Essex · London and the South East
Fordham Heath Thermal Roof Survey
Thermal roof surveys across Fordham Heath, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Moisture around outlets and upstands
- Stains that keep coming back
- Areas of a flat roof that may hold water
For landlords and managing agents
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too. Larger roofs take longer.
How a thermal roof survey works in Fordham Heath
Thermal imaging is often most useful on flat roofs, from small extensions to large commercial roofs. Patterns can suggest where water is trapped under the covering. On pitched roofs, slates and tiles over a ventilated space can hide what’s below, so we combine the camera with an inspection from the loft where there’s safe access. We survey pitched roof slopes, loft conversions and ceilings below the roof, and people most often book us about heat escaping through the roof and leaks far from where the stain appears.
Some older homes in villages like Fordham Heath are listed or in a conservation area. A look by drone or thermal camera doesn’t touch the roof, so it is a gentle way to see the condition of an old roof, before anyone decides what work it needs. Check with the council before planning any work on a listed building or one in a conservation area.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend.
- Place
- Fordham Heath (CO3, CO6)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What a thermal roof survey does not cover
We only report everything that’s safely in view on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- Reliable images in rain, strong wind or on a wet roof surface
- Structural calculations, which need a structural engineer
- Proving moisture from the images alone
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll recommend the right survey before booking. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Insulated roof spaces
- Ceilings below the roof
- Pitched roof slopes
- Flat roofs
- Loft conversions
- Commercial roofs
How we price thermal roof surveys
Prices vary from roof to roof, and it comes down to:
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Thermal roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Booking your survey
There is no need for technical words. Just let us know:
- The kind of building and roof involved
- When you need the report by
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- The address and postcode of the property
To get a price for thermal roof surveys in Fordham Heath, phone 07833 053749 or email us. Some details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.
When to book a survey in Fordham Heath
Some defects simply can’t be seen with the eye. Wet insulation, gaps in insulation and heat loss are often invisible from outside. Thermal imaging gives us another way to look for them.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Wet areas near outlets and upstands
- Damp that repairs haven’t cured
- Gaps in loft insulation
- Water that travels before it shows
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near All Saints Church, tall stacks and steep slopes are easier to judge with close-up aerial photos than from the pavement.
Before booking anyone
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
Practical tips
Getting the most from a thermal roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- Leave the roof to people with safe access
- Tell us where and when you’ve seen damp or stains
- Remember the conditions on the day affect the results
- Take photos of stains as they appear, so we can compare
Many people send the report to roofers, who can then quote for the areas shown. Because the images are paired with photos, it’s easy to find each area on the roof.
Deal with small splits and lifted seams promptly. Once water gets under a membrane, it can travel far before it appears inside.
FAQs for Fordham Heath
Do you cover Fordham Heath?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Fordham Heath as anywhere else.
Do you cover smaller places like Fordham Heath?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We work right across London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
How long is the visit?
Most surveys take between one and two hours on an ordinary house, or half a day or so for a commercial building. The report follows by email.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. The report will say if you need an engineer.
Does the weather affect a thermal survey?
Conditions on the day have a big effect on what the camera can show. Dry, calm weather after some sun gives the best chance of clear images. Our report notes the conditions and how they affected the findings.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
How soon will I get the report?
Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24–48 hours and Premium reports on the same day. All of them come by email, ready to forward.
How the survey works
We photograph the roof as we go, so the report shows exactly what we saw. We take close-ups from wherever is safe, including by drone where it is applicable and the weather allows. A typical visit takes about one to two hours on an ordinary house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Rural addresses near Fordham Heath 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 go through the roof, the problem and the weather expected on the day.
- The roof is inspected visually from safe positions.
- Thermal images are taken across the roof and, where there’s safe access, in the loft.
- We take moisture readings where the images suggest a problem.
- Each image is set beside a normal photo and explained in the report.
Before the survey
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
Arrange a survey
To book a survey, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price before booking.
Advice
Airspace, weather and Fordham Heath roofs
Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it’s listed or in a conservation area. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you run a business near Lion Walk, large commercial roofs are often easiest to see from above or with a thermal imager. Anyone responsible for a site like Holy Trinity CofE Primary School will know that big roofs are where aerial photos and thermal images show the most at once.
Fordham Heath is about 3 miles north-west of Camulodunum, in Essex. Fordham Heath gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Fordham Heath is one of the towns and villages in Essex we cover. For surveys nearby, see our Chelmsford page.
Every address in CO3 and CO6 is within our area for thermal roof surveys. Whether your property is on Heath Road, Halstead Road and Porter's Lane or anywhere close by, we can survey it. If you are just outside Fordham Heath, we cover Gallows Green (1 mile west), Fordham (1 mile north), West Bergholt (2 miles east), Great Horkesley (3 miles north-east) and Wormingford (3 miles north). Further out, we also cover Colchester (4 miles east), Braintree (11 miles west), Maldon (13 miles south-west), Witham (10 miles south-west), Camulodunum (3 miles south-east) and Halstead (8 miles west).
Landmarks near Fordham Heath
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Cricketers pub and The Stanway School and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Marks Tey station, about 2.1 miles south-west. Nearby you will also find Colchester Castle (3.9 miles east) and Social History Museum (3.8 miles east). For a walk, there is Iron Latch.