Thurrock · London and the South East
West Tilbury Thermal Roof Survey
Thermal roof surveys in West Tilbury, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. You get a clear report with photos.
- Damp patches with no obvious cause
- Areas losing heat at the eaves and junctions
- Damp around chimneys and parapets
How a thermal roof survey works in West Tilbury
We present each thermal image next to a normal photo of the same area, making it clear where on the roof each pattern is. Each one comes with an explanation, the moisture readings and our recommendation. With a Premium Survey, the report reaches you the same day. You can talk the findings through with us at the in-person consultation. A follow-up 12 months later is included too. We survey ceilings below the roof, commercial roofs and flat roofs, and the problems we are asked to look at most are wet insulation beneath the membrane and thin or uneven insulation in the roof.
Somewhere as small as West Tilbury, older roofs are frequently steep and partly hidden by trees or outbuildings. Close-up drone photos and thermal images help show what cannot be reached safely. Both the forecast and the airspace are checked first, and the journey is planned in advance. Older roofs with steep slopes and tall chimneys are where the extra view helps most.
We keep jargon out of it: if work is needed, the report says so clearly.
- Location
- West Tilbury (RM18)
- Region
- Thurrock
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What you can safely check yourself
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground.
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey.
West Tilbury: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in West Tilbury?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you carry out roof surveys in West Tilbury?
Yes, West Tilbury is within the area we cover. Our area covers London and South East England. You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and a few details.
How does a thermal imaging roof survey work?
It records surface temperature across the roof. Unusual patterns can point to trapped water, gaps in insulation or heat escaping, and we check them with moisture readings.
Will the survey show heat loss through my roof?
Thermal images can suggest where heat is escaping and where insulation may be missing. The survey isn’t an energy rating or a heat loss calculation, but the report shows where to look more closely.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
We carry out surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To find a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. For the rest of the building, a RICS home survey is a separate job.
Will you photograph what you find?
Yes. Photos are taken throughout the survey, and they go into the written report alongside our recommendations.
Towns and villages near West Tilbury
What else we do in West Tilbury
Tips that help
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out:
- Heat the home normally on the days before
- Clear leaves from outlets and gutters each autumn
- Ask us about the forecast if rain is expected
- Do not climb onto the roof to look for leaks yourself
Where a pattern cannot be confirmed, the report says what could help, such as electronic leak detection or opening up a small area.
Check that loft insulation is laid evenly and hasn’t been pushed aside. Insulation is frequently moved when people work in the loft space.
What we are asked to look at in West Tilbury
Not every roof problem shows on the surface. Wet insulation, gaps in insulation and heat loss are often invisible from outside. A thermal camera adds another way of finding them.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Thin or uneven insulation in the roof
- Water that travels before it shows
- Wet insulation beneath the membrane
- Heat escaping through the roof
For an older house near a landmark such as St James' Church, steep roofs, tall chimneys and hidden valleys can be hard to see from the ground, and that is where a view from the air or with a thermal camera helps.
Before booking anyone
- How soon the report will arrive
- What experience they bring
- Are they insured for the work?
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
What a thermal roof survey does not cover
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Hidden layers that need to be opened up to check
- Seeing water directly, as the camera shows temperature, not moisture
- Whether the deck or roof structure is strong enough
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or email us and we will point you to the right survey before you book. What our survey covers.
What we check
- Commercial roofs
- Loft conversions
- Ceilings below the roof
- Insulated roof spaces
- Flat roofs
- Pitched roof slopes
Drones, thermal imaging and West Tilbury roofs
West Tilbury lies within about 2 miles of the sea, and coastal wind can be strong. Thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof surface and little wind, so the date is chosen with the forecast in mind. In Essex, older buildings are often clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, alongside lots of post-war and newer estates. Steep or complicated roofs are often hard to see from ground level, which is where photos from the air and thermal images help.
Anyone responsible for a site like Herringham Primary Academy will know that a view from above covers a wide roof far faster than walking it.
West Tilbury is about 3 miles east of Grays, in Thurrock. West Tilbury is one of many places we visit across Thurrock, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. West Tilbury is one of the towns and villages in Thurrock we cover. You can also see our page for Maidstone.
Thermal roof surveys in RM18 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. That includes homes and businesses on Church Road, Blue Anchor Lane and Rectory Road and the roads around them. Neighbouring places we cover for thermal roof surveys include Biggin (1 mile west), Chadwell St Mary (1 mile north-west), Tilbury (2 miles south-west), Orsett Heath (2 miles north-west) and Little Thurrock (2 miles west). Further out, we also cover Stanford-le-Hope (4 miles north-east), South Ockendon (5 miles north-west), Balstonia (3 miles north-east), Corringham (4 miles north-east), Aveley (6 miles west) and South Stifford (4 miles west).
What’s near West Tilbury
In West Tilbury, that means homes and buildings near The Gateway Academy and The Kings Head pub and the streets around them. The closest station to West Tilbury is East Tilbury station, roughly 1 mile north-east of the centre. A little further out are Orsett Hospital (2.4 miles north-west) and Walton Hall Museum (1.5 miles north-east). For a walk, there’s Thurrock Thameside Nature Park and Sawyers Lake.
Leave it or get it looked at?
A poorly insulated roof loses heat year after year. The camera can point to gaps and thin areas in the insulation, so you know where to put things right. For older village homes like those around West Tilbury, the right replacement materials are not always easy to find quickly. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
Every price we give includes VAT, and the report isn’t charged as an extra. Our price is from £400, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Why us?
- Surveys seven days a week
- 98% of customers satisfied
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
How the survey works
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes about 1–2 hours at a house, including the thermal images, and around 3–4 hours for a commercial roof. Cottages and farmhouses around West Tilbury frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We start with the roof, its history and any signs of damp or heat loss.
- The weather and surface conditions are recorded.
- A full inspection and thermal imaging are carried out together.
- We back up the thermal patterns with moisture readings.
- You get the report the same day, with an in-person consultation to follow.
How to prepare
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Booking a survey
Booking is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or email us, let us know about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.