Essex · London and the South East
Roof Survey in The Common
Roof surveys across The Common, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photos.
- Torn or sagging underlay
- Standing water on a flat roof
- Lifted, split or missing lead flashings
What happens on the day
We check the roof from outside and, where it is relevant and there is safe access, from inside the loft space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. The whole visit typically takes about one to two hours for most homes, depending on how many separate roofs there are. Older roofs in small places like The Common can have low, tight loft spaces, so it is useful to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it’s safe.
- You let us know about the property and any concerns.
- A visit is booked for a weekday or a weekend.
- We inspect from ground level, from windows, from the roof space and from the roof where safe.
- Slates or tiles, ridges, hips, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are all examined and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
How to book
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price before you book.
Related advice
Roof survey in The Common
Our report is written in plain English, not jargon. Each defect is described with photos and a recommendation, and we rank them by urgency where that helps. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, a drone where applicable and a same-day report. Reports are sent by email. We survey flat roofs, clay and concrete tiles and chimney stacks, and common reasons people get in touch are slates or tiles that have slipped or broken and water stains on rafters and ceiling joists.
Older buildings in small places like The Common 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. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is frequently expected.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, sent by email. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- The Common (CB10)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Places near The Common
Also in The Common
Why get it checked now?
Roof faults rarely stay the same size. One slipped slate lets water reach the battens and underlay, and damp timber slowly weakens. Catching it early means less to put right. Older and listed buildings around The Common may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so leaving a defect until it’s urgent leaves less time to plan.
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all with VAT included. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Why book us in The Common
- Package prices that include VAT
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- 98% customer satisfaction
See how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
Local roofs in The Common
In Essex, older buildings are frequently clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Take a building like Radwinter Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School: large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
The Common is about 4 miles east of Saffron Walden, in Essex. We visit The Common as part of our work across Essex, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Across Essex, we cover The Common and the places around it. You can also see our page for Chelmsford.
Every address in CB10 is covered for roof surveys. Nearby, we also carry out roof surveys in Radwinter (1 mile south), Maple End (1 mile south-west), Wimbish (2 miles south-west), Hempstead (2 miles east) and Church End (3 miles north-west). Larger places within reach include Braintree (13 miles south-east), Saffron Walden (4 miles west), Halstead (14 miles south-east), Great Dunmow (10 miles south), Stansted Mountfitchet (10 miles south-west) and Great Notley (14 miles south-east).
Around The Common
Nearby you’ll also find Castle Camps (2.8 miles north-east) and Saffron Walden Community Hospital (3.5 miles west). The countryside around The Common includes Hales and Shadwell Woods.
Surveys for landlords and agents in The Common
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Tell us about it when you book and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
What we can’t see
It’s useful to know what a survey will not do before booking:
- How the roof will behave in every kind of weather
- Walls, floors and services below the roof
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Lead flashings
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Ridges, hips and valleys
- Natural slate
- Flat roofs
Signs you need a roof survey in The Common
Flashings seal the joints where a roof meets a wall or chimney. Over time lead flashings split, lift or work loose, and mortar fillets crack. Missing lead is not unusual either, as thieves target it.
Typical things we are asked to look at include:
- Gutters that overflow in heavy rain
- Flashings that have come away from the wall
- Slipped, cracked or missing slates and tiles
- Cracked or blistered flat roof coverings
The streets around a church such as Church of St Mary the Virgin are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Their report turnaround times
- What insurance they carry
The Common: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in The Common?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Do you cover smaller places like The Common?
Yes. The Common is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Can you inspect a terraced or semi-detached roof?
Yes. We survey the parts of the roof you have access to. Where a defect looks to be on the neighbour’s side, the report says so.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Light rain doesn’t normally stop a survey. High wind or heavy rain can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so we will agree a new date if the weather isn’t suitable.
Do you look in the loft space?
If the survey needs it and the loft space can be reached safely, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps, and if the loft cannot be reached safely, the report says so.
When will the report arrive?
Premium reports arrive the same day, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Each report includes photos.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it’s applicable and safe, yes. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where it applies.
Practical tips
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Mention any flat roofs as well as the main roof
- Let us know about any leaks or stains you’ve seen
- Look for debris in the garden after high winds
- Gather any paperwork for past roof work
Your report arrives by email, with photographs of what we found. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Each finding is set out in plain English.
Look at your roof from ground level after strong winds. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles or pieces in the garden are signs something has moved. Getting small faults fixed quickly keeps water out.