Essex · London and the South East
Little Bentley Roof Survey
A roof condition survey for homes and buildings for Little Bentley, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photos.
- Worn or blocked valleys
- Lifted, split or missing lead flashings
- Slipped, cracked or missing slates and tiles
Checking the roof from the ground
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Do not go up yourself.
Roof survey in Little Bentley
Most houses have more than one roof to look at. Flat roofs over extensions, garages and dormers are common. They’re included alongside the main roof, looking for ponding, splits, blisters and worn upstands. A flat roof normally wears out sooner than a pitched one. A felt roof frequently lasts around 15 to 20 years, and GRP up to about 30. Typical surveys look at worn lead at chimneys and abutments and valley linings that have cracked or split, across clay and concrete tiles, the roof space and ridges, hips and valleys.
Somewhere as small as Little Bentley, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are often old. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs frequently need the most attention.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photographs, sent by email. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Location
- Little Bentley (CO7)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Signs you need a roof survey in Little Bentley
The underlay under the coverings matters too. Breathable roofing membranes came into use in the UK in the late 1990s, so older roofs frequently have bitumen felt, and very old ones may have none. Torn or sagging felt lets water through.
Common reasons to book include:
- Crumbling chimney pointing or cracked flaunching
- Blocked, sagging or leaking gutters
- Water stains on rafters and ceiling joists
- Ridge tiles that have lifted or moved
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Mary, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Are they insured for the work?
- What the survey won’t cover
How the survey works
Safety comes first on every visit. Everything that can safely be seen is inspected, and anything we can’t see is noted in the report. Most visits take an hour or two for most homes, depending on how many separate roofs there are. In a small place like Little Bentley, access is normally the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You pick the package that suits your roof.
- On the day, we start by hearing what you’ve noticed.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Extra checks are carried out where your package includes them.
- The report is emailed with findings and recommendations.
Before we arrive
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Tell us about parking before the day
How to book
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or email us, let us know about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
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Tips that help
Small things make a difference. Some pointers:
- Watch for slipped slates after bad weather
- Stay off ladders and the roof
- File the report with your home documents
- Photograph stains when they appear
With the Standard Survey you get a follow-up consultation, while Premium includes a consultation in person. It’s a chance to ask questions about anything in the report.
Have the roof surveyed every few years, and after major storms. Routine surveys pick up wear before it leaks. Compare each report with the last.
Little Bentley homes and their roofs
Little Bentley is within about 4 miles of the coast, and wind near the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone cannot fly safely in high wind or heavy rain. Older buildings in Essex often have clay tiles and weatherboarding, alongside plenty of post-war and newer estates. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
Thorpe Hall lies about 4.7 miles south-east, so building around Little Bentley goes back a long way. Older roofs nearby frequently mix original materials with later repairs, and the survey shows where each one is. Landlords with a home close to Great Bentley station may find that the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Little Bentley is about 7 miles north-west of Clacton-on-Sea, in Essex. Bookings from Little Bentley are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Our Essex coverage includes Little Bentley. You can also see our page for Chelmsford.
All of CO7 is covered for roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We cover properties on Church Road, Tendring Road and Manningtree Road and the roads around them. Neighbouring places we cover for roof surveys include Monkey Street (1 mile west), Cowey Green (2 miles west), Hare Green (2 miles west), Balls Green (2 miles south-west) and Great Bromley (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Colchester (8 miles west), Clacton-on-Sea (7 miles south-east), Harwich (8 miles east), Camulodunum (9 miles west), Greenstead (6 miles west) and Tiptree (15 miles west).
What’s near Little Bentley
In Little Bentley, that means homes and buildings near Bricklayers pub and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Great Bentley station, roughly 2.7 miles south. For a walk, there’s Weeleyhall Wood.
Questions from Little Bentley
Do you cover smaller places like Little Bentley?
Yes, Little Bentley is covered. Our area covers London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
How do I find out if my home in Little Bentley is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
What if it rains on the day?
A survey can normally go ahead in light rain, and it can even help show where water is getting in. High wind or heavy rain can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so we will agree a new date if the weather is not suitable.
How much is a survey?
Roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose, and it is agreed before booking.
Do I need to be at home?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
Can you inspect a terraced or semi-detached roof?
Yes, the part you own or can give access to. Next door’s roof is only inspected as far as we can see it. Shared stacks and upstands are looked at from your property.
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings and valleys
Lead-lined valleys and gutters are common on older homes. Cracks in a lead valley can send water into the roof, and lead is a target for theft.
Chimney stacks
Damp on a chimney breast inside frequently starts with the stack outside. We look for the likely route in.
For landlords and managing agents
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord. Access is agreed with the tenant in advance.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed ahead of time. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which helps when tenants work during the week.