Essex · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in Great Tey
Roof leak investigations in Great Tey, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Damp walls below an overflowing gutter
- Damp ceilings under a flat roof
- Water marks that spread in wet weather
About our roof leak investigation in Great Tey
A leak that comes and goes can be the hardest to pin down. Driving rain from one direction, melting snow or a gutter that overflows in a downpour can all set it off. Telling us when it happens helps a lot and so do photos. We look for the clues it leaves behind, such as tide marks, stained timbers and damp underlay. Moisture readings show where materials are still wet. We are often asked to look into damp walls below an overflowing gutter and damp ceilings under a flat roof, across chimney stacks, valleys and parapet gutters and rooflights and dormers.
Somewhere as small as Great Tey, older roofs have often been repaired many times. That makes it hard to tell new damage from old wear, and the difference matters, particularly to an insurer. We look at whatever is safely visible and set out what we find. Older walls and timbers hold water for a long time, so it is worth finding the cause soon.
We write the report in plain English, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Each point is backed by a photo where possible, with the urgent items made clear.
- Where
- Great Tey (CO6)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Landlord and commercial surveys in Great Tey
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Do you need a roof leak investigation in Great Tey?
Condensation is often mistaken for a leak. Warm, moist air from the house rises into a cold roof space and condenses, particularly in lofts with blocked eaves. Drips from nails and damp underlay are typical signs.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Water that shows only in certain storms
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
- Condensation that looks like a leak
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Barnabas, lead flashings, valleys and old chimneys are typical places for water to get in.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- What they will not be able to tell you
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
Different roofs, different checks
Slate and tile slopes
Ridge and hip tiles can loosen as their mortar cracks. Rain can then run in at the ridge.
Chimney stacks
We look at the outside of the stack and the breast inside, not a flue, gas or sweep inspection.
Great Tey questions
Do you carry out roof surveys in Great Tey?
Yes. We survey roofs across London and the South East, and Great Tey is part of that. Just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us about the property, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Will you come out to Great Tey?
Yes, Great Tey is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. Our survey is not a structural engineer’s report. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we’ll recommend one.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
How do you tell a leak from condensation?
Many apparent leaks turn out to be condensation. Leaks tend to follow wet weather and show in one place, while condensation is frequently spread out and worse in cold weather. The report explains which it looks like and what to do.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only if it’s safe. We inspect everything that’s safely in view: 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.
How long will you be at the property?
On site, it usually takes about one to two hours for most homes, though a hard-to-trace leak can take longer. Report times depend on the package.
Roof leak investigations in Great Tey: local notes
Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it’s listed or in a conservation area. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas. In Essex, older buildings are frequently clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Different coverings let water in at different points, which shapes where the search starts.
If you let a flat or house near Chappel & Wakes Colne station, a tenant living with a leak needs the cause found, not just the stain painted over.
Great Tey is about 5 miles south-east of Halstead, in Essex. Roofs in Great Tey get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Essex. We cover towns and villages across Essex. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
Every address in CO6 is covered for roof leak investigations. Local streets include The Street, Chrismund Way and Greenfield Drive. We also cover the places around Great Tey: Swan Street (1 mile north), Chappel (2 miles north), Rose Green (2 miles north-east), Wakes Colne (2 miles north) and Fordstreet (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Colchester (6 miles east), Braintree (8 miles west), Maldon (12 miles south), Witham (8 miles south-west), Camulodunum (5 miles east) and Halstead (5 miles north-west).
Around Great Tey
We work in homes and buildings around The Chequers Public House. The closest station to Great Tey is Chappel & Wakes Colne station, about 1.8 miles north of the centre. A little further out are Mount Bures (4.1 miles north) and Halstead Hospital (5.7 miles north-west). For a walk, there is Sergeants Orchard.
What we can’t see
To be straight with you, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Plumbing leaks that look like roof leaks
- The repair itself (the investigation finds and reports the cause)
- Whether rotten timbers meet design loads
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Great Tey
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roof details
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Slate and tile slopes
- The roof space
- Lead flashings
- Rooflights and dormers
What we do, step by step
We photograph the roof as we go, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available, including by drone where it is applicable and the weather allows. A typical visit takes an hour or two at most homes, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. In a hamlet or village like Great Tey, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We start with what you’ve seen: where the stain is and when it gets worse.
- We look at the stain, the ceiling and the loft above it.
- Outside, we look at every likely route in.
- Where it helps, we take moisture readings and use thermal imaging.
- Your report sets out where the water is most likely getting in, with photos and recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Jot down any questions you want answered
How to book
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know the cost up front. Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT. To book, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
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Practical tips
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Leave roof access to professionals
- Mention earlier attempts to fix the leak
- Put a bucket under the drip and move valuables
- Record whether it leaks in every downpour or only some
Keep the report after the work is done. If the leak returns, it’s a useful record of what was found.
Keep the loft space ventilated. Good airflow reduces condensation, and condensation is a common false alarm. Make sure insulation doesn’t block airflow at the eaves.