West Sussex · London and the South East
Balcombe Lane Flat Roof Survey
Get a clear view of the flat roof at a property in Balcombe Lane. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Blocked or damaged outlets
- Signs of deflection in the roof deck
- Gaps at upstands and abutments
What a flat roof survey looks like in Balcombe Lane
Historic houses such as Tyes Place, about 3 miles south-west, show how far back building in the area around Balcombe Lane goes. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. In Sussex, older roofs are frequently handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. 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.
Take an older house close to The Parish Church of St Mary: later flat-roofed additions are common on older houses, and their edges and upstands often show the first signs of wear. Anyone responsible for a site like Balcombe CofE Controlled Primary School will know that a large flat roof with plenty of outlets and rooflights has many places where a membrane can fail.
Balcombe Lane is about 4 miles south-east of Crawley, in West Sussex. Balcombe Lane gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Our West Sussex coverage includes Balcombe Lane and the places around it.
We survey roofs across the RH17 postcode area for flat roof surveys and the streets around it. If you are just outside Balcombe Lane, we cover Balcombe (1 mile south), Worth Abbey (2 miles north-east), Furnace Green (2 miles north-west), Pease Pottage (3 miles west) and Staplefield (3 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Crawley (4 miles north-west), Horsham (8 miles west), Haywards Heath (5 miles south), Burgess Hill (8 miles south), East Grinstead (6 miles north-east) and Broadfield (4 miles north-west).
Landmarks near Balcombe Lane
Typical jobs here are in homes near Oriel High School and the streets around them. Balcombe Lane’s nearest station is Balcombe station, about 1.3 miles south of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Crawley Museum (3.9 miles north-west) and Waterbury Castle (4.8 miles south-east). The countryside around Balcombe Lane includes Blunts Wood and Paiges Meadow and Tilgate Lake.
How a flat roof survey works in Balcombe Lane
Flat roofs deal with rain in a very different way from pitched ones. Water lies on the surface for longer, so a small split or a blocked outlet can soon lead to a leak. The surface, the falls, the upstands and the trims are all looked at closely, and we note any sign that the deck below has got wet. The aim is to find problems before they show up as a stain on a ceiling. We survey GRP fibreglass, single-ply membranes and EPDM rubber, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are ponding water that doesn’t drain away and loose or cracked edge trims.
Flat roofs on exposed homes in small places like Balcombe Lane take more wind and rain, which is hard on edges, upstands and joins in the covering. Older felt roofs, frequently around 15–20 years in life, show it first. Rubber and GRP last longer, though trims and joints still need a look. On an exposed roof, the edges tend to go first.
Where we can’t see part of the flat roof, the report says so. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Place
- Balcombe Lane (RH17)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Balcombe Lane questions
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Balcombe Lane?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. 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.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Balcombe Lane?
Yes, Balcombe Lane is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Balcombe Lane as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Will the survey show why my flat roof is leaking?
We check the whole roof, since water can travel before it shows inside. Splits, open laps, upstands, outlets and rooflights are all checked. Where nothing visible explains the leak, the report says what to try next.
How do I arrange a flat roof survey in Balcombe Lane?
To book, ring 07833 053749 or email us and tell us the address and what you need to know. We’ll confirm the price and agree a day with you.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We note visible signs such as sagging or deflection, but we don’t carry out calculations or give an engineer’s opinion. If we think you need an engineer, the report says so.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
Do you use drones?
Where it helps and it’s safe, yes. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
What happens on the day
Photographs are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. We take close-ups from wherever is safe, including by drone where it is applicable and the weather allows. A typical visit takes between one and two hours at most homes, and longer for a large or complex roof. Somewhere as small as Balcombe Lane, access is often the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You let us know about the roof, its covering if you know it, and any leaks.
- We view the roof from ground level, from windows and from the roof where it is safe to do so.
- Every part of the roof we can see is checked: covering, falls, upstands, outlets, trims and rooflights.
- Where there’s safe access, we look at the ceilings and spaces below for signs of water.
- You get a photo-illustrated written report and our recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Leave side gates unlocked
Book a survey
For a price for flat roof surveys in Balcombe Lane, call 07833 053749 or send us an email. The address, the type of property and what you want to find out help us price the survey accurately.
Related advice
DIY checks: what’s safe
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
What a survey costs
Our packages start from £150, including VAT. The price for your roof depends on:
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- The roof’s overall size
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Booking your survey
What helps most when you contact us:
- What’s prompted the survey
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Dates you’re working to, such as exchange
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
If you’re buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email when you are ready.
What this survey can’t tell you
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Areas we cannot see or reach safely, including fragile rooflights and sheeting
- Testing older roof sheets for asbestos
- An exact number of years the roof has left
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Single-ply membranes
- Felt flat roofs
- GRP fibreglass
- Upstands and outlets
- EPDM rubber
- Mastic asphalt
When to book a survey in Balcombe Lane
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.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Gaps at upstands and abutments
- Loose or cracked edge trims
- Pools of water lying on the roof
- Blistering in felt or asphalt
If you run a business near County Mall, a flat roof over a business is out of sight and out of mind until it leaks.
Before you book anyone
- Their insurance cover
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Their track record with similar roofs
Practical tips
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. Here’s what helps most:
- Check the outlets after the leaves fall
- Keep people off the roof unless they need to be there
- Ask whoever fits equipment on the roof to make good the covering
- Never stand on rooflights or fragile sheeting
If anything in the report isn’t clear, just ask us. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation, giving you a chance to go through what we found.
Keep foot traffic on a flat roof to a minimum. If access is needed, boards or walkways help protect the covering, and remind them never to step on rooflights or fragile sheets.