East Sussex · London and the South East
Electronic Leak Detection in Five Ashes
Electronic leak detection to pinpoint holes in flat roof membranes for Five Ashes and the rest of East Sussex. We survey on weekdays and at weekends.
- New membranes needing a check before handover
- Leaks showing away from the breach
- Leaks that return after repairs
Electronic leak detection in Five Ashes
Not every flat roof suits electronic testing. Some membranes conduct electricity themselves and some roofs do not have a suitable layer beneath the membrane. We’ll say if ELD will not work on your roof at the start. Telling us what you know about the roof’s membrane and layers helps, including drawings, specifications or the roofer’s paperwork. It saves a wasted visit. We survey single-ply roofs, flat roof membranes and green roofs, and common reasons people get in touch are leaks at pipes, outlets or fixings and breaches hidden under paving or planting.
Somewhere as small as Five Ashes, flat roofs tend to be on extensions, garages and converted outbuildings. They need the same care as any town roof: outlets, upstands, edges and the covering itself. The journey and access are planned beforehand. If there are outbuildings or garages with flat roofs, mention them when booking.
Where we can’t see part of the flat roof membrane, the report says so. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Location
- Five Ashes (TN20)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Price
- Quoted for your roof
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips that help
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Don’t keep patching the same spot
- Share any drawings of the roof
- Check new waterproofing before handover
- Clear flat roof outlets regularly
Questions about the results are welcome. We’ll explain what was found and what it means.
Don’t leave a flat roof leak running. Water under a membrane can spread.
When to book a survey in Five Ashes
Other trades on the roof can puncture the waterproofing. Fixings, equipment and foot traffic can leave small holes.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Holes around roof penetrations
- Leaks showing away from the breach
- New roofs to check before paving or planting
- Failed seams and laps
For landlords with property near Crowborough station, flat roofs over rear additions and dormers in rented property are worth checking between tenancies.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Is VAT included in the price?
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- What happens after the report arrives
- What they will not be able to tell you
What happens on the day
There is not much for you to do on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we’ll take it from there. A typical survey takes longer on a large roof than a small one, and the build-up of the roof makes a difference too. Cottages and farmhouses around Five Ashes often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- We agree the area to be tested.
- We get the roof ready for testing.
- Testing runs across the agreed area.
- We mark the breach locations in our records.
- The report is sent for your roofer to act on.
Preparing for the visit
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Let us know where we can park nearby
Book a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: phone 07833 053749 or email us. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
Related advice
DIY checks: what’s safe
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Don’t go up yourself.
It helps to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
Leave it or get it looked at?
ELD before paving, ballast or planting goes on is simpler. Once layers are added, finding a breach is harder. For an older or listed building in a place like Five Ashes, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so leaving a defect until it’s urgent leaves less time to plan.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. We quote electronic leak detection for each roof, as the method and time depend on the roof.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Five Ashes
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- An independent view of the roof
Read our cost guide and two real surveys.
Local flat roofs in Five Ashes
In Sussex, older roofs are often handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings, alongside oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. Alongside them, flat-roofed extensions, dormers, garages and commercial units are common almost everywhere. What can be done to an older roof may depend on listing or a conservation area. The council is the place to check, along with Historic England’s list, ideally before any re-roofing is planned.
If you look after a building like Five Ashes CofE Primary School, schools and public buildings often have big flat roofs, and their outlets and upstands need regular checks. For an older house near a landmark such as Church of the Good Shepherd, the joins between later flat roofs and the old walls are where problems usually start.
Five Ashes is about 4 miles south-east of Crowborough, in East Sussex. Whether the building in Five Ashes is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, we can survey the roof on a weekday or at the weekend. Our area takes in places right across East Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. There is also a page for Brighton.
Postcode districts we cover here for electronic leak detection: TN20. If you need electronic leak detection at a property on Westfield Close, Leeds Lane and Spring Lane or anywhere close by, we can help. If you’re just outside Five Ashes, we cover Skippers Hill (1 mile north), Butcher's Cross (1 mile north), Woolbridge (1 mile north-east), Wellbrook (1 mile north-east) and Mayfield (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Eastbourne (15 miles south), Bexhill-on-Sea (15 miles south-east), Lewes (13 miles south-west), Hailsham (10 miles south), Crowborough (4 miles north-west) and Uckfield (6 miles south-west).
What’s near Five Ashes
Around Five Ashes, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Skippers Hill Manor School and The Five Ashes Inn and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Crowborough station, about 3.3 miles north-west. Well-known places in the area include Tickerage Castle (3.8 miles south-west) and Crowborough War Memorial Hospital (4.3 miles north-west). Open spaces near Five Ashes include Selwyns Wood.
How the survey changes by roof type
Bituminous membranes
Many flat roofs use bitumen-based membranes. Whether ELD suits them depends on the build-up.
Single-ply membranes
ELD often works on single-ply membranes, depending on the type and build-up.
Nearby places to Five Ashes
Other services in Five Ashes
FAQs for Five Ashes
Do you cover Five Ashes?
Yes. Our area covers London and the South East, and Five Ashes is part of that. Just call 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the property, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
How do I find out if my home in Five Ashes 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.
What will the report tell me?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos, finishing with recommendations. The most urgent items are made clear.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not always. Safety comes first, and fragile or steep roofs can’t always be walked on. We use safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where applicable, and the report records anything we couldn’t see.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We don’t sample or test for asbestos. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Do you need to get into the loft?
If there’s a loft and safe access to it, yes. The loft space can show things the outside can’t, such as damp timbers, staining or daylight.
What happens after the survey?
The report comes by email, and what you do next is up to you: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.