West Sussex · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Racton, West Sussex
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings in Racton, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Get in touch for a price.
- Splits, cracks and crazing
- Leaks around rooflights
- Raised blisters across the surface
Flat roof survey in Racton
Buying a home with a flat-roofed extension, dormer or garage? It’s useful to know that roof’s condition before you exchange. Many felt roofs need renewing after around 15 to 20 years, and EPDM and GRP often go on for longer. Our report records the covering, how it’s holding up and any defects we can see, with photos of each. That gives you facts to raise with the seller or agent. We survey felt flat roofs, single-ply membranes and upstands and outlets, and common reasons people get in touch are leaks around rooflights and upstands pulling away from walls.
Some older homes in villages like Racton are listed or in a conservation area, and that can affect how an extension roof or dormer is re-covered. Check with the council before planning any change of material. Knowing the roof’s condition is the starting point. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest.
What you get is a clear record of the flat roof on the day we saw it. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, for instance when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Place
- Racton (PO18, PO10)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Can I check my roof myself?
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That’s where a survey comes in.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
What affects the price in Racton
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Height and safe access
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so the price reflects that. You will know the figure before booking.
What we need to know
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or send us an email and give us some details about the property and we will explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
Useful tips for Racton property owners
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Plan a survey before the covering reaches the end of its usual life
- Check the outlets after the leaves fall
- Never stand on rooflights or fragile sheeting
- File the paperwork for the roof and any repairs
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.
Try not to let a flat roof become a walkway. 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.
Racton questions
Is the coastal weather around Racton hard on roofs?
Places near the sea get more wind and more salt in the air than inland, and both are hard on roofs. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Racton?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
What does a roof survey cost?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on its size, height, access and the package, confirmed before anything is booked.
How do I arrange a flat roof survey in Racton?
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or email us with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price and agree a day with you.
Can you test old roof sheets for asbestos?
Our survey does not include asbestos testing. Older buildings, from before 2000, may have asbestos in cement sheets or soffits. We note anything that could contain it, and a specialist asbestos surveyor should check it before it’s disturbed.
When does the report arrive?
Report times are set by the package. Basic: within 48 hours. Standard: 24 to 48 hours. Premium: the same day. Mention any deadline when you book.
Will you check the loft?
If the survey needs it and the roof space can be reached safely, yes. Please clear anything stored under the hatch, and if the loft cannot be reached safely, the report says so.
What happens on the day
We look at the roof from outside and, where it is relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the loft space too. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging. The whole visit usually takes an hour or two for an extension, garage or dormer roof, and around 3–4 hours for a commercial flat roof. For a village or hamlet like Racton, the journey is planned in advance: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- We start with the address and, on larger roofs, the roof area and access.
- Inside, we look for signs of water under the roof where we can reach.
- We view the roof from safe positions and never walk on fragile surfaces.
- We record every defect with a photo and its likely cause.
- You get a report setting out the condition and our recommendations, in order of urgency.
Before we arrive
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Book a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
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For landlords and managing agents
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps when budgeting.
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, so you can plan the work rather than react to it. Around Racton, older homes frequently have old roof timbers, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
Price depends partly on the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, inc. VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
What you get with us
- Clear package prices, inc. VAT
- Visits on any day of the week
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- PI and public liability insurance
Take a look at our cost guide or two real surveys.
Flat roof surveys in Racton: local notes
The coast is about 3 miles or less from Racton, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. On a flat roof near the sea, edge trims and upstands take the brunt of the wind, and metal parts corrode faster. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. Next to the main roofs there is usually a flat roof somewhere, whether on an extension, a garage or a commercial unit.
If you let a flat or house near Southbourne station, flat roofs on let property tend to be checked only when they fail, which is the costly way round. Anyone responsible for a site like Bourne Community College will know that large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly. The streets around a church like Racton Church are often among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, any flat roof added at the back or on a dormer is likely to be far younger, and less durable, than the main roof.
Racton is about 3 miles north-east of Emsworth, in West Sussex. Surveys in Racton work the same way as everywhere we cover: a proper look at whatever is safely visible, photographs and a clear written report. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. We also survey roofs in Portsmouth.
We work across the PO18 and PO10 postcode area for flat roof surveys. Neighbouring places we cover for flat roof surveys include Lordington (1 mile north), Walderton (1 mile north-east), Funtington (1 mile east), Hambrook (2 miles south) and West Ashling (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Bognor Regis (11 miles south-east), Chichester (6 miles south-east), Selsey (11 miles south-east), Emsworth (3 miles south-west), Portfield (6 miles south-east) and Yapton (13 miles east).
Local landmarks in Racton
We work in homes and buildings around Stansted Park. For rail, the closest station is Southbourne station, roughly 2.1 miles south of the centre. A little further out are Emsworth Museum (2.8 miles south-west) and Havant War Memorial Hospital (4.4 miles west). Not far away are Walderton Down and Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve.