West Sussex · London and the South East
Shermanbury Flat Roof Survey
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings in Shermanbury, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Get in touch for a price.
- Water getting in at rooflights
- Splits, cracks and crazing
- Standing water left after rain
Flat roof survey in Shermanbury
Each type of flat roof has its own weak points. Felt can blister and crack, asphalt can craze and split, EPDM seams and laps can lift, and GRP can crack where boards meet or at the trims. Single-ply PVC and TPO roofs are checked at their welds, edges and fixings. Knowing what you have and how it’s doing helps you plan what comes next. We survey mastic asphalt, felt flat roofs and upstands and outlets, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are raised blisters across the surface and upstands pulling away from walls.
Older buildings in small places like Shermanbury may be listed or in a conservation area, and that can affect how an extension roof or dormer is re-covered. If you’re planning work, check with the council first. Finding out what state the roof is in gives you the facts to plan with. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent.
We write the report in plain English, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photo where possible, with the urgent items made clear.
- Where
- Shermanbury (RH13)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
The survey, step by step
The aim of the visit is simple: to see as much of the flat roof as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. The visit usually takes an hour or two for a small flat roof at home, and longer for a large commercial one. Older roofs in small places like Shermanbury can have low, tight loft spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it’s 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 is safe to do so.
- The covering, falls, upstands, outlets, edge trims and rooflights are checked and photographed.
- We check the rooms or spaces under the roof for staining where we can reach them.
- The findings are written up with photos and recommendations and emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Getting a price
If you are buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.
Related advice
How the survey changes by roof type
GRP fibreglass
A GRP fibreglass roof is a hard, resin-bonded surface over a timber deck. We look for cracks at board joints, around trims and at upstands.
Rooflights and upstands
Rooflights and fragile sheets are never walked on. They’re inspected from safe positions and recorded with photographs.
When you need someone else
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Whether old sheeting or boards contain asbestos
- The condition of the deck or insulation hidden under the covering
- Parts of the roof that aren’t safe to walk on or view
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll suggest the right survey before you book. What our survey covers.
What we check
- Mastic asphalt
- Felt flat roofs
- EPDM rubber
- Single-ply membranes
- GRP fibreglass
- Upstands and outlets
Common roof problems in Shermanbury
A flat roof lies open to sun, rain and frost, and water drains off it slowly. Over the years, coverings harden, crack and start to come away at the edges. Most people book a survey after a leak, before buying, or when they think the roof is getting old.
Look out for signs like these:
- Outlets that hold water back
- Splits and cracks in the covering
- Loose or cracked edge trims
- Upstands pulling away from walls
Take a building like Jolesfield CofE Primary School: a large flat roof with a good many outlets and rooflights has many places where a membrane can fail.
Questions to ask before you book
- What experience they bring
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- What happens after the report arrives
Flat and commercial roofs around Shermanbury
In Sussex, older roofs are often handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. Flat roofs fill the gaps in between, on extensions, garages, dormers and business premises. Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. To find out, check Historic England’s list and ask the council about conservation areas. Re-roofing in different materials may need permission there.
The streets around a church such as The Parish Church of St Giles are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, the joins between later flat roofs and the old walls are where problems normally start.
Shermanbury is about 7 miles west of Burgess Hill, in West Sussex. If you’re in Shermanbury, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: a call or an email, a price, then a date. We cover towns and villages across West Sussex, large and small. Brighton is in our area too.
We work across the RH13 postcode area for flat roof surveys and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Knapp Drive, Brighton Road and Partridge Green Road, and we cover them all. We also cover Kent Street (2 miles north-east), Cowfold (2 miles north), Wineham (2 miles east), Henfield (2 miles south) and Blackstone (3 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Crawley (11 miles north), Horsham (7 miles north), Worthing (11 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (9 miles east), Burgess Hill (7 miles east) and Littlehampton (15 miles south-west).
Landmarks near Shermanbury
In Shermanbury, that means homes and buildings near The Bull Inn. Nearby you’ll also find The Dene Hospital (5.2 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Knepp Wildland.
What you can safely check yourself
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date, 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.
Towns and villages near Shermanbury
What else we do in Shermanbury
For landlords and managing agents
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Shermanbury. For a price for a let property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. Surveys run on any day of the week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Questions from Shermanbury
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Shermanbury?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you cover smaller places like Shermanbury?
Yes, Shermanbury is covered. We work right across London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
How many surveys have you done?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
Will you check the loft?
If the survey needs it and the roof space can be reached safely, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps, and if the loft cannot be reached safely, the report says so.
Do you survey commercial flat roofs?
Yes. We survey flat roofs on commercial buildings as well as homes. Expect about 3 to 4 hours on site for most commercial roofs, and larger roofs are quoted for their size.
What if it rains on the day?
It can, depending on the survey. Drones can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. If the conditions aren’t right, we will talk to you about another date.
Do you use drones?
Where it’s applicable and safe, yes. We fly a sub-250g drone and we are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where applicable.