Essex · London and the South East
Chignall St James Storm Damage Roof Report
An independent record of roof damage after a storm in Chignall St James, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Get in touch for a price.
- Flat roof edges peeled back
- Loose or torn flashings
- Damaged ridges and hips
Roof by roof
Slate roofs
Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but the nails often fail first. We look at whether slipped slates suggest storm damage, older wear or both.
Chimney stacks
Stacks with existing defects tend to suffer more in storms. We record both the storm damage and the older wear.
Storm damage roof reports for homes and businesses in Chignall St James
If your roof has been damaged, stay safe first. Photograph the damage from ground level or a window, and never climb up. Emergency temporary protection, such as covering an opening, is a job for a roofer. We then record the damage in a report you can pass to your insurer. Hold on to receipts for anything you pay for. We are often asked to look into damaged gutters and fascias and slipped or missing slates or tiles, on slate and tile slopes, ridges and hips and gutters and fascias.
Being in a small place like Chignall St James makes no difference to how a leak or storm damage is looked at: we simply plan the journey and access ahead. Tell us where the water shows, when it appears and anything you’ve noticed outside, along with any repairs done before. If you have photos of the water coming in, they help as well.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Place
- Chignall St James (CM1)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
FAQs for Chignall St James
Do you carry out roof surveys in Chignall St James?
Yes, Chignall St James is within the area we cover. Our area covers London and South East England. You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and some details.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Chignall St James?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. 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.
How much is a storm damage roof report?
A storm damage report starts from £150. Larger roofs are quoted for their size. Repair costs are not part of the report.
Do you look in the roof space?
Yes, where the survey calls for it and there’s safe access. We look for staining, damp, daylight and signs of movement.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Who handles emergency protection after a storm?
Call a roofer for emergency temporary protection. If it’s safe, photograph the damage before it is covered. Keep receipts in case your insurer asks for them.
Is there a set wind speed for storm damage?
It depends on your policy. Many policies treat gusts of about 55 mph as storm conditions, but it varies. Your policy document will say.
What a storm damage roof report looks like in Chignall St James
Older buildings in Essex often have clay tiles and weatherboarding, while many towns grew with post-war and newer estates. Where water gets in depends a good deal on what the roof is made of and how it is detailed. About 3.5 miles south lies Hylands, a reminder of how long the area around Chignall St James has been built on. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Newlands Spring Primary School, a leak through a large roof is frequently found some distance from where the water shows inside. If you let a flat or house near Chelmsford station, a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer straight away. Take an older house close to Former Church of St James: leaks on older roofs often start at lead flashings, valleys or around old chimney stacks.
Chignall St James is about 3 miles north-west of Chelmsford, in Essex. We survey roofs in Chignall St James and the rest of Essex. Our area takes in places right across Essex, large and small.
All of CM1 is within our area for storm damage roof reports, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Close by, we survey roofs in Chignall Smealy (1 mile north), Patching (2 miles east), Broomfield (2 miles east), Writtle (2 miles south) and Breeds (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns like Chelmsford (3 miles south-east), Basildon (13 miles south), Braintree (10 miles north-east), Harlow (13 miles west), Brentwood (11 miles south-west) and Maldon (11 miles east).
Near you in Chignall St James
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Three Elms pub. The nearest railway station is Chelmsford station, roughly 2.6 miles south-east. Well-known places in the area include Peter Edwards Museum And Library (2.7 miles south-east) and Broomfield Hospital (2 miles north-east). For a walk, there is Newland Grove.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Chignall St James
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To discuss a number of properties, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
Also near Chignall St James
What else we do in Chignall St James
Before and after the survey
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Get a roofer to make the roof safe if needed
- Take photos from the ground or a window, never by climbing
- Look at what your policy says about wear and tear
- Keep any slates, tiles or debris that fall, if it is safe to do so
For repair costs, ask a roofer to quote. They can use our report to see what needs doing.
Ask a tree specialist about branches over the roof. Branches can hit or scrape the roof in a storm.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
What happens on the day
The visit normally starts outside and finishes in the loft: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the loft space where it can be reached. All told, expect roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, depending on how much of the roof was hit. Rural addresses near Chignall St James can be hard to find from a postcode alone, 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.
- We start with what you’ve seen and any temporary repairs.
- Inside, we look for signs of water in the loft and rooms below.
- We view the roof from safe positions.
- Storm damage and older wear are recorded separately where we can.
- The report, with photos, is emailed to you.
Preparing for the visit
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- Leave side gates unlocked
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Arrange a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Related advice
Why get it checked now?
With an independent report, you have something specific to show your insurer. It sets out what we found and the likely cause, so you’re not relying only on your own photos. For an older or listed building in a place like Chignall St James, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Storm damage roof report starts from £150, including VAT.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Chignall St James
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Plain-English reports with photos
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- More than 20 years surveying roofs