West Sussex · London and the South East
Atherington Electronic Leak Detection
Electronic leak detection to pinpoint holes in flat roof membranes in Atherington. We have completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Holes left by work on the roof
- New roofs to check before paving or planting
- Leaking laps in the waterproofing
Different roofs, different checks
Inverted and paved roofs
On inverted roofs, insulation sits above the membrane, which affects testing.
Single-ply membranes
Some single-ply membranes suit electronic testing well but it depends on the product and layers.
How electronic leak detection works in Atherington
Electronic testing locates holes in the waterproofing but not every way water gets in. Leaks from walls, copings, rooflights or pipes need other checks. We will tell you if we think the leak is coming from somewhere else. It won’t show water getting in through brickwork or around frames. Our report keeps that distinction clear. You’ll also know what to check next. If you’re worried about leaks at pipes, outlets or fixings and a flat roof leak that can’t be traced, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Older buildings in small places like Atherington may be listed or in a conservation area, and that can affect how an extension roof or dormer is re-covered. If you are planning work, check with the council first. Finding out what state the roof is in gives you the facts to plan with. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent.
- Location
- Atherington (BN17)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Price
- Quoted for your roof
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Places near Atherington
What else we do in Atherington
Questions from Atherington
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Atherington?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you cover smaller places like Atherington?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
What happens after the survey?
You will receive the report by email, and you decide the next step: raise it with a seller, send it to an insurer, brief a roofer or share it with a managing agent.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We point out what can be seen, such as sagging or deflection, but we are not structural engineers and don’t carry out calculations. If we think you need an engineer, the report says so.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. We look at everything that can safely be seen: from the ground, from windows and vantage points, from the loft space, from the roof itself where safe and by drone where it applies. Anything we can’t see is noted in the report.
How experienced are you?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys, across London and South East England.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
How the survey works
On the day, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you want to find out. We then inspect everything that can safely be seen, from the ground, from windows, in the roof space and by drone where applicable. The survey normally takes more time on a big roof than a small one, and the build-up of the roof makes a difference too. Older rural homes like those around Atherington can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- First, we confirm which roof areas are included.
- We get the roof ready for testing.
- Testing runs across the agreed area.
- Each breach found is located and recorded.
- The report is sent for your roofer to act on.
Before the survey
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Booking a survey
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. We quote electronic leak detection for each roof, as the method and time depend on the roof. For a price for your roof, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Related advice
Surveys for landlords and agents in Atherington
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.
What electronic leak detection looks like in Atherington
Atherington is within about 1 mile of the coast, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Wind can catch loose edges and trims on a flat roof, and salt air is hard on metal trims, flashings and fixings. In Sussex, older roofs are frequently handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. Flat roofs on extensions, dormers, garages and business units are found alongside them almost everywhere.
Anyone responsible for a site like St Mary's CofE Primary School will know that a large flat roof with a good many outlets and rooflights has many places where a membrane can fail. The streets around a church such as Bailiffscourt Chapel are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, later flat-roofed additions are common on older houses, and their edges and upstands often show the first signs of wear. If you let a flat or house near Littlehampton station, flat roofs on let property tend to be checked only when they fail, which is the costly way round.
Atherington is about 2 miles west of Littlehampton, in West Sussex. Atherington is one of many places we visit across West Sussex. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. For surveys nearby, see our Brighton page.
Surveys in BN17 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. We also cover the places around Atherington: Climping (1 mile north), Horsemere Green (1 mile north-west), Ford (2 miles north), Wick (2 miles north-east) and Littlehampton (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Worthing (8 miles east), Bognor Regis (5 miles west), Chichester (9 miles west), Selsey (10 miles south-west), Shoreham-by-Sea (14 miles east) and Lancing (11 miles east).
What’s near Atherington
We work in homes and buildings around The Littlehampton Academy and The Black Horse Public House and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Littlehampton station, roughly 1.5 miles east. Well-known places in the area include Lyminster Siege Castle (3.8 miles north-east) and Rustington Museum (3.3 miles east). For a walk, there’s WWT Arundel.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
What this survey cannot tell you
Every survey has limits, and we’d rather be clear about that before booking. Keep these in mind:
- Fixing the holes we find
- Leaks from walls, copings or rooflights
- Parts of the roof covered by fixed equipment
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Commercial flat roofs
- Green roofs
- Roof terraces and balconies
- Single-ply roofs
- Liquid-applied waterproofing
- Flat roof membranes
Before and after the survey
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Limit access to the roof
- Have roof specifications to hand
- Note where leaks show inside and when
- Ask contractors to protect the membrane
If water has been getting in, insulation under the membrane may be wet. Your roofer can advise on that and other checks can help judge it.
Keep people off the flat roof unless they need to be there. Many breaches come from foot traffic.