Brighton and Hove · London and the South East
Hollingdean Electronic Leak Detection
Electronic leak detection to pinpoint holes in flat roof membranes in Hollingdean. We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Waterproofing to test before it’s covered
- Stains far from any visible defect
- Failed seams and laps
How electronic leak detection works in Hollingdean
ELD finds breaches in the membrane, not every cause of water getting 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. The test shows breaches in the membrane, not water coming through masonry or around frames. Our report keeps that distinction clear. You will also know what to check next. Common reasons to book are breaches hidden under paving or planting and failed seams and laps, on roof terraces and balconies, green roofs and flat roof membranes.
Outbuildings, garden rooms and garages in places like Hollingdean frequently have flat roofs of their own. They’re easy to forget, but water through a garage roof can spoil whatever is stored inside. It’s worth mentioning them when you book, so the visit can include them, along with the main flat roof. Felt, rubber and GRP coverings on garages and outbuildings age in just the same way as the main roof’s.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Where
- Hollingdean (BN1, BN2)
- Wider area
- Brighton and Hove
- Cost
- Quoted for your roof
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Honest limits
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Repairing the breaches (that’s for your roofer)
- Moisture spread under the membrane
- Some conductive membranes
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you before you book. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Hollingdean
- Single-ply roofs
- Green roofs
- Liquid-applied waterproofing
- Flat roof membranes
- Commercial flat roofs
- Roof terraces and balconies
Places near Hollingdean
More services for Hollingdean
Tips that help
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Make sure trades protect the waterproofing
- Stay off the flat roof unless needed
- Consider ELD before paving or planting goes on
- Get leaks traced quickly
Once repairs are made, the roof can be tested again if you want to check them, where the roof still suits the method.
Clear flat roof outlets regularly. Standing water puts more pressure on any weak point.
Local flat roofs in Hollingdean
Hollingdean lies within about 2 miles of the sea, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Salt in the air is hard on metal flashings and fixings, and wind catches any loose edge on a flat roof. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs. Flat roofs fill the gaps in between, on extensions, garages, dormers and business premises.
If you let a flat or house near Moulsecoomb station, flat roofs on let property tend to be checked only when they fail, which is the costly way round. A roof leak in a hotel or guest house around Hollingdean means lost rooms as well as repairs.
Hollingdean is about 1 mile north of Brighton, in Brighton and Hove. We visit Hollingdean as part of our work across Brighton and Hove, for homes and businesses alike. Hollingdean is one of the towns and villages in Brighton and Hove where we work for electronic leak detection.
Postcode districts we cover here for electronic leak detection: BN1 and BN2. If you need electronic leak detection at a property on Mayo Road, Dewe Road and Rugby Road or a nearby road, we can help. We also cover the places around Hollingdean: Brighton (1 mile south), Preston (1 mile west), Moulsecoomb (1 mile east), Prestonville (1 mile south-west) and Hanover (1 mile south). Larger places within reach include Brighton and Hove (3 miles west), Aldrington (3 miles west), Hangleton (3 miles west), Saltdean (5 miles south-east), East Saltdean (5 miles south-east) and Roedean (3 miles south-east). Hollingdean is among the bigger towns we cover in Brighton and Hove.
Landmarks near Hollingdean
Around Hollingdean, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Varndean School, William Clarke Park and The Pub at Fiveways, among other places. Hollingdean’s nearest station is Moulsecoomb station, roughly 0.5 miles east of the centre. A little further out are Brighton General Hospital (1.1 miles south-east) and Clayton Castle (4.6 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Newmarket Hill and Bevendean Down.
How it works
The visit has one job: to look at the flat roof membrane as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photos go into the written report. It usually takes a time that depends on the membrane area and the build-up, which we set out in the quote. Some parts of a survey depend on the weather, so a visit to Hollingdean is booked with the forecast in mind: the parts that need calm, dry weather are planned around it.
- First, we confirm which roof areas are included.
- We get the roof ready for testing.
- Testing runs across the agreed area.
- We mark the breach locations in our records.
- You receive the results to pass to your roofer.
Before we arrive
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- Tell us where we can park nearby
Arrange a survey
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Related advice
Why act early in Hollingdean
Repeated call-outs for the same leak add up. A report showing the breach points gives your roofer a clear target. In an older home around Hollingdean, water from a roof defect can get into timber and plaster, and that is a much bigger job than the original defect.
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so the price reflects that. The price is confirmed before booking.
Why book us in Hollingdean
- An independent look at the roof
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Every finding written up with photos
- Weekday and weekend surveys
Read what a roof survey costs and our case studies.
When to book a survey in Hollingdean
A breach can be left during installation. Testing before the roof is covered or handed over helps find them.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Breaches around outlets and penetrations
- A flat roof leak that cannot be traced
- Leaks that return after repairs
- Damp inside with no sign on the roof
If you run a business near Churchill Square, outlets and upstands on commercial flat roofs are the places to check before trouble starts.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- What follow-up you get after the report
- How soon the report will arrive
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
FAQs for Hollingdean
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Hollingdean, take more of a battering?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
How do I find out if my home in Hollingdean is listed?
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.
How does ELD work?
It uses an electrical current to find breaches in a flat roof membrane. The current only gets through where the membrane is breached, which shows us where the hole is.
Do you use low-voltage or high-voltage testing?
The roof decides the method. You’ll know which method we plan to use before we start.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day. Let us know your preferred days when booking.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, so it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
When does the report arrive?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. Each one is emailed.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Hollingdean
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with the building owner or managing agent. Tell us about it as you book and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
Landlords and agents in Hollingdean book surveys as well as homeowners. A written report with photographs gives you a clear record of the flat roof membrane, which helps you plan work between tenancies.