Essex · London and the South East
Storm damage roof report in Foster Street, Essex
Storm damage roof reports in Foster Street from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and the South East.
- Lead lifted at abutments
- Damaged ridges and hips
- Water coming in after the storm
Leave it or get it looked at?
It’s useful to get a record soon after the storm, while the damage is fresh. Further storms and quick fixes can make the picture less clear. In a small place like Foster Street, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Why us?
- 98% of customers satisfied
- 20+ years’ experience
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or our case studies.
Storm damage roof report in Foster Street: what you get
A storm damage roof report is priced from £150. It is a report with photos, sent by email. It does not price the repairs, so ask a roofer to quote for the work. Your insurer may also send its own loss adjuster. What you get is an independent record of the damage and what seems to have caused it. Common reasons to book are loose or torn flashings and roofs hit by falling trees, across flat roofs, chimney stacks and ridges and hips.
In a village or hamlet like Foster Street, older cottages and farmhouses often have roofs that have been patched over many years. A new leak may be fresh damage or the latest sign of long-term wear, and the difference matters, particularly to an insurer. The report says what was seen and what it points to. Damp in old walls and timbers is slow to dry, so the sooner the cause is found the better.
You receive the findings by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Location
- Foster Street (CM17)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Storm damage roof reports in Foster Street: local notes
Foster Street is part of Harlow, one of the post-war new towns. Many homes in the new towns date from the post-war decades, with concrete interlocking tiles, low-pitched roofs and flat-roofed garages and porches. Low pitches let wind-driven rain reach further under the tiles, and flat-roofed garages and porches are common leak points. Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it is listed or in a conservation area. Listed building consent covers changes to a listed building’s special interest, and an Article 4 direction can bring extra controls in a conservation area.
If you let a flat or house near Harlow Mill station, a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer right away. If you look after a building like Henry Moore Primary School, water through a big roof can travel a long way before it drips, so the search covers more than the obvious spot.
Foster Street is about 2 miles east of Harlow, in Essex. Whether the building in Foster Street is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, the roof can be surveyed. Our Essex coverage includes Foster Street and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Chelmsford page.
Surveys in CM17 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Whether your property is on Foster Street, Highfield Close and Hastingwood Park or a nearby road, we can survey it. We also cover Hastingwood (1 mile south), Newhall (1 mile north-west), Latton (1 mile west), Magdalen Laver (1 mile east) and Housham Tye (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Chelmsford (14 miles east), Brentwood (11 miles south-east), Billericay (15 miles south-east), Loughton (9 miles south-west), Waltham Abbey (8 miles south-west) and Great Dunmow (12 miles north-east).
Near you in Foster Street
Typical jobs here are in homes near John Barleycorn Public House, Passmores Academy and Brays Grove, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Harlow Mill station, about 2.3 miles north-west of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Princess Alexandra Hospital (3 miles west) and Harlow Mill (2.4 miles north-west). The countryside around Foster Street includes Gernon Bushes.
Different roofs, different checks
Flat roof coverings
Edge trims and laps are frequently where flat roof coverings start to peel back. We check whether the damage is recent or older.
Lead flashings
When flashings lift, water can get behind them. The report records the flashing and any damp inside.
What we are asked to look at in Foster Street
Gusts work at anything on a roof that is loose or exposed. Driving rain then gets in through the gaps. Most people book a report soon after a storm, when they’ve seen damage or water has come in.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Lifted or missing ridge and hip tiles
- Cowls or aerials dislodged in the wind
- Roofs hit by falling trees
- Water coming in after the storm
The streets around a church such as Church of All Saints are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, water on an older roof tends to find its way in at the lead, the valleys or the chimney.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What the survey will not cover
- Their insurance cover
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
Tips from our surveys
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Take photos from ground level or a window, never by climbing
- Keep any slates, tiles or debris that fall, if it’s safe to do so
- Record any water damage in rooms and the loft
- Check your policy for how to report damage
For repair costs, ask a roofer to quote. The report gives them a clear list of the damage.
Clear gutters and outlets before the stormy months. Overflowing gutters can make storm damage worse.
The survey, step by step
Where it is relevant and can be reached safely, the loft space is checked as well as the outside. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging, as far as the space allows. The whole visit typically takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. In a small place like Foster Street, access is usually the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You let us know when the storm was and what damage you’ve seen.
- We inspect the roof from safe viewpoints and from the loft where there is access.
- We photograph and record every area of damage we can see.
- We check whether the damage fits storm damage, older wear or both.
- We send you a written report with photos, ready to give to your insurer.
Getting ready for the survey
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Let us know about parking near the property
Book a survey
Once you know what you need, ring 07833 053749 or email us. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
Advice
Foster Street questions
Should a flat-roofed garage or porch in Foster Street be checked too?
Frequently, yes, so mention it when you book. Many homes in new towns like Harlow have flat-roofed garages and porches, and felt roofs often last around 15–20 years.
Will you come out to Foster Street?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We work right across London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Tell us about it when you book and we’ll plan the survey around it.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. It’s a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
My storm claim was turned down. What now?
Complain to your insurer first. After that, the Financial Ombudsman Service may be able to look at it. An independent report can add to your evidence, though we cannot predict the outcome.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only when it’s safe. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. We use safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where it applies, and the report records anything we couldn’t see.
Also near Foster Street
What else we do in Foster Street
DIY checks: what’s safe
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.