Essex · London and the South East
Thermal imaging roof survey in Gilston, Essex
Thermal imaging to find moisture and heat loss patterns in a roof around Gilston, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Missing or slipped insulation
- Patches of heat loss across the roof
- Cold areas below the roof
Can I check my roof myself?
A lot can be seen from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us when you book, as it helps us focus the survey.
Thermal roof surveys for homes and businesses in Gilston
Thermal imaging is part of our Premium Survey, which starts from £400. You also get a drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and a report on the same day. There is an in-person consultation as well, plus a follow-up 12 months later. You can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and a note of what you’ve noticed. Larger commercial roofs are quoted for their size. If you’ve noticed possible trapped moisture under a flat roof covering and water getting in at parapets and stacks, we can find out what’s behind it, on pitched roof slopes, commercial roofs and insulated roof spaces alike.
In a small place like Gilston, open ground can mean strong wind. Strong wind or a downpour stops a small drone flying, and calm conditions also suit thermal imaging best. The visit is planned around the forecast, along with the journey and access. A change in the forecast can mean moving the visit to another day.
The report is written in plain words, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photograph where possible, and recommendations are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
- Where
- Gilston (CM20)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Thermal roof surveys around Gilston
Weatherboarded walls and clay tile roofs are typical of older Essex buildings, while many towns grew with post-war and newer estates. Older coverings on steep or tall roofs are hard to judge from below, so close-up photos from the air and thermal images help. About 4.8 miles north lies Much Hadham Palace, a reminder of how long the area around Gilston has been built on. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
If you look after a building like St Alban's Catholic Academy, thermal images can show where wet insulation sits under a big flat roof.
Gilston is about 2 miles north-west of Harlow, in Essex. Wherever you are in Gilston, we can come and survey your property. Gilston is one of the places in Essex we cover. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
We survey roofs across CM20 for thermal roof surveys. You’ll find streets such as Pye Corner and Eastwick Road, all of which we cover. We also cover Eastwick (1 mile south-west), Little Parndon (1 mile south-west), Great Parndon (2 miles south), Staple Tye (3 miles south) and Roydon (3 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover Brentwood (14 miles south-east), Loughton (10 miles south), Waltham Abbey (8 miles south-west), Great Dunmow (13 miles north-east), Epping (6 miles south) and Stansted Mountfitchet (9 miles north-east).
Around Gilston
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Plume Of Feathers pub, Burnt Mill Academy and Harlow Marsh. The nearest railway station is Harlow Town station, roughly 0.6 miles south of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Mark Hall Cycle Museum (1.3 miles south-east) and Harlow Mill (1.2 miles east). Not far away are Hunsdon Mead.
Different roofs, different checks
Parapets, valleys and junctions
Problems where roof slopes and walls meet are often hidden. We combine a close visual check with the thermal images.
GRP fibreglass roofs
GRP roofs are laid over timber boards, so trapped moisture can affect the deck. The camera can help show where to look.
Leave it or get it looked at?
The longer moisture sits in a roof, the more it can affect timbers and finishes below. Surveying sooner gives you more choice about what to do. In a place like Gilston, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. It’s worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
Our price is from £400, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, inc. VAT.
Why us?
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Packages from £150, inc. VAT
- Surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
Tips that help
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Check from the ground or a window, never by climbing
- Clear a path to the loft hatch before we arrive
- Ask us about the forecast if rain is expected
- Keep dated photos of any marks on ceilings
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.
Make sure loft insulation covers the whole area and hasn’t been disturbed. Insulation is frequently moved when people work in the loft space.
Gilston questions
Do you cover Gilston?
Yes, Gilston is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Gilston as anywhere else.
How do I find out if my home in Gilston is listed?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
What insurance do you have?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only if it’s safe. We look at everything that can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows, from inside the loft space, from the roof where it’s safe and by drone where it applies. Anything we cannot see is noted in the report.
What does a thermal roof survey show?
It records surface temperature across the roof. Differences can suggest wet areas, missing insulation or heat loss, and we check them with moisture readings.
Does thermal imaging detect leaks directly?
Thermal imaging shows temperature rather than water. Because wet insulation holds heat for longer, it can show as a different temperature, but we check each finding with moisture readings.
Does thermal imaging work on slate and tile roofs?
It can help, but the results are often less clear than on a flat roof. The air space under slates and tiles can hide patterns, so we combine it with an inspection from the loft where there is safe access.
Do you need a thermal roof survey in Gilston?
Some defects simply can’t be seen with the eye. Trapped moisture, missing insulation and hidden heat loss are three examples. Thermal imaging gives us another way to look for them.
Common reasons to book include:
- Water that travels before it shows
- Ceilings that feel colder in places
- Damp around roof outlets and upstands
- Heat escaping through the roof
Take an older house close to Parish Church of St Mary: tall stacks and steep slopes are easier to judge with close-up aerial photos than from the pavement.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- When you’ll get the report
Towns and villages near Gilston
What else we do in Gilston
What we do, step by step
It is useful to start with what’s prompted the survey: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. That way we can focus on what matters to you. The visit usually takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, plus time to check any thermal findings with moisture readings. Older roofs in small places like Gilston can have low, tight loft spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it is safe.
- First we discuss the roof, any damp and the forecast for the visit.
- We look over the roof from wherever it’s safe.
- We take thermal images of the roof and of the loft where we can reach it.
- We take moisture readings where the images suggest a problem.
- The report pairs each thermal image with a photo and explains what it suggests.
How to prepare
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
Arrange a survey
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. The price is agreed before a date is set.