West Sussex · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Southgate, West Sussex
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings for Southgate and the rest of West Sussex. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Blistering in felt or asphalt
- Failed seals around rooflight kerbs
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
Landlords, agents and block managers in Southgate
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work around your tenants.
Flat roof surveys for homes and businesses in Southgate
Offices, shops, industrial units and blocks of flats often sit under large flat roofs. On a roof like this, a survey shows where the covering is wearing, where water is ponding and which outlets need attention. We record the condition with photographs so work can be planned and budgeted. We quote commercial roofs on their size and how they’re reached, so please ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and an idea of the roof’s size. We survey upstands and outlets, felt flat roofs and mastic asphalt, and common reasons people get in touch are edge trims that have lifted or split and pools of water lying on the roof.
Around a smaller place like Southgate, flat roofs normally cover extensions, garages and dormers. They’re small, but a leak over a kitchen extension can do a lot of harm. What it’s covered in, and how well it was laid, decides what it needs. From an upstairs window, look for standing water, splits and edges coming away.
After the visit, you get a report with photographs, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the flat roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Location
- Southgate (RH10, RH11)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Why it’s worth a survey now in Southgate
Standing water on a flat roof rarely sorts itself out. Most often it means blocked outlets, poor falls or a deck that is dipping, and every wet spell adds to the wear. Finding the cause now keeps more options open. On a bungalow or cottage around Southgate, the roof sits close to the rooms below, so a small leak can mark a ceiling within a few storms. Finding the cause first saves a second job inside.
Prices start from £150, including VAT, for a Basic Survey. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400, both with VAT included. You’ll know the price for your roof before booking.
Why book us in Southgate
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Weekday and weekend surveys
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
Flat roof surveys around Southgate
Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. Flat roofs fill the gaps in between, on extensions, garages, dormers and business premises. Historic houses like Tyes Place, about 5 miles south, show how far back building in the area around Southgate goes. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
Take a building like Southgate Primary: ponding and blocked outlets on a wide flat roof are worth catching before the next wet season. If you live in an older home near St Mary's, later flat-roofed additions are common on older houses, and their edges and upstands often show the first signs of wear.
Southgate is about 1 mile south-west of Crawley, in West Sussex. Southgate gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful look at whatever is safely visible, photographs and a clear written report. Southgate is one of the places in West Sussex we cover for flat roof surveys.
All of RH10 and RH11 is covered for flat roof surveys. That includes homes and businesses on Oak Road, Cook Road and Colet Road. Southgate sits on or near the A2004 and A2219. Other places close to Southgate include Crawley (1 mile north-east), Tilgate (1 mile east), West Green (1 mile north), Three Bridges (1 mile north-east) and Langley Green (2 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Horsham (6 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (9 miles south-east), Burgess Hill (11 miles south), East Grinstead (8 miles east), Billingshurst (13 miles south-west) and Roffey (5 miles south-west).
Local landmarks in Southgate
Typical jobs here are in homes near Three Bridges Junior School, St Wilfrid's Catholic School and Tilgate Park, among other places. Southgate has its own railway station: Crawley station. Well-known places in the area include Crawley Museum (0.7 miles north) and County Mall (0.5 miles north-east). For a walk, there’s Tilgate Lake.
How the survey changes by roof type
EPDM rubber
EPDM is a synthetic rubber membrane, frequently laid in a single sheet on smaller roofs. The survey looks at laps, edge trims, corners and signs of puncture.
Single-ply membranes
On single-ply roofs, the welds between sheets are the key detail. Seams, corners and the details around outlets and upstands get a careful look.
Nearby places to Southgate
Other services in Southgate
What happens on the day
We photograph the roof as we go, so the report shows exactly what we saw. We take close-ups from wherever is safe. A typical visit takes roughly 1–2 hours for a house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. A visit to a smaller place like Southgate is no different on the day: outside, inside and from any safe vantage point, in that order. Point out any stains, cracks or loose pieces you’ve spotted.
- We agree the roof to be surveyed, its use and any leaks you know about.
- We look at the roof from ground level, windows and the roof where it’s safe.
- We check the covering for splits, blisters, ponding and wear.
- Upstands, outlets, edge trims and rooflights are checked and photographed.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, comes to you by email.
Before the survey
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
Getting a price
A quick phone call is normally the easiest start: call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
Advice
What a survey costs
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before you book. This is what makes a difference:
- Height and safe access
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Roof area
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Booking your survey
A little information up front helps. Please include:
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- The kind of building and roof involved
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know the cost up front. Our price is from £150, including VAT. To book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Southgate: your questions answered
Is my home in Southgate listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Is Southgate within the area you cover?
Yes. Southgate is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Can you survey in bad weather?
A survey can normally go ahead in light rain. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so we’ll agree a new date if the weather isn’t suitable.
Do you check flat roofs for asbestos?
Our survey doesn’t include asbestos testing. 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.
What happens after the survey?
You receive the written report by email, with photos and recommendations. It’s yours to share with a seller, insurer, roofer or managing agent, whichever applies.
What does ponding on a flat roof mean?
Ponding is worth looking into. It can point to blocked outlets, poor falls or a deck that is sagging, and water that sits wears the covering sooner. We record where it sits and the likely cause.
Do you go up onto the roof?
It depends on what’s safe: the roof itself where that’s safe, plus windows, vantage points and the rooms below. We never walk on fragile rooflights or sheeting.
Common roof problems in Southgate
Water that does not drain sits on the roof and speeds up wear. It typically comes from poor falls, a blocked outlet or a deck that has dipped. Leaves and silt from nearby trees can soon choke an outlet.
Look out for signs like these:
- Edge trims that have lifted or split
- Ponding water that does not drain away
- Outlets that hold water back
- Blistering in felt or asphalt
Landlords with a home close to Crawley station may find that flat roofs on let property tend to be checked only when they fail, which is the costly way round.
Questions to ask before booking
- What happens after the report arrives
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection