Essex · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Row Green, Essex
A careful look at the leaking roof at your property in Row Green, with photographs and a written report.
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
- Stains around a skylight
- Staining around the chimney inside
The survey, step by step
After the inspection, everything we found is written up in a report with photographs. As for time on site, most surveys take about 1–2 hours, more where the leak is intermittent or the roof is large. In a hamlet or village like Row Green, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- You let us know where the water appears, when, and what the weather was doing.
- Inside, we look at the stain and the ceiling around it.
- In the loft, we follow any signs of water back towards the roof.
- 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
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
Getting a price
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and the days you’d prefer.
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How a roof leak investigation works in Row Green
We use moisture detection and thermal imaging where they help. Moisture readings show which materials are wet. A thermal camera shows patterns of temperature rather than water, so we confirm what it suggests with moisture readings. Thermal imaging is part of the Premium Survey, and moisture detection comes with Standard. Thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, on a dry roof with little wind. Typical surveys look at staining around the chimney inside and staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall, across lead flashings, chimney stacks and valleys and parapet gutters.
Many homes in small places like Row Green face open ground, so storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hard. Damp in old stone, brick or timber walls is slow to dry out, so it pays to find the cause quickly. A written record also helps if you need to explain it to anyone else.
Where we cannot see part of the leaking roof, the report says so. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Where
- Row Green (CM77)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Honest limits
No survey can tell you everything, and it’s better to know them up front. Keep these in mind:
- A promise to find every leak on a single visit
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
- Plumbing leaks that look like roof leaks
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Row Green
- Rooflights and dormers
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Slate and tile slopes
- Lead flashings
- Flat roof details
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
Questions from Row Green
Is Row Green within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. Our area covers London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Is my home in Row Green listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
What insurance do you have?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Tell us which days suit you when you book.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not unless it’s safe. Safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where it applies cover most of what’s needed.
How do you tell a leak from condensation?
Many apparent leaks turn out to be condensation. A leak typically shows in one area and follows rain, while condensation is often spread out and worse in cold weather. The report explains which it looks like and what to do.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. We check the parts we are given access to, and the report makes that clear.
Towns and villages near Row Green
Also in Row Green
Leaks and storm damage in Row Green
If your home is older, it is worth knowing whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before planning roof work. 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. Older buildings in Essex frequently have clay tiles and weatherboarding, 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.
If you own a rental within reach of Braintree station, a tenant living with a leak needs the cause found, not just the stain painted over. Take an older house close to The Church in Great Notley: old mortar, worn lead and slipped slates are the usual suspects when water gets in.
Row Green is about 2 miles south-west of Braintree, in Essex. We cover Row Green and the rest of Essex, as part of our work across London and the South East. Row Green is one of the places in Essex where we work. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
Roof leak investigations in CM77 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Neighbouring places we cover for roof leak investigations include Great Notley (1 mile north-west), Young's End (1 mile south-west), Black Notley (1 mile east), The Green (2 miles south-east) and Little Common (2 miles north-west). Larger places within reach include Chelmsford (8 miles south), Maldon (11 miles south-east), Witham (6 miles south-east), Camulodunum (14 miles east), Halstead (7 miles north-east) and Great Dunmow (8 miles west).
Near you in Row Green
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Cuckoo Wood, The Essex Cricketers pub and Notley High School and Braintree Sixth Form, among other places. The closest station to Row Green is Braintree station, roughly 1.6 miles north-east. A little further out are Tudor House Museum (Braintree) (2.4 miles north) and William Julien Courtauld Hospital (1.4 miles north). For a walk, there is Sandylay and Moat Woods.
Different roofs, different checks
Flat roof upstands and outlets
Outlets drain a flat roof. A blocked outlet leaves water standing, which tests every joint. We check outlets and the covering around them.
Slate and tile slopes
On slate roofs, corroded nails let slates slip. One slipped slate can be enough to cause a leak, especially in driving rain.
What you can safely check yourself
You can learn a lot from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Wet insulation does not insulate well. Insulation can soak up water quietly before anything shows below. Catching it early limits what has to be replaced. Around Row Green, older homes frequently have old roof timbers, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you’d like to know.
What you get with us
- A written report with photos
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Surveys seven days a week
Common roof problems in Row Green
A chimney stack has a good many places for rain to get in. Water can enter through crumbling mortar, cracked flaunching, worn flashings or uncapped pots. The damp may appear on a chimney breast, a ceiling or in the loft.
We are often asked to look at:
- Staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall
- Damp patches next to the stack
- Stains around a skylight
- Damp ceilings under a flat roof
Trees in and around Cuckoo Wood shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall.
Before booking anyone
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- How soon the report will arrive
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Will the report include photos?