Essex · London and the South East
Storm damage roof report in Messing, Essex
Independent storm damage roof reports in Messing. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Damaged gutters and fascias
- Ridge tiles that have come loose
- Damaged pots on the stack
What we can’t see
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Areas we can’t see safely
- The work of a loss adjuster appointed by your insurer
- How your policy defines a storm
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Messing
- Slate and tile slopes
- Chimney stacks
- Ridges and hips
- Flashings
- Gutters and fascias
- Flat roofs
Storm damage roof report in Messing
Wear and tear is typically excluded from home insurance. So it matters whether the damage came from the storm or from a roof that was already worn. We note signs of each: fresh breaks and recently moved slates or tiles, and older problems such as corroded nails or worn mortar. We give an honest view of what we see. Your insurer then decides how its policy applies. We’re frequently asked to look into damage from fallen branches or debris and flashings pulled away from walls or stacks, across flashings, flat roofs and chimney stacks.
Somewhere as small as Messing, older roofs have often been repaired many times. A new leak may be fresh damage or the latest sign of long-term wear, and the difference matters, especially to an insurer. We look at whatever is safely visible and set out what we find. Damp in old walls and timbers is slow to dry, so the sooner the cause is found the better.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Location
- Messing (CO5)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Should I look at the roof myself first?
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
You can learn a lot from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings
Flashings can lift or pull away from walls and chimneys in strong winds. We record which are loose or damaged.
Slate roofs
Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but the nails often fail first. The report records whether slipped slates look like storm damage or older wear.
Storm damage roof reports in Messing: local notes
In Essex, older buildings are often clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, while many towns grew with post-war and newer estates. Knowing the roof type helps narrow down where water may be getting in. About 2.2 miles south-east lies Layer Marney Tower, a reminder of how long the area around Messing has been built on. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years.
If you own a rental within reach of Kelvedon station, a tenant living with a leak needs the cause found, not just the stain painted over. For site and facilities teams at buildings like Messing Primary School, tracing a leak on a big roof starts with where the water appears and works back. Living close to Tiptree Parish Field is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Messing is about 5 miles north-east of Witham, in Essex. We provide storm damage roof reports for householders, landlords and businesses in Messing and the surrounding area. We cover towns and villages across Essex, large and small. There’s also a page for Chelmsford.
All of CO5 is within our area for storm damage roof reports. That includes homes and businesses on Kelvedon Road, School Road and Lodge Road and the roads around them. If you are just outside Messing, we cover Tiptree (2 miles south), Feering (2 miles west), Windmill Hill (2 miles south-west), Stocks Green (2 miles north-west) and Easthorpe (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Colchester (7 miles north-east), Chelmsford (13 miles south-west), Braintree (9 miles west), Maldon (8 miles south), Witham (5 miles south-west) and Camulodunum (6 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Messing
Around Messing, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Thurstable School Sports College and Sixth Form Centre, Maypole Public House and Tiptree Parish Field and the streets around them. The closest station to Messing is Kelvedon station, roughly 2.1 miles west. Nearby you will also find Anchor Press Museum (1.7 miles south) and Birch Castle (3 miles east). Open spaces near Messing include Oxley Meadow.
Towns and villages near Messing
Also in Messing
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. Surveys run on any day of the week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Useful tips for Messing property owners
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Our tips:
- Check how your policy defines a storm
- Write down when the storm hit and when you noticed damage
- Get a roofer to make the roof safe if needed
- Don’t go onto the roof to take pictures
The insurer might appoint a loss adjuster. You’ll have your own independent record to refer to.
Ask a tree specialist about branches over the roof. Branches can hit or scrape the roof in a storm.
How it works
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a report with photographs, sent to you by email. On timing, most surveys take between one and two hours for most homes, depending on how much of the roof was hit. Cottages and farmhouses around Messing frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen.
- You let us know when the storm was and what damage you’ve seen.
- We view the roof from wherever it can be seen safely, including the loft where there is access.
- The damage is recorded with photographs, area by area.
- The likely cause is recorded, along with any evidence of older wear.
- We send you a written report with photos, ready to give to your insurer.
Preparing for the visit
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
Arrange a survey
If you are buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or send us an email whenever suits you.
Related advice
Questions from Messing
Will you come out to Messing?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Messing?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Does someone need to be in?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Just let us know the days that suit you.
Can I challenge a declined storm claim?
The first step is a complaint to your insurer. After that, the Financial Ombudsman Service may be able to look at it. An independent report can add to your evidence, but we can’t say how it will turn out.
Is there a set wind speed for storm damage?
Each policy has its own definition. Many treat gusts of about 55 mph as storm conditions, but your policy sets the actual test.
Is wear and tear covered by insurance?
Insurers normally exclude wear and tear. We describe what looks like fresh storm damage and what looks older. Your insurer decides the claim.