West Sussex · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Furnace Wood, West Sussex
A careful look at the flat roof at your property in Furnace Wood, and put it all in a report with photographs.
- Blistering in felt or asphalt
- Water getting in at rooflights
- Gaps at upstands and abutments
How a flat roof survey works in Furnace Wood
Buying a home with a flat-roofed extension, dormer or garage? It helps to know that roof’s condition before you exchange. Felt roofs frequently last around 15 to 20 years, while EPDM and GRP often last longer. We set out the type of covering, its condition and the defects we found, with a photo of every defect. You then have something specific to put to the seller or agent. We’re often asked to look into standing water left after rain and splits and cracks in the covering, on upstands and outlets, single-ply membranes and felt flat roofs.
In a small place like Furnace Wood, a flat roof can stand in the open, which is hard on edges, upstands and joins in the covering. Older felt roofs, often around 15–20 years in life, show it first. EPDM rubber and GRP coverings last longer, but their edges and joints still need checking. Exposed edges are typically the first part of a flat roof to go.
We write the report in plain English, so you do not need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photo where possible, with the urgent items made clear.
- Where
- Furnace Wood (RH19)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Flat roof surveys in Furnace Wood: local notes
Saint Hill Manor, about 3 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Furnace Wood. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Older houses across Sussex often have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging on their upper walls. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. Mixed in with those pitched roofs are lots of flat ones, over rear extensions, dormers, garages and shops.
Take a building like Felbridge Primary School: a large flat roof with a good many outlets and rooflights has many places where a membrane can fail.
Furnace Wood is about 3 miles west of East Grinstead, in West Sussex. Furnace Wood is part of the area we cover across London and South East England. We cover towns and villages across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. There is also a page for Crawley.
We work across RH19 for flat roof surveys and the streets around it. We cover properties on Lake View Road, Felcot Road and Furnace Farm Road and the roads around them. Close by, we survey roofs in Domewood (1 mile north-west), Snow Hill (1 mile west), Felbridge (1 mile east), Crawley Down (1 mile south) and Newchapel (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Crawley (6 miles west), Horsham (12 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (10 miles south), Burgess Hill (13 miles south), East Grinstead (3 miles east) and Broadfield (7 miles south-west).
What’s near Furnace Wood
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Imberhorne School. Furnace Wood’s nearest station is East Grinstead station, about 2.5 miles south-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Effingham Park Motor Museum (0.9 miles west) and Queen Victoria Hospital (3.1 miles east). The countryside around Furnace Wood includes Hedgecourt Lake.
How it works
You do not need to do much on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we’ll get on with the inspection. A typical survey takes about 1–2 hours for most houses; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. For a village or hamlet like Furnace Wood, the journey is planned beforehand: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect what can be seen safely, inside and out.
- 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 is 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
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Tell us where we can park nearby
Booking a survey
We survey roofs on weekdays, Saturdays and 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.
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Prices for flat roof surveys in Furnace Wood
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- The shape of the roof and its details
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, how it can safely be seen and the package you choose.
What we need to know
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- What made you get in touch
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- The property’s address and postcode
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or email us. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
Furnace Wood: your questions answered
Do you cover Furnace Wood?
Yes, Furnace Wood is within the area we cover. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us about the property.
Do you cover smaller places like Furnace Wood?
Yes, Furnace Wood is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
What’s in the survey report?
A report with photos, covering the condition of the flat roof, the defects we found and what we recommend, in order of urgency where relevant. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check, and the Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies and structural analysis.
When does the report arrive?
Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24–48 hours and Premium reports on the same day. Each one is emailed.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs such as sagging are noted, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. If one is needed, the report says so.
How long does the survey take?
Expect it to take roughly 1–2 hours at most homes; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. You will then get the report by email.
What types of flat roof do you survey?
We cover the main flat roof coverings: felt, asphalt, EPDM, GRP and single-ply. We record what the covering is and how it’s holding up.
Nearby places to Furnace Wood
What else we do in Furnace Wood
Tips from our surveys
You do not need to be a roofer to help. What helps most:
- Keep outlets clear of leaves and moss
- Check that new brackets or units haven’t damaged the covering
- Treat rooflights and old sheeting as fragile
- Keep records of when the roof was laid and what work has been done
You get the report by email and can pass it to a roofer, your solicitor, the seller or your managing agent. It’s written in plain English, with a photo of each defect, so others can follow it without going up to look.
Book a survey every few years, and again after new fixings, units or rooflights go in. That catches changes early and builds up a record of the roof.
Honest limits
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, so a survey has limits:
- The condition of the deck or insulation hidden under the covering
- A fixed date for when the roof will need replacing
- Parts of the roof that aren’t safe to walk on or view
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will suggest the right survey. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Furnace Wood
- GRP fibreglass
- Mastic asphalt
- Felt flat roofs
- EPDM rubber
- Upstands and outlets
- Single-ply membranes
What we look for on each type of roof
GRP fibreglass
GRP can crack if the deck beneath flexes or if the resin was laid too thin. Our report notes cracks and any sign that the deck is flexing.
Rooflights and upstands
Rooflights and fragile sheets are never walked on. We view them from safe positions and photograph what we see.
When to book a survey in Furnace Wood
Flat roofs take the full force of the weather on a surface that drains slowly. In time, the covering dries out, cracks and loosens at its edges and laps. People typically call us when a leak appears, before a purchase, or when the roof may be near the end of its life.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Damaged trims at the roof edge
- Blocked or damaged outlets
- Gaps at upstands and abutments
- Signs of deflection in the roof deck
Landlords with a home close to East Grinstead station may find that flat roofs on let property tend to be checked only when they fail, which is the costly way round.
What to check before booking
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Their insurance cover
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof