Essex · London and the South East
Roof Survey in Great Braxted
A roof condition survey for homes and buildings around Great Braxted, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Gaps in the roof where coverings have gone
- Loose chimney pots
- Condensation or damp timbers in the loft
Roof survey in Great Braxted
Across London and the South East, roofs differ widely. If your home is a Victorian terrace, it may have Welsh slate, a butterfly roof and parapet gutters, and many post-war homes have concrete interlocking tiles instead. We adapt the survey to the roof in front of us. Older tiled homes may have clay plain tiles, and many homes have a flat-roofed extension too. Every part gets the attention it needs. We survey clay and concrete tiles, lead flashings and natural slate, and people most often book us about cracked or blistered flat roof coverings and ridge tiles that have lifted or moved.
Older buildings in small places like Great Braxted may be listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Place
- Great Braxted (CM8)
- Region
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Roof by roof
Chimney stacks
Damp on a chimney breast inside frequently starts with the stack outside. We check the flashings and mortar for the cause.
Natural slate
Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but its nails frequently corrode first. Slipped, cracked and missing slates are all noted.
What a roof survey looks like in Great Braxted
Great Braxted lies within about 5 miles of the sea, so there is more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles, while driving rain finds any gap. With Layer Marney Tower about 4.7 miles north-east, Great Braxted sits in an area with a long building history. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of All Saints, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. Trees in and around Whet Mead shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Great Braxted is about 3 miles east of Witham, in Essex. If you are in Great Braxted, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Across Essex, we cover Great Braxted and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Chelmsford page.
We cover every part of the CM8 postcode area for roof surveys. Whether your property is on Bung Row and Tiptree Road or anywhere close by, we can help. If you’re just outside Great Braxted, we cover Beacon Hill (1 mile south-west), Great Totham (2 miles south), Wickham Bishops (2 miles south-west), Broad Street Green (3 miles south) and Langford (3 miles south-west). We also work in nearby towns like Colchester (11 miles north-east), Chelmsford (10 miles south-west), Braintree (8 miles north-west), Maldon (5 miles south), Rayleigh (15 miles south) and Witham (3 miles west).
What’s near Great Braxted
In Great Braxted, that means homes and buildings near The Green Man pub and Whet Mead. The nearest railway station is Witham station, roughly 2.6 miles west of the centre. A little further out are Anchor Press Museum (2.7 miles north-east). For a walk, there’s Shut Heath Wood.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Tell us about it when booking and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Letting agents frequently book on a landlord’s behalf, with the report sent to whoever needs it. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.
Nearby places to Great Braxted
Also in Great Braxted
Tips that help
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Do not climb onto the roof yourself
- Hold on to the report for future surveys
- Ask about a flat roof on an extension or garage too
- Keep a record of damp patches and dates
Any roofer you ask to quote can work from the report. They’ll see each defect and its location, so their quotes cover the same ground.
Don’t block the vents at the eaves. A stuffy loft collects condensation, which can dampen timbers and insulation over time. Check insulation doesn’t block the airflow at the eaves.
When to book a survey in Great Braxted
Wherever a roof meets a wall, a chimney or another roof, a flashing keeps water out. Over time lead flashings split, lift or work loose, and mortar fillets crack. Lead is also a target for theft.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Worn or blocked valleys
- Slipped, cracked or missing slates and tiles
- Ridge tiles that have lifted or moved
- Cracked or blistered flat roof coverings
Landlords with a home close to Witham station may find that a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
What to check before booking
- What follow-up you get after the report
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
What happens on the day
Safety comes first on every visit. We inspect everything that’s safely in view, and if part of the roof cannot be seen, the report says so. Most visits take about 1–2 hours for most houses, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Somewhere like Great Braxted needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- You let us know the address, the type of roof and what’s worrying you.
- We agree a date, including weekends if that suits you.
- We check the roof from every safe viewpoint outside.
- Inside, we check the roof space where there’s safe access.
- We email a written report with photographs and recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
Getting a price
For a price for roof surveys in Great Braxted, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. A few details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.
Related advice
Should I look at the roof myself first?
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
Questions from Great Braxted
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Great Braxted?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there’s more wind, and more salt in the air. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it normally shows, and Great Braxted is within about 5 miles of the coast.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Great Braxted?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
What does a roof survey cost?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose, and it’s agreed before booking.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, including flight restriction zones near airports. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
Do you give a life expectancy for the roof?
Not as a figure. We describe the condition of each part of the roof and how it’s wearing, and we say what needs attention and how urgently.
Does a roof survey replace a structural engineer?
No. We report on the roof’s condition, and the Standard and Premium packages include a structural check. It does not include structural calculations, which need an engineer.
How experienced are you?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.