West Sussex · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Ardingly, West Sussex
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings in Ardingly, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photos.
- Loose or cracked edge trims
- A sagging deck under the covering
- Failed upstands where the roof meets a wall
Flat roof survey in Ardingly
Standing water is one of the first things we look for on a flat roof. It can point to poor falls, a blocked outlet or a deck that is deflecting. We record where water sits, check the outlets and look for dips that suggest deflection. If the deck itself looks like a structural concern, we’ll recommend a structural engineer. If you’re worried about ponding water that doesn’t drain away and blisters and bubbles in the covering, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on upstands and outlets, mastic asphalt and GRP fibreglass alike.
Some older homes in villages like Ardingly are listed or in a conservation area, which can shape what a new flat roof may look like. 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. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest.
It isn’t only a list of defects. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Where
- Ardingly (RH17)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Leave it or get it looked at?
For a buyer, the best time to learn about a flat roof is before contracts are exchanged. After that, the cost of any work is yours. A report gives you facts to put to the seller or agent. In a place like Ardingly, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where it applies, which starts from £400, inc. VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you need to know.
Why us?
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Photos and a written report every time
- 20+ years’ experience
- An independent view of the roof
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and two real surveys.
What we look for on each type of roof
Rooflights and upstands
Rooflights, lanterns and upstands are where many flat roof leaks begin. We check how the covering is finished around each rooflight and upstand.
Mastic asphalt
Asphalt roofs are common on older flats, walkways and commercial buildings. The survey checks for crazing, cracking, blistering and splits where the asphalt turns up the walls.
Ardingly: your questions answered
Do you cover smaller places like Ardingly?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Ardingly?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Someone needs to let us in if we are looking inside or in the loft. We will talk about access when you book.
What happens next?
We email you the written report with photographs and recommendations. You can use it to talk to a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent, whichever applies.
What does ponding on a flat roof mean?
Standing water a day or two after rain normally needs attention. The cause may be the outlets, the falls or the deck. We check each of these and record what we find.
Can you survey any kind of flat roof?
Felt, asphalt, EPDM, GRP and single-ply roofs are all covered. Not sure what yours is? We’ll tell you in the report.
Does the survey cover asbestos?
We do not carry out asbestos surveys. Older buildings, from before 2000, may have asbestos in cement sheets or soffits. Anything that might contain it is flagged, so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before work starts.
Common roof problems in Ardingly
The surface of a flat roof heats up and cools down far more than the rooms below. That movement pulls at seams, laps and the joints between boards, which can open splits and cracks over the years. Older coverings that have lost their flexibility are the most likely to suffer.
Common reasons to book include:
- Blistering in felt or asphalt
- Dips that suggest the deck is deflecting
- Splits and cracks in the covering
- Edge trims that have lifted or split
If you own a rental within reach of Balcombe station, the flat roof over a let home is worth a look before it becomes a tenant complaint.
What to check before booking
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Will the report include photos?
- What insurance they carry
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Landlords, agents and block managers in Ardingly
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work with less disruption.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
What happens on the day
The visit has one job: to look at the flat roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. The visit typically takes about one to two hours for an extension, garage or dormer roof, and around 3–4 hours for a commercial flat roof. For a village or hamlet like Ardingly, the journey is planned beforehand: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there’s safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- You send us the address and, for commercial roofs, an idea of the roof’s size.
- We check the rooms or spaces under the roof for staining where there is access.
- We view the roof from safe positions and never walk on fragile surfaces.
- We record every defect with a photo and its likely cause.
- You get a report setting out the condition and our recommendations, in order of urgency.
Preparing for the visit
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
Arrange a survey
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Read more
Flat roof surveys around Ardingly
Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. Alongside them, flat-roofed extensions, dormers, garages and commercial units are common almost everywhere. With Priest House about 2.2 miles north-east, Ardingly sits in an area with a long building history. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
The streets around a church like St Peter's Church are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, later flat-roofed additions are common on older houses, and their edges and upstands often show the first signs of wear. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as St Peter's CofE Primary School, a large flat roof with a good many outlets and rooflights has many places where a membrane can fail.
Ardingly is about 3 miles north of Haywards Heath, in West Sussex. Ardingly is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area across London and South East England. Our West Sussex coverage includes Ardingly. Our Crawley page covers surveys nearby.
We work across the RH17 postcode area for flat roof surveys and the streets around it. You will find streets such as High Street, Munnion Road and Price Way, and we cover them all. Neighbouring places we cover for flat roof surveys include Little London (1 mile north), Highbrook (1 mile north-east), Lindfield (2 miles south), Horsted Keynes (2 miles east) and West Hoathly (2 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include Crawley (6 miles north-west), Horsham (10 miles west), Haywards Heath (3 miles south), Burgess Hill (7 miles south), East Grinstead (6 miles north-east) and Broadfield (6 miles north-west).
What’s near Ardingly
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Ardingly Inn. Ardingly’s nearest station is Balcombe station, roughly 2.5 miles west. Well-known places in the area include Waterbury Castle (2 miles east) and Princess Royal Hospital (3.9 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Blunts Wood and Paiges Meadow.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.