Essex · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Marks Tey, Essex
Roof leak investigations around Marks Tey, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
- Staining around the chimney inside
- Wet patches on loft insulation
Marks Tey questions
How do I find out if my home in Marks Tey is listed?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Will you come out to Marks Tey?
Yes. Marks Tey is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. It’s a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We don’t sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, like old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We note visible signs such as sagging or deflection, but we’re not structural engineers and do not carry out calculations. If we think you need an engineer, the report says so.
Can you always find the source?
Not every leak can be pinned down in a single visit. Many leave clear signs, but intermittent leaks that need particular weather can be harder. We report what we found and the likeliest sources.
Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in Marks Tey
On older houses, leaks frequently start at lead work and hidden gutters. Worn lead, tired valley linings and blocked parapet outlets are frequent causes. If your home has a butterfly roof, the central valley gutter is a common culprit in heavy rain. Parapet walls and their gutters are checked from wherever it’s safe. Our report shows what we found, with photos. If you are worried about drips from nail tips in a cold loft and leaks that appear only in driving rain, we can find out what’s behind it, on slate and tile slopes, valleys and parapet gutters and flat roof details alike.
For a small place like Marks Tey, the inspection is the same as anywhere: the journey and access are just planned ahead of time. It helps to know where the water appears, in what weather, and what you’ve seen outside, plus any earlier repairs. Photographs of the stain and of the roof from outside are helpful too.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent.
- Location
- Marks Tey (CO6)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Signs you need a roof leak investigation in Marks Tey
Flashings are one of the commonest sources of roof leaks. Lead or mortar closes the gap wherever a roof meets a wall, chimney or dormer. Once that seal cracks or lifts, water gets behind it.
Most people get in touch after spotting something like this:
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
- Staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall
- Condensation that looks like a leak
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
Landlords with a home close to Marks Tey station may find that a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer straight away.
Questions to ask before you book
- What insurance they carry
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- How soon the report will arrive
Wind, rain and roofs in Marks Tey
Historic houses such as Layer Marney Tower, about 3.9 miles south, show how far back building in the area around Marks Tey goes. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Older buildings in Essex frequently have clay tiles and weatherboarding, 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.
If you live in an older home near Church of St Andrew, old mortar, worn lead and slipped slates are the usual suspects when water gets in.
Marks Tey is about 6 miles west of Colchester, in Essex. We survey roofs in Marks Tey and the rest of Essex. We cover towns and villages across Essex, large and small. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in CO6 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We cover properties on London Road, Well Side and Patten Close. Other places close to Marks Tey include Little Tey (1 mile west), Easthorpe (1 mile south), Mulberry Green (1 mile south-east), Copford (1 mile east) and Broad Green (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Colchester (6 miles east), Chelmsford (15 miles south-west), Braintree (9 miles west), Maldon (11 miles south), Witham (8 miles south-west) and Camulodunum (5 miles east).
Around Marks Tey
Around Marks Tey, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Red Lion Public House and the streets around them. The closest station to Marks Tey is Marks Tey station, roughly 0.8 miles north-east. A little further out are Birch Castle (3.2 miles south-east) and Essex County Hospital (5.3 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Iron Latch.
DIY checks: what’s safe
You can learn a lot from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
How the survey changes by roof type
Valleys
A valley takes the rain from both sides of the roof. Split lead, cracked linings or slipped tiles let water in.
Chimney stacks
We look at the outside of the stack and the breast inside, not a flue, gas or sweep inspection.
What happens on the day
It is useful to start with what’s prompted the survey: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. That way we can focus on what matters to you. Most visits take about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Older roofs in small places like Marks Tey can have low, tight loft spaces, so it helps to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- You get in touch with details of the leak and any photos.
- Inside, we check the damp area and the loft space above it.
- Likely entry points outside are checked, from flashings and valleys to gutters and outlets.
- Where it helps, we take moisture readings and use thermal imaging.
- You receive a written report with photos showing the likely source and what needs attention.
Getting ready for the survey
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Getting a price
We survey roofs on weekdays and at weekends. To arrange a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Advice
What we cannot see
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- What’s under the covering or behind the plaster
- An intermittent leak that shows no trace on the day
- Leaks from plumbing, tanks or pipework rather than the roof
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Rooflights and dormers
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Slate and tile slopes
- The roof space
- Flat roof details
Before and after the survey
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Don’t climb onto the roof to look
- Tell us if there are tanks or pipes in the loft
- Note the weather when the leak shows
- Let us know what has already been tried
The report gives whoever carries out the work a clear starting point. They’ll see exactly where the problem is, rather than at the stain.
Look at the roof from the ground after strong winds. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Small faults dealt with quickly rarely become leaks.