Essex · London and the South East
High Ongar Roof Leak Investigation
Tracing where water is getting into your roof in High Ongar, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Get in touch for a price.
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
Roof leak investigation in High Ongar
We investigate roof leaks in High Ongar and across London and South East England. Surveys are carried out on weekdays and at weekends. We look inside and out, at flashings, valleys, chimneys, gutters and flat roof details. The findings come in a written report with photos. If water is coming in now, catch it in a bucket and keep it away from lights and sockets, and then call 07833 053749 or use the contact form to arrange a visit. Common reasons to book are ceiling stains that grow after rain and condensation that looks like a leak, on flat roof details, valleys and parapet gutters and the roof space.
Many homes in small places like High Ongar face open ground, where storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hardest. Once water gets into older walls, it takes a long time to dry, so it pays to find the cause quickly. A record with photographs is useful if you need to show the damage to anyone else.
The report is written in plain words, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photo where possible, and recommendations are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
- Place
- High Ongar (CM5)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from High Ongar
Is High Ongar within the area you cover?
Yes, High Ongar is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
How do I find out if my home in High Ongar is listed?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning. Mention it when you get in touch and we will plan the survey around it.
Do you look in the roof space?
Yes, where the survey calls for it and there is safe access. We look for staining, damp, daylight and signs of movement.
How fast do I get the report?
That depends on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. The report is emailed to you.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We’re roof surveyors, not structural engineers. We will recommend an engineer if we see signs that call for one.
What will the report tell me?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, backed by photos. Anything we couldn’t see safely is noted too.
What affects the price in High Ongar
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. That comes down to:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The roof’s overall size
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
Every price we give includes VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for the job before booking.
Helping us price your survey
Here’s what helps us most when you get in touch:
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
For a price for roof leak investigations in High Ongar, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Some details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.
Leaks and storm damage in High Ongar
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. Weatherboarded walls and clay tile roofs are typical of older Essex buildings, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Knowing the roof type helps narrow down where water may be getting in.
Anyone responsible for a site like High Ongar Primary School will know that on a building that size, finding the source of a drip means looking well beyond the stain.
High Ongar is about 6 miles north of Brentwood, in Essex. We survey roofs in High Ongar and the rest of Essex, as part of our work across London and South East England. We cover towns and villages across Essex, large and small. Chelmsford is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for roof leak investigations: CM5. Whether your property is on The Street, Mill Lane and Millfield or anywhere close by, we can survey it. We also cover Chipping Ongar (1 mile west), Shelley (1 mile north-west), Norton Mandeville (1 mile north-east), King Street (1 mile east) and Greensted (2 miles west). Further out, we also cover Chelmsford (10 miles east), Basildon (12 miles south-east), Harlow (8 miles north-west), Brentwood (6 miles south), Billericay (9 miles south-east) and Loughton (9 miles south-west).
Near you in High Ongar
In High Ongar, that means homes and buildings near Red Lion Public House and The Ongar Academy, among other places. Other landmarks nearby include Willingale Doe (3.7 miles north-east).
Useful tips for High Ongar property owners
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Tell us about any past repairs to the roof
- Protect furniture and flooring under the leak
- Write down the wind direction and rain when it leaks
- Stay off ladders and the roof
We email the report to you, with photographs of what we found. It sets out where we believe the water is getting in, how it is travelling and what needs attention. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day.
Plan a roof survey every few years. They’re where most leaks start, and catching wear early keeps water out.
When to book a survey in High Ongar
When a slate slips or a tile cracks, the underlay takes the water. Old bitumen felt may cope for a while, but it tears and sags with age, while some very old roofs have nothing under the coverings. Corroded nails, known as ‘nail fatigue’, are a frequent cause on slate roofs.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Water marks that spread in wet weather
- Leaks below a flat extension roof
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
If you live in an older home near Church of St Mary the Virgin, lead flashings, valleys and old chimneys are typical places for water to get in.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Are they insured for the work?
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
What happens on the day
We will 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 on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Around High Ongar, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it is safe.
- You get in touch with details of the leak and any photos.
- Inside, we check the damp area and the roof space above it.
- We check the likely entry points outside, such as flashings, valleys, chimneys and gutters.
- Moisture readings and thermal imaging are used where they help.
- You receive a written report with photos showing the likely source and what needs attention.
Getting ready for the survey
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Tell us where we can park nearby
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Booking a survey
Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form to find out.
Read more
Towns and villages near High Ongar
Other services in High Ongar
Why it is worth a survey now in High Ongar
A small drip today can be a bigger leak after the next storm. Each storm can open a gap a little more. Tracing it now lets you plan the work rather than react to it. Older and listed buildings around High Ongar may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
Why book us in High Ongar
- An independent look at the roof
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Clear package prices, with VAT included
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
Take a look at our cost guide and our case studies.
Landlord and commercial surveys in High Ongar
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work with less disruption.
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.