Essex · London and the South East
Crays Hill Thermal Roof Survey
Thermal imaging to find moisture and heat loss patterns in a roof across Crays Hill, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Call or email for a price.
- Areas of a flat roof that may hold water
- Gaps in loft insulation
- Ceilings that feel colder in places
The survey, step by step
You don’t need to do much on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we’ll take it from there. The survey itself takes about 1–2 hours for most homes, plus time to check any thermal findings with moisture readings. Rural addresses near Crays Hill 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. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- First we go over the roof, the problem you’ve noticed and the conditions forecast for the visit.
- We carry out a visual inspection of the roof from wherever it can be seen safely.
- A thermal camera records how the surface temperature varies across the roof.
- Areas that look unusual on the camera are checked with moisture readings where possible.
- You get a report with thermal images, photos and our recommendations.
Before the survey
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Arrange a survey
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know the cost up front. Thermal roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. To book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Related advice
Thermal roof survey in Crays Hill
Thermal imaging is often most useful on flat roofs, from small extensions to large commercial roofs. It can show patterns that point to trapped moisture under the membrane. On pitched roofs, slates and tiles over a ventilated space can hide what’s below, so we also look from the loft where we can reach it safely. Common reasons to book are water getting in at parapets and stacks and stains that keep coming back, on ceilings below the roof, pitched roof slopes and flat roofs.
Some older homes in villages like Crays Hill are listed or in a conservation area. Neither a drone survey nor a thermal survey involves any work on the roof, so it’s a gentle way to see the condition of an old roof. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, so check with the council first.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Crays Hill (CM11)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Can I check my roof myself?
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: 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.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Do you need a thermal roof survey in Crays Hill?
Some owners book because the rooms under the roof feel cold. Missing or slipped insulation can stand out as temperature differences, particularly when there is a clear difference between inside and outside.
Most people get in touch after spotting one of these:
- Patches of heat loss across the roof
- Damp around chimneys and parapets
- Wet areas near outlets and upstands
- Damp that repairs haven’t cured
Take an older house close to Church of St Mary: older roofs can be steep and hard to see from the street, which is where aerial photos and thermal images help.
Before booking anyone
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- What they will not be able to tell you
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
Why it is worth a survey now in Crays Hill
Once insulation under a membrane is wet, it tends to stay wet. Over time, it insulates less well and can harm the deck. Finding the wet areas sooner keeps the work smaller. Matching old materials, like handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
All our prices include VAT. Prices start from £400, including VAT. We confirm the exact price before booking.
What you get with us
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Surveys on weekdays and at weekends
Nearby places to Crays Hill
More services for Crays Hill
Tips that help
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- File the images with your roof records
- Let us know where and when you’ve seen damp or stains
- Heat the home normally on the days before
You also get an in-person consultation with a Premium Survey, giving you the chance to talk through the images and findings. There is a 12-month follow-up too.
Clear outlets and gutters regularly, so water does not sit on the roof. Less standing water means less chance of it getting under the covering.
Different roofs, different checks
GRP fibreglass roofs
Water can get through cracked GRP into the deck. We combine a visual check of cracks with the thermal images around them.
Loft insulation
Heat loss shows most clearly when it’s warm inside and colder outside. Our report notes how the conditions affected the images.
Questions from Crays Hill
How do I find out if my home in Crays Hill is listed?
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.
Is Crays Hill within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
What does a thermal roof survey show?
A thermal camera shows differences in surface temperature. The patterns can suggest wet insulation, gaps in insulation or heat escaping. We check what it shows with moisture readings.
Are you insured?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Our survey is not a structural engineer’s report. We’ll recommend an engineer if we see signs that call for one.
Does the weather affect a thermal survey?
Conditions on the day affect the results. It works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof surface and little wind. Rain and strong wind can make the images less clear, so we talk through the forecast when booking.
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.
Thermal roof surveys around Crays Hill
If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. If your 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, so check with the council.
If you run a business near Eastgate Shopping Centre, a commercial roof can be photographed from above without anyone walking on it. For site and facilities teams at buildings like Crays Hill Primary School, thermal images can show where wet insulation sits under a big flat roof.
Crays Hill is about 2 miles north of Basildon, in Essex. We survey roofs in Crays Hill and the rest of Essex. Our Essex coverage includes Crays Hill. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
We work across CM11 for thermal roof surveys and the streets around it. Whether your property is on London Road, Hope Road and Crays Hill or anywhere close by, we can help. Close by, we survey roofs in Great Burstead (1 mile west), Ramsden Bellhouse (1 mile north), Ramsden Heath (2 miles north), Downham (3 miles north) and Little Burstead (3 miles west). Larger places within reach include Chelmsford (9 miles north), Brentwood (7 miles west), Maldon (13 miles north-east), Canvey Island (7 miles south-east), Rayleigh (6 miles east) and Witham (15 miles north-east).
Near you in Crays Hill
Around Crays Hill, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Bromfords School and Sixth Form College and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Wickford station, roughly 2.2 miles north-east. Nearby you’ll also find Barleylands Farm Museum (1.1 miles west) and Basildon University Hospital (3.1 miles south). Open spaces near Crays Hill include Norsey Wood.