East Sussex · London and the South East
Flat Roof Survey in Friston
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings around Friston, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Splits and cracks in the covering
- Failed seals around rooflight kerbs
- Outlets that hold water back
Flat roof survey in Friston
A Basic Survey, from £150, covers a visual inspection, a condition report, photos 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 single-ply membranes, GRP fibreglass and mastic asphalt, and people most frequently book us about raised blisters across the surface and dips that suggest the deck is deflecting.
In smaller places like Friston, flat roofs are mostly on extensions, garages, porches and dormers. They’re small, but a leak over a kitchen extension can do a lot of harm. Knowing the covering and how it was laid tells you what to expect from it, from felt and asphalt to EPDM rubber and GRP. From an upstairs window, look for standing water, splits and edges coming away.
We keep jargon out of it: where something needs attention, it says so plainly.
- Location
- Friston (BN20)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips from our surveys
A little preparation and a few simple habits help, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Our tips:
- Ask contractors to protect the roof if they work on it
- Watch the ceilings below the flat roof for stains
- Check that new brackets or units haven’t damaged the covering
- Note where water lies after a downpour
Landlords, owners and managing agents can keep the report as a dated record of the roof. It helps when planning maintenance budgets, and it gives a baseline to compare against next time.
After heavy rain, look at the roof from an upstairs window if you can. Water still lying a day or two later is worth getting looked at.
Flat roof surveys around Friston
Friston is within about 1 mile of the coast, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Wind can catch loose edges and trims on a flat roof, and salt air is hard on metal trims, flashings and fixings. In Sussex, older roofs are frequently handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs, and oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of East Sussex’s older buildings. Alongside them, flat-roofed extensions, dormers, garages and commercial units are common almost everywhere.
Landlords with a home close to Eastbourne station may find that the flat roof over a let home is worth a look before it becomes a tenant complaint. Alfriston Clergy House lies about 3.7 miles north-west, so building around Friston goes back a long way. Older houses nearby frequently have flat roofs added much later, built to very different standards from the main roof.
Friston is about 4 miles south-west of Eastbourne, in East Sussex. Roofs in Friston get the same thorough look as anywhere else in East Sussex. Friston is one of the places in East Sussex where we work for flat roof surveys. For surveys nearby, see our Brighton page.
All of BN20 is covered for flat roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. You will find streets such as Dene Side, Dene Close and Michel Close, all of which we cover. Neighbouring places we cover for flat roof surveys include East Dean (1 mile south-west), Birling Gap (1 mile south), Jevington (2 miles north), Old Town (3 miles east) and Meads (3 miles east). Larger places within reach include Eastbourne (4 miles north-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (13 miles north-east), Seaford (4 miles west), Lewes (12 miles north-west), Hailsham (7 miles north) and Uckfield (15 miles north).
Landmarks near Friston
In Friston, that means homes and buildings near The Tiger Inn, among other places. The nearest railway station is Eastbourne station, about 3.2 miles east of the centre. A little further out are Eastbourne District General Hospital (3 miles north-east) and Filching Manor And Motor Museum (3 miles north). The countryside around Friston includes Combe Hill.
Your questions about flat roof surveys in Friston
Is Friston within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We work right across London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Friston, take more of a battering?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
Is a flat roof survey the same as a building survey?
No. Our survey covers the flat roof only. It isn’t a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey of the whole building, and it is not a structural engineer’s report. Many buyers use it alongside a building survey.
Can you test old roof sheets for asbestos?
We don’t carry out asbestos surveys. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos, for instance in cement roof sheets. Anything that might contain it is flagged, so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before work starts.
How fast do I get the report?
Each package has its own report time. Basic is within 48 hours, Standard is 24–48 hours and Premium is the same day. If you have a deadline, such as an exchange date, let us know when booking.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so whoever owns or manages the building needs to agree access. We can only inspect what we are given access to.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. The report will say if you need an engineer.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Friston
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Friston. To discuss a property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
When to book a survey in Friston
Flat roofs often get walked on for other jobs: to clean windows, fit aerials or air conditioning units, or reach a gutter. A covering that wasn’t designed for foot traffic can crack or puncture. New brackets and fixings through the roof are another common source of leaks.
We’re often asked to look at:
- Signs of deflection in the roof deck
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
- Edge trims that have lifted or split
- Raised blisters across the surface
For an older house near a landmark such as The Parish Church of St Simon and St Jude, the joins between later flat roofs and the old walls are where problems typically start.
Questions to ask before you book
- How soon the report will arrive
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- What the survey won’t cover
What we look for on each type of roof
Mastic asphalt
Asphalt has no laps, so its weak points are cracks and the skirtings at walls and upstands. Our report notes crazing, cracks and any likely entry points.
EPDM rubber
Lifting at the edges and loose areas of membrane are common EPDM problems. We record any we can see, with photos.
Also near Friston
What else we do in Friston
What you can safely check yourself
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.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
The survey, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from every safe vantage point, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. It normally takes an hour or two at most homes, and longer for a large or complex roof. Some parts of a survey depend on the weather, so a visit to Friston is booked with the forecast in mind: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from ground level and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- We agree the roof to be surveyed, its use and any leaks you know about.
- The roof is viewed from safe positions, including the roof itself where that’s safe.
- We check the covering for splits, blisters, ponding and wear.
- We photograph and record the outlets, upstands, trims and rooflights.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, comes to you by email.
Getting ready for the survey
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Let us know about parking near the property
Booking a survey
Booking is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and give us a few details about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.