Brighton and Hove · London and the South East
Electronic Leak Detection in Hove
Electronic leak detection in Hove, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Holes left by work on the roof
- Breaches hidden under paving or planting
- New roofs to check before paving or planting
Questions from Hove
Is the coastal weather around Hove hard on roofs?
Places near the sea get more wind and more salt in the air than inland, and both are hard on roofs. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
How do I find out if my home in Hove is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
How soon will I get the report?
That depends on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. The report is emailed to you.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Typically, if there’s one and it can be reached safely. The roof space can show things the outside can’t, like damp timbers, staining or daylight.
Which method do you use?
The method is chosen to suit the roof. Low-voltage testing typically needs a wet surface and high-voltage methods need the membrane dry and exposed.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. It’s a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
Is my roof suitable for ELD?
It depends on the membrane and the build-up. Let us know what you know about the roof and we’ll confirm suitability.
Electronic leak detection in Hove: what you get
Electronic leak detection, or ELD, finds holes in flat roof waterproofing membranes. It works with an electrical current that passes through the membrane only where there’s a breach. It can find holes too small to spot by eye, so your roofer can repair them. You get a report with photographs of each breach found. If you’ve noticed breaches around outlets and penetrations and leaks under green or ballasted roofs, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on green roofs, roof terraces and balconies and flat roof membranes alike.
In a town like Hove, lots of shops, schools and business units have flat roofs. They’re easy to forget until water comes through a ceiling tile, and by then the insulation underneath may be wet. A survey, or electronic testing where the membrane suits it, shows what’s going on. If someone else manages the building, let us know so roof access can be arranged.
Findings are set out part by part, from the coverings down to the gutters, each with a short note and a photo. It records what’s sound as well as what isn’t.
- Place
- Hove (BN3, BN1, BN52)
- Region
- Brighton and Hove
- Prices
- Quoted for your roof
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
Letting agents frequently book on a landlord’s behalf. Access is agreed with the tenant in advance.
We survey roofs for landlords and agents as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the flat roof membrane, with photographs.
Other services in Hove
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
What we do, step by step
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 more time on a big roof than a small one, and the build-up of the roof makes a difference too. A typical visit in Hove begins with the street side of the roof and then moves round the building. Rear gardens and side paths frequently give the best view of extensions and back slopes. Then, if it can be reached safely, we look in the loft.
- We start with what you know about the roof and the leak.
- We check whether the membrane and build-up suit ELD.
- The test method is chosen to suit the roof.
- The membrane is tested and breaches are found.
- You get a report with photos of each breach.
How to prepare
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Let us know about parking near the property
Getting a price
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know where you stand. We quote electronic leak detection for each roof, as the method and time depend on the roof. For a price for your roof, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
What electronic leak detection looks like in Hove
Hove 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. Hove has a number of hotels within about a mile and a half, and hotels, like offices and blocks of flats, often have flat roofs. For hotels and other commercial buildings, finding the cause of a flat roof leak quickly keeps rooms in use.
If you own a rental within reach of Hove station, a flat roof over a rented flat is easy to forget until the tenant reports a leak. Anyone responsible for a site like St Andrew's CofE (Aided) Primary School will know that schools and public buildings often have big flat roofs, and their outlets and upstands need regular checks. A roof leak in a hotel or guest house around Hove means lost rooms as well as repairs, so it pays to find faults before guests do.
Hove is about 2 miles west of Brighton, in Brighton and Hove. Roofs in Hove get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Brighton and Hove. We cover towns and villages across Brighton and Hove.
Every address in BN3, BN1 and BN52 is within our area for electronic leak detection. Whether your property is on Farm Road, York Road and Aymer Road or a nearby road, we can survey it. Hove is on the A270 and A2023, so it’s easy for us to get to. We also cover the places around Hove: Brighton and Hove (1 mile north-west), Brunswick (1 mile south-east), Aldrington (1 mile west), Prestonville (1 mile north-east) and West Blatchington (1 mile north). We also work in nearby towns such as Kemptown (3 miles east), Whitehawk (3 miles east), Moulsecoomb (3 miles east), Hollingbury (3 miles north-east), Bevendean (3 miles east) and Saltdean (6 miles east). Hove is among the bigger towns we cover in Brighton and Hove.
Local landmarks in Hove
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Drive Prep School, St. Ann's Well Gardens and The Urchin pub, among other places. Hove has its own railway station: Hove station. Nearby you’ll also find British Engineerium (0.9 miles north) and Montefiore Hospital (0.7 miles east). For a walk, there’s Whitehawk Hill and Thundersbarrow Hill.
How the survey changes by roof type
Inverted and paved roofs
Paving and terraces cover the membrane. Whether it can be tested depends on the build-up.
Green and ballasted roofs
ELD is easier on a new roof before it’s covered.
Why get it checked now?
Not every leak is in the membrane. ELD helps rule the membrane in or out, so other causes can be checked. Once water reaches the loft insulation in a home in Hove, it loses much of its value and is slow to dry. That’s an extra cost on top of the roof work itself.
Every price we give includes VAT. Electronic leak detection is quoted for your roof, because the method depends on the roof. We confirm the exact price before booking.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Hove
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- A written report with photographs
- 98% of customers satisfied
- 20+ years’ experience
Take a look at what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
Before and after the survey
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Limit access to the roof
- Test new membranes before covering them
- Do not leave water getting in
- Do not let outlets block
Questions about the results are welcome. We can talk you through the findings.
Clear flat roof outlets regularly. Water that sits on the roof finds breaches faster.