West Sussex · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Chidham, West Sussex
Know where you stand with the flat roof before you spend money on it. Flat roof surveys in Chidham.
- Gaps at upstands and abutments
- Standing water left after rain
- Splits and cracks in the covering
How the survey changes by roof type
Mastic asphalt
Mastic asphalt is a heavy, seamless covering often found on older blocks, balconies and commercial roofs. The survey checks for crazing, cracking, blistering and splits where the asphalt turns up the walls.
Rooflights and upstands
We do not walk on rooflights or fragile sheeting, and we treat older rooflights as fragile. They’re inspected from safe positions and recorded with photos.
How a flat roof survey works in Chidham
Our Basic Survey, from £150, gives you a visual inspection with photographs and written recommendations. For moisture detection and a structural check, the Standard Survey starts from £250. Moisture readings are useful on flat roofs, where water can spread under the covering before it shows inside. Bigger commercial roofs are priced on their size and access. We survey upstands and outlets, single-ply membranes and felt flat roofs, and common reasons people get in touch are dips that suggest the deck is deflecting and outlets choked with leaves and silt.
In a village or hamlet like Chidham, flat roofs are typically on extensions, garages, outbuildings or barn conversions. They need the same care as any town roof: outlets, upstands, edges and the covering itself. The journey and access are planned beforehand. Garages and outbuildings are easy to forget, so mention any you want included when you book.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Where
- Chidham (PO18)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Your questions about flat roof surveys in Chidham
Do you cover smaller places like Chidham?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Is my home in Chidham listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. 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 do you inspect a flat roof?
We inspect from wherever is safe: the roof itself where that’s safe, plus windows, vantage points and the rooms below. We never walk on fragile rooflights or sheeting.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning, with whoever owns or manages the building. Tell us about it when booking and we’ll explain what’s needed.
Can you survey a flat roof on an office or unit?
Yes. Commercial and residential flat roofs are both covered. Expect about 3 to 4 hours on site for most commercial roofs, and larger roofs are quoted for their size.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but we don’t provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. If one is needed, the report says so.
Can you test old roof sheets for asbestos?
Asbestos testing is not part of our survey. If we see materials that could contain it, such as cement sheets on a building from before 2000, we flag them and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor.
Places near Chidham
More services for Chidham
The survey, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from each safe vantage point, take photographs as we go and record our findings for the written report. Most visits take between one and two hours for an extension, garage or dormer roof, and around 3–4 hours for a commercial flat roof. Older rural homes like those around Chidham can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- We start with the address and, on larger roofs, the roof area and access.
- We check the rooms or spaces under the roof for staining where there’s access.
- The roof is inspected from every safe viewpoint, without walking on fragile surfaces.
- Each defect is photographed and its likely cause noted.
- The report explains the condition and recommends what to do first.
Before we arrive
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Tell us where we can park nearby
Getting a price
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Advice
DIY checks: what’s safe
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date.
Useful tips for Chidham property owners
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Ask whoever fits equipment on the roof to make good the covering
- Treat rooflights and old sheeting as fragile
- Have the roof looked at again after a severe storm
- Check from a window for ponding after heavy rain
You can use the report to ask roofers to quote for the same work. Because everyone is pricing the same findings, the quotes are easier to compare. It is your choice who carries out the work and when.
Keep foot traffic on a flat roof to a minimum. Where someone does need access, ask them to use boards or a protected route, and remind them never to step on rooflights or fragile sheets.
Flat roof surveys in Chidham: local notes
The coast is about 2 miles or less from Chidham, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. On a flat roof near the sea, edge trims and upstands take the brunt of the wind, and metal parts corrode faster. Warblington Castle, about 4.1 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Chidham. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
For site and facilities teams at buildings like Chidham Parochial Primary School, schools and public buildings often have big flat roofs, and their outlets and upstands need regular checks. For an older house near a landmark such as 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. If you own a rental within reach of Nutbourne station, a flat roof over a rented flat is easy to forget until the tenant reports a leak.
Chidham is about 4 miles west of Chichester, in West Sussex. If you’re in Chidham, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Chidham is one of the places in West Sussex where we work for flat roof surveys. For surveys nearby, see our Portsmouth page.
Flat roof surveys in PO18 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. That includes homes and businesses on Chidham Lane, Harbour Way and Cot Lane. Other places close to Chidham include Nutbourne (1 mile north-west), Bosham (1 mile east), Broadbridge (1 mile east), Hambrook (1 mile north) and Bosham Hoe (2 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Bognor Regis (9 miles east), Chichester (4 miles east), Selsey (8 miles south-east), Littlehampton (15 miles east), Emsworth (3 miles north-west) and Portfield (5 miles east).
Landmarks near Chidham
Around Chidham, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Bourne Community College, among other places. The nearest railway station is Nutbourne station, about 1 mile north-west. Nearby you’ll also find Warblington Castle (4.1 miles west) and St Richard's Hospital (4.6 miles east). For a walk, there’s Nutborne Marshes and Stoke Down.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Waiting for a stain inside means the water has already got through the layers. A survey can find worn areas and failing details before that point, while there is still time to plan the work. For older village homes like those around Chidham, the right replacement materials are not always easy to find quickly. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Flat roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Chidham
- Every finding written up with photos
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- An independent view of the roof
Read what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
Honest limits
It helps to know what a survey won’t do before you book:
- Whether the deck or joists are strong enough
- A promise that the roof will not leak in future
- Testing older roof sheets for asbestos
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will point you to the right survey. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- EPDM rubber
- Mastic asphalt
- Felt flat roofs
- GRP fibreglass
- Single-ply membranes
- Upstands and outlets