West Sussex · London and the South East
Chelwood Common Flat Roof Survey
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings in Chelwood Common, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Call or email for a price.
- Outlets that hold water back
- Failed upstands where the roof meets a wall
- Water getting in at rooflights
Different roofs, different checks
Mastic asphalt
With age, asphalt can harden and crack with movement. We note where this is happening and how widespread it looks.
EPDM rubber
Lifting at the edges and loose areas of membrane are common EPDM problems. Any we find are noted and photographed.
Flat roof survey in Chelwood Common: what you get
Water through a flat roof does not always come in where the stain is. It can run along the deck from a split, an open lap or a failed upstand some distance away. That’s why we check every detail across the roof, not only the area above the stain, and photograph anything that could let water in. Whoever carries out the work then has a clear starting point. If you’ve noticed dips that suggest the deck is deflecting and outlets choked with leaves and silt, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Somewhere as small as Chelwood Common, flat roofs tend to be on extensions, garages and converted outbuildings. They need the same care as any town roof: the covering, the edges, the upstands and where water drains away. We simply plan the journey and access in advance. Garages and outbuildings are easy to forget, so mention any you want included when booking.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend.
- Place
- Chelwood Common (RH17)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What we are asked to look at in Chelwood Common
Many flat roof problems start at the details rather than the main surface. Upstands, trims, outlets and rooflight kerbs each move and weather in their own way. Where they weren’t finished well, they tend to fail before anything else.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Loose or cracked edge trims
- Ponding water that does not drain away
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
- Water getting in at rooflights
For site and facilities teams at buildings like Danehill Church of England Primary School, a large flat roof with plenty of outlets and rooflights has many places where a membrane can fail.
Questions to ask before you book
- What they will not be able to tell you
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
What a flat roof survey does not cover
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- What’s under the membrane without opening it up
- Asbestos testing, which needs a specialist asbestos surveyor
- Fragile surfaces, which we don’t walk on
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
What we check
- GRP fibreglass
- Mastic asphalt
- Upstands and outlets
- EPDM rubber
- Felt flat roofs
- Single-ply membranes
Tips from our surveys
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Keep people off the roof unless they need to be there
- Check from a window for ponding after heavy rain
- Never stand on rooflights or fragile sheeting
- Clear roof outlets and gutters each autumn
If anything in the report is not clear, just ask us. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one, so you can talk the findings through.
Get splits, lifted seams and loose trims seen to while they’re small. A flat roof that’s looked after between surveys typically lasts longer.
How the survey works
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 usually takes an hour or two at a typical home; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Older roofs in small places like Chelwood Common can have low, tight loft spaces, so it helps to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it is safe.
- First you give us the address, what the roof covers and any leaks you’ve noticed.
- The roof is inspected from safe viewpoints, and from the roof itself where that is safe.
- The covering, falls, upstands, outlets, edge trims and rooflights are checked and photographed.
- Where there is safe access, we look at the ceilings and spaces below for signs of water.
- The findings are written up with photos and recommendations and emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Leave side gates unlocked
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Book a survey
When you are ready to go ahead, call 07833 053749 or send us an email. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
Related advice
Flat roof surveys in Chelwood Common: local notes
Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. Flat roofs fill the gaps in between, on extensions, garages, dormers and business premises. Priest House, about 3.9 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Chelwood Common. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Chelwood Gate Church, any flat roof added at the back or on a dormer is likely to be far younger, and less durable, than the main roof.
Chelwood Common is about 6 miles north-east of Haywards Heath, in West Sussex. We carry out flat roof surveys for homes and businesses in Chelwood Common. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex. You can also see our page for Crawley.
Every address in RH17 is covered for flat roof surveys. That includes homes and businesses on Baxters Lane, Tanyard Lane and Box's Lane and the roads around them. We also cover the places around Chelwood Common: Chelwood Gate (1 mile north), Danehill (1 mile south-west), Birchgrove (1 mile north-west), Furner's Green (2 miles south) and Nutley (2 miles east). We also work in nearby towns such as Crawley (10 miles north-west), Horsham (15 miles west), Haywards Heath (6 miles south-west), Burgess Hill (9 miles south-west), East Grinstead (6 miles north) and Broadfield (10 miles west).
Near you in Chelwood Common
Well-known places in the area include Waterbury Castle (2.3 miles west) and Heaven Farm Museum (1.6 miles south). Not far away are Brickfield Meadow.
Towns and villages near Chelwood Common
Also in Chelwood Common
For landlords and managing agents
Letting agents frequently book on a landlord’s behalf. Access is agreed with the tenant beforehand.
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 around your tenants.
Common questions in Chelwood Common
Do you cover smaller places like Chelwood Common?
Yes. Chelwood Common is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Is Chelwood Common in the area you cover?
Yes, Chelwood Common is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs.
When does the report arrive?
It depends on the package: the Basic Survey report arrives within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey the same day. Reports are sent by email.
How long is the visit?
It normally takes about one to two hours at a typical home, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. The report follows by email.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Light rain is usually fine; heavy rain and wind are different. Strong wind or a downpour can make access unsafe and ground a drone, so we’d move the date with you.
Does a flat roof survey replace a RICS survey?
No. It is a survey of the flat roof. It is not a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey of the whole building, and it is not a structural engineer’s report. It frequently sits alongside a buyer’s building survey.
Do I need to be at home?
Not always. If we only need the outside, we can agree that beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.