West Sussex · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Clapham, West Sussex
Need a flat roof survey in Clapham? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Damaged trims at the roof edge
- Raised blisters across the surface
- Signs of deflection in the roof deck
Surveys for landlords and agents in Clapham
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. Access is agreed with the tenant in advance.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work with less disruption.
Flat roof survey in Clapham
A flat roof survey looks at the covering, the edges, the outlets and the details where the roof meets walls and rooflights. We cover felt, mastic asphalt, EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass and single-ply roofs. We survey extension, garage and dormer roofs as well as bigger roofs on flats, offices and units. The findings go into a written report with photos, setting out the defects and what we’d recommend. We’re often asked to look into dips that suggest the deck is deflecting and blocked or damaged outlets, across felt flat roofs, mastic asphalt and upstands and outlets.
In a village or hamlet like Clapham, flat roofs are usually on extensions, garages, outbuildings or barn conversions. They need the same care as any town roof: outlets, upstands, edges and the covering itself. We simply plan the journey and access ahead of time. If there are outbuildings or garages with flat roofs, mention them as you book.
Report times depend on the survey you book: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Place
- Clapham (BN13)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Practical tips
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. Our suggestions:
- Note any new marks on ceilings beneath the roof
- Note where water lies after a downpour
- Check the outlets after the leaves fall
- Have the roof looked at again after a severe storm
Once we have been, the findings are written up with photos. It covers the type of covering, its condition and each defect, with our recommendations. Turnaround is within 48 hours for a Basic Survey, 24 to 48 hours for a Standard Survey and the same day for a Premium Survey.
Small defects are simpler to deal with while they’re still small. Prompt repairs tend to add years to a flat roof.
What else we do in Clapham
Clapham: your questions answered
Is my home in Clapham 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.
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Clapham?
It can do. Within about 4 miles of the sea, as Clapham is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it applies and safe. We fly a sub-250g drone and we’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). It is included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where it applies, the Premium Survey.
What’s in the survey report?
Written findings with photos, covering the condition of the flat roof, the defects we found and what we recommend. Standard adds moisture detection and a structural check; Premium adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies and structural analysis.
Will I get photos?
Yes. Photos are part of every report, so you can see each point for yourself.
What do I do with the report?
The report comes by email, and what you do next is up to you: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
Does a flat roof survey replace a RICS survey?
No. Our survey covers the flat roof only. It is not a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey of the whole building, and it is not a structural engineer’s report. It often sits alongside a buyer’s building survey.
What a flat roof survey looks like in Clapham
Clapham lies within about 4 miles of the sea, so there is more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Coastal wind works at the edges of flat roofs, and salt air wears metal trims and fixings. Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. 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.
Ecclesden Manor, about 1.5 miles south-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Clapham. On a period home nearby, any flat roof is likely to be a later addition with its own lifespan. Anyone responsible for a site like Clapham and Patching CofE Primary School will know that ponding and blocked outlets on a wide flat roof are worth catching before the next wet season.
Clapham is about 3 miles north-west of Worthing, in West Sussex. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Clapham can all book flat roof surveys. We cover towns and villages across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. For surveys nearby, see our Brighton page.
Every address in BN13 is covered for flat roof surveys. If you need a flat roof survey at a property on The Street, Long Furlong and Church Close or a nearby road, we can help. Clapham sits on or near the A280, so getting to you is simple. If you are just outside Clapham, we cover Patching (1 mile north-west), Cote (1 mile east), Hammerpot (2 miles west), Durrington (2 miles south-east) and Hangleton (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Worthing (3 miles south-east), Bognor Regis (11 miles west), Chichester (14 miles west), Littlehampton (4 miles south-west), Shoreham-by-Sea (8 miles east) and Lancing (6 miles east).
Near you in Clapham
Around Clapham, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Clapham Wood, The Fox pub and Chatsmore Catholic High School and the streets around them. Clapham’s nearest station is Goring-By-Sea station, about 2.1 miles south. A little further out are Museum of Sussex Folklore (2.9 miles south-east) and Old Castle (2.9 miles south-east). Not far away are WWT Arundel and Highdown Hill.
Different roofs, different checks
Single-ply membranes
Many offices, units and newer flats have a single-ply PVC or TPO roof. We check the welded laps, the edges, the fixings and any punctures.
Felt and built-up roofs
Built-up felt is one of the most common flat roof coverings on extensions, garages and dormers. We look for blistering, cracking, split laps and worn mineral surfacing.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
When to book a survey in Clapham
The details are often where a flat roof lets go first. 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.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
- Splits, cracks and crazing
- Failed seals around rooflight kerbs
- A sagging deck under the covering
If you live in an older home near The Parish Church of St Mary, the flat roofs on later extensions tend to wear out long before the main roof.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Their insurance cover
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
How it works
We’ll ask a few questions first, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. The inspection then takes about one to two hours for a small flat roof at home, and longer for a large commercial one. Somewhere like Clapham needs a little journey planning: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect everything that’s safely in view, inside and out.
- You tell us about the roof, its covering if you know it, and any leaks.
- The roof is inspected from safe viewpoints, and from the roof itself where that is safe.
- Every part of the roof we can see is looked at: covering, falls, upstands, outlets, trims and rooflights.
- Inside, we look for damp and staining under the roof where there is access.
- You get a report with photos and our recommendations.
How to prepare
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Keep pets in another room
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Book a survey
If you are buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form when you are ready.