West Sussex · London and the South East
Electronic Leak Detection in Shopwyke
We take a careful look at the flat roof membrane at your property in Shopwyke, with photos and a written report.
- Leaking laps in the waterproofing
- Breaches around outlets and penetrations
- A flat roof leak that can’t be traced
How electronic leak detection works in Shopwyke
Electronic testing locates holes in the waterproofing, 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. It won’t show water getting in through brickwork or around frames. The report makes clear what was and wasn’t tested. You will also know what to check next. Typical surveys look at holes left by work on the roof and leaks showing away from the breach, on green roofs, single-ply roofs and roof terraces and balconies.
In a small place like Shopwyke, a flat roof can stand in the open, so edges, upstands and laps take a beating. Older felt roofs, often around 15–20 years in life, show it first. Rubber and GRP last longer, though trims and joints still need a look. Exposed edges are typically the first part of a flat roof to go.
Nothing in the report is left vague: if work is needed, the report says so clearly.
- Location
- Shopwyke (PO20)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- Quoted for your roof
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Your questions about electronic leak detection in Shopwyke
Will you come out to Shopwyke?
Yes, Shopwyke is covered. We survey roofs across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Shopwyke?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only when it’s safe. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. We use safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where applicable, and the report records anything we couldn’t see.
What if it rains on the day?
Light rain does not typically stop a survey. Strong wind or heavy rain can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so if conditions aren’t right we will arrange another day with you.
What insurance do you have?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Do I need to be at home?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you as you book.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so whoever owns or manages the building needs to agree access. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
Can I check my roof myself?
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and falls from height are serious. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
How the survey changes by roof type
Single-ply membranes
Many offices and units have single-ply roofs. Seams and penetrations are typical breach points.
Green and ballasted roofs
Some layers may need lifting for testing. We discuss this before quoting.
How the survey works
You do not need to do much on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, like stains, drips or loose pieces, and we will get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes a time that depends on the size of the roof and how it’s built, which we set out in the quote. In a small place like Shopwyke, access is usually the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- First, you tell us about the roof build-up and where water is showing.
- We check that the membrane and build-up suit electronic leak detection.
- The method depends on the membrane and what sits above and below it.
- We test the membrane and find where current is passing through it.
- We send a report with photos of each breach so your roofer can repair it.
Before the survey
- Let us know about parking before the day
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Book a survey
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from ground level or a window; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Read more
Common roof problems in Shopwyke
When the membrane is buried, holes can’t be seen at all. Electronic methods can help on some of these roofs, depending on the build-up.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Repairs that haven’t stopped the leak
- New membranes needing a check before handover
- Failed seams and laps
- Breaches around outlets and penetrations
Landlords with a home close to Chichester station may find that flat roofs on let property tend to be checked only when they fail, which is the costly way round.
What to check before booking
- Whether VAT is added on top
- Their report turnaround times
- What insurance they carry
- Will the report include photos?
Landlord and commercial surveys in Shopwyke
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed ahead of time. Surveys run on any day of the week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, from shops and offices to industrial units. Bigger roofs take more time.
Nearby places to Shopwyke
What else we do in Shopwyke
Local flat roofs in Shopwyke
Shopwyke lies within about 5 miles of the sea, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Salt in the air is hard on metal flashings and fixings, and wind catches any loose edge on a flat roof. The wider area around Shopwyke has a long history of building, with Goodwood House about 2.1 miles north. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
The streets around a church like The Parish Church of St Peter are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, the joins between later flat roofs and the old walls are where problems usually start. If you look after a building such as Westbourne House School, schools and public buildings often have big flat roofs, and their outlets and upstands need regular checks.
Shopwyke is about 2 miles east of Chichester, in West Sussex. We visit Shopwyke as part of our work across West Sussex, for homes and businesses alike. Shopwyke is one of the places in West Sussex we cover. Our Portsmouth page covers surveys nearby.
We work across the PO20 postcode area for electronic leak detection and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Coach Road and Drayton Lane, and we cover them all. Nearby, we also carry out electronic leak detection in Maudlin (1 mile north), Westhampnett (1 mile north-west), Oving (1 mile east), Portfield (1 mile west) and Strettington (1 mile north). Further out, we also cover Worthing (15 miles east), Bognor Regis (4 miles south-east), Selsey (8 miles south), Littlehampton (9 miles east), Emsworth (9 miles west) and Rustington (10 miles east).
Local landmarks in Shopwyke
Around Shopwyke, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Coach And Horses Public House, The March CofE Primary School and Chichester High School For Girls and the streets around them. Shopwyke’s nearest station is Chichester station, roughly 1.9 miles west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Chichester Castle (1.5 miles west) and St Richard's Hospital (1.3 miles west). Open spaces near Shopwyke include Stoke Down.
Why it is worth a survey now in Shopwyke
Testing a new membrane before it’s covered is easier than tracing a leak later. Covered roofs are harder to test. Around Shopwyke, older homes often have old roof timbers, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
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 it can be reached and seen safely. We quote electronic leak detection for each roof, as the method and time depend on the roof.
What you get with us
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Visits on any day of the week
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- A photo-illustrated written report
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or our case studies.