East Sussex · London and the South East
Flat Roof Survey in Ripe
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings around Ripe, with a written report you can act on. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Blocked or damaged outlets
- Gaps at upstands and abutments
- Standing water left after rain
How a flat roof survey works in Ripe
Each flat roof is looked at from the safest viewpoints we have: from the roof itself where that is safe, from windows and nearby vantage points, and from inside where there’s access. Fragile rooflights and fragile sheets are never walked on. Where any area cannot be viewed safely, we say so in the report, so the limits of the survey are clear. If you’re worried about failed upstands where the roof meets a wall and damaged trims at the roof edge, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
In a small place like Ripe, 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. On an exposed roof, the edges tend to go first.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Location
- Ripe (BN8)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Flat roof surveys in Ripe: local notes
Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs, and the county’s older buildings include oast houses and Wealden hall houses. Next to the main roofs there’s usually a flat roof somewhere, whether on an extension, a garage or a commercial unit. Historic houses such as Charleston Farmhouse, about 2.3 miles south-west, show how far back building in the area around Ripe goes. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If you own a rental within reach of Berwick (Sussex) station, flat roofs over rear additions and dormers in rented property are worth checking between tenancies.
Ripe is about 5 miles west of Hailsham, in East Sussex. Wherever you are in Ripe, we can come and survey your property. Across East Sussex, we cover Ripe and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Brighton page.
Every address in BN8 is within our area for flat roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Whether your property is on Carriage Mews, Channers Lane and Church Lane or anywhere close by, we can help. Neighbouring places we cover for flat roof surveys include Selmeston (2 miles south), Wickstreet (2 miles south-east), Laughton (2 miles north), Golden Cross (2 miles north-east) and Berwick (2 miles south). We also work in nearby towns such as Eastbourne (8 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (14 miles east), Seaford (7 miles south), Lewes (6 miles west), Hailsham (5 miles east) and Crowborough (13 miles north).
Landmarks near Ripe
We work in homes and buildings around Lamb Inn, among other places. Ripe’s nearest station is Berwick (Sussex) station, roughly 2.2 miles south-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Hellingly Hospital Railway (5.1 miles east) and Museum of Agricultural Bygones (3 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Firle Beacon.
What you can safely check yourself
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, which helps when we check the roof.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Don’t go up yourself.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Ripe
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Let us know about it when you book and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf, and the report can go to both. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Ripe questions
Do you carry out roof surveys in Ripe?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs.
Do you cover smaller places like Ripe?
Yes, Ripe is covered. We survey roofs across London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Light rain doesn’t normally stop a survey, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Strong wind or a downpour can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so we’ll agree a new date if the weather is not suitable.
Will the survey show why my flat roof is leaking?
We check the whole roof, since water can travel before it shows inside. Splits, open laps, upstands, outlets and rooflights are all checked. If the cause can’t be seen, we will say so and suggest what would help.
What does the report include?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, with photos throughout. Anything we couldn’t see safely is noted too.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
Do you cover flat roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes. We survey flat roofs on commercial buildings as well as homes. A commercial roof usually takes about 3 to 4 hours on site, longer if it is large or complex, with larger roofs quoted on their size.
Nearby places to Ripe
What else we do in Ripe
What a flat roof survey does not cover
In fairness, a roof survey has limits:
- The condition of the deck or insulation hidden under the covering
- An exact number of years the roof has left
- Fragile surfaces, which we don’t walk on
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Ripe
- EPDM rubber
- GRP fibreglass
- Single-ply membranes
- Upstands and outlets
- Felt flat roofs
- Mastic asphalt
How the survey changes by roof type
Rooflights and upstands
The joins around rooflights and at upstands are common leak points. We check the seals and the covering around each one.
EPDM rubber
EPDM often lasts 30 to 50 years, but it relies on its seams, trims and upstands being well finished. Those details are where we focus.
What we do, step by step
Before we start, tell us why you’ve booked: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. That way we can focus on what matters to you. 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 roofs in small places like Ripe can have low, tight loft spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it is safe.
- First you give us the address, what the roof covers and any leaks you’ve noticed.
- We view the roof from ground level, from windows and from the roof where it’s safe to do so.
- Every part of the roof we can see is checked: covering, falls, upstands, outlets, trims and rooflights.
- Inside, we look for damp and staining under the roof where there’s access.
- You get a written report with photographs and our recommendations.
Before the survey
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Let us know about parking near the property
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
Getting a price
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Related advice
When to book a survey in Ripe
Many flat roof problems start at the details rather than the main surface. 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.
Problems we come across often include:
- Pools of water lying on the roof
- Gaps at upstands and abutments
- Damaged trims at the roof edge
- Water getting in at rooflights
If you live in an older home near The Parish Church of St John the Baptist, the joins between later flat roofs and the old walls are where problems typically start.
Before booking anyone
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Will the report include photos?
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?