gets in.
Preparing for the visit
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
Book a survey
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know where you stand. Prices start from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in Great Notley
Not every drip is a leak. Condensation in a cold, poorly ventilated loft can drip from nails and timbers, leaving marks that look just like rainwater. Knowing which it is means the right fix can be done, since the cure for one won’t solve the other. The pattern of the damp, the ventilation and the timing all help us decide. If you’ve noticed brown rings on upstairs ceilings and wet patches high on an inside wall, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Houses in smaller places like Great Notley can stand more in the open, so wind and driving rain find any weakness in ridges, verges and flashings. If a leak shows only when the wind is in a certain direction, that is a useful clue. It is useful to know when and where the water appears. The gutters on the most exposed side can overflow too.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent.
- Place
- Great Notley (CM77)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Prices for roof leak investigations in Great Notley
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before booking. These are the things that affect it:
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, how it can safely be seen and which survey you book.
What to tell us when you get in touch
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- What made you get in touch
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Great Notley roofs and the weather
Older buildings in Essex often have clay tiles and weatherboarding, alongside a good many post-war and newer estates. Different coverings let water in at different points, which shapes where the search starts. 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. Re-roofing in different materials may need permission there.
If you live in an older home near The Church in Great Notley, water on an older roof tends to find its way in at the lead, the valleys or the chimney. Living close to Cuckoo Wood is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn. Anyone responsible for a site like White Court School will know that a leak through a large roof is frequently found some distance from where the water shows inside.
Great Notley is about 2 miles south-west of Braintree, in Essex. Great Notley is part of the area we cover across London and South East England. Great Notley is one of the places in Essex where we work. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
Every address in CM77 is covered for roof leak investigations. Local streets include London Road, Harnham Drive and Colville Close, all of which we cover. Nearby, we also carry out roof leak investigations in Row Green (1 mile south-east), Young's End (1 mile south), Little Common (1 mile north-west), Rayne (1 mile north-west) and Black Notley (2 miles east). We also work in nearby towns such as Chelmsford (9 miles south), Maldon (11 miles south-east), Witham (6 miles south-east), Camulodunum (15 miles east), Halstead (7 miles north-east) and Great Dunmow (7 miles west).
Near you in Great Notley
Around Great Notley, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Notley High School and Braintree Sixth Form, The Essex Cricketers pub and Cuckoo Wood. The closest station to Great Notley is Braintree station, about 1.6 miles north-east. Well-known places in the area include Tudor House Museum (Braintree) (2.2 miles north-east) and William Julien Courtauld Hospital (1.1 miles north-east). Not far away are Phyllis Currie Nature Reserve.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Leaks tend to get worse, not better. Wind lifts loose slates further and gaps widen. Tracing it now lets you plan the work rather than react to it. Tradespeople may need to travel further to a smaller place like Great Notley, so it is useful to plan roof work rather than call someone out in a hurry. Knowing early gives you time to get the right people in.
For a price for your roof in Great Notley, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us about the roof. We will confirm the figure before booking.
Why book us in Great Notley
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Every finding written up with photos
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
Take a look at our cost guide or our case studies.
Towns and villages near Great Notley
More services for Great Notley
Great Notley questions
Is my home in Great Notley listed or in a conservation area?
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.
Is Great Notley within the area you cover?
Yes. Great Notley is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We work right across London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
What should I do before you arrive?
Clear the loft hatch so we can get into the roof space. Gather any photos and notes about when it leaks, and let us know about past repairs. In the meantime, catch the water and keep it clear of lights and sockets.
How experienced are you?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it helps and the rules allow, yes. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
Why is the stain in a different place from the leak?
Water follows the easiest path, not the shortest. On a pitched roof it often runs down a rafter before it finds a way through the ceiling. Following that route is what our investigation does.
What does the report include?
A written report with photos, covering the condition of the leaking roof, the defects we found and what we recommend, with the most urgent first where relevant. Standard adds moisture detection and a structural check; Premium adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable and structural analysis.
Honest limits
Some things can’t be seen without opening up the roof, and that sets some limits:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Plumbing leaks that look like roof leaks
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings
- Rooflights and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roof details
- Slate and tile slopes
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- The roof space
Practical tips
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Put a bucket under the drip and move valuables
- Stay off ladders and the roof
- Let us know what has already been tried
- Note the weather when the leak shows
With the Standard Survey you get a follow-up consultation, and Premium includes an in-person consultation. It is a chance to ask about anything in the report.
Keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, particularly in autumn. Blocked outlets on parapet and flat roofs cause many leaks. Leave the clearing to someone with the right equipment.
Checking the roof from the ground
Your own check is a good start, 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.
A lot can be seen from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.