East Sussex · London and the South East
Flat Roof Survey in Southover
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings in Southover, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Failed upstands where the roof meets a wall
- Signs of deflection in the roof deck
- Cracked or split membrane
Flat roof survey in Southover: what you get
If the house you’re buying has a flat roof on an extension, dormer or garage, it’s worth knowing its condition before 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 is holding up and any defects we can see, with a photo of every defect. That gives you facts to raise with the seller or agent. Typical surveys look at dips that suggest the deck is deflecting and failed seals around rooflight kerbs, across felt flat roofs, mastic asphalt and single-ply membranes.
In a smaller place like Southover, some flat roofs sit in the open, where wind can catch loose edges and trims. Felt and bitumen also age in strong sun. The signs are splits, blisters and edges coming away. A flat roof that still holds water days after rain is also worth a closer look.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Where
- Southover (BN7, BN8)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Surveys for landlords and agents in Southover
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we will plan the survey around it.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Southover and across East Sussex can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
How we price flat roof surveys
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where it applies, which starts from £400, including VAT. We’ll tell you which package suits the questions you have.
What we need to know
If you can, have these to hand when you contact us:
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Anything about access we should know
- What made you get in touch
- The address and postcode of the property
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
What happens on the day
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. It typically takes about 1–2 hours for most houses, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. With a bit of garden around a house, as there often is around Southover, the roof can be viewed from several angles. Let us know if any side is fenced off or hard to reach. Inside, the loft is looked at where it can be reached safely.
- We start with the details: the address, the roof’s use and any leaks or stains.
- We look at the roof from wherever it can be seen safely.
- The covering, falls, upstands, outlets, edge trims and rooflights are checked and photographed.
- Where there’s safe access, we look at the ceilings and spaces below for signs of water.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects we found and what we recommend.
How to prepare
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
Booking a survey
We survey roofs seven days a week. To find a date that works for you, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
When you need someone else
We only report what can be seen safely on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- The condition of the deck or insulation hidden under the covering
- Whether old sheeting or boards contain asbestos
- Fragile surfaces, which we don’t walk on
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we look at
- GRP fibreglass
- EPDM rubber
- Felt flat roofs
- Single-ply membranes
- Mastic asphalt
- Upstands and outlets
Towns and villages near Southover
What else we do in Southover
Tips that help
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Keep records of when the roof was laid and what work has been done
- Check from a window for ponding after heavy rain
- Have the roof looked at again after a severe storm
- Note any new marks on ceilings beneath the roof
Many people send the report to two or three roofers for quotes. With each roofer working from the same list, comparing quotes is simpler. You stay in control of who does the work and when.
Get splits, lifted seams and loose trims seen to while they’re small. Prompt repairs tend to add years to a flat roof.
Flat roofs in Southover
In Sussex, older roofs are frequently handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs, and the county’s older buildings include oast houses and Wealden hall houses. Mixed in with those pitched roofs are a good many flat ones, over rear extensions, dormers, garages and shops. Southover has a number of hotels within about a mile and a half, and like offices and blocks, hotels often sit under flat roofs. If you look after one, a leak through a flat roof can put a room out of use.
If you let a flat or house near Lewes station, flat roofs over rear additions and dormers in rented property are worth checking between tenancies. If you look after a building such as Western Road Community Primary School, large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly.
Southover is about 1 mile south-east of Lewes, in East Sussex. From houses to flats and shops in Southover, the roof can be surveyed. Southover is one of the places in East Sussex where we work for flat roof surveys. Our Brighton page covers surveys nearby.
Flat roof surveys in BN7 and BN8 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We cover properties on Ham Lane, New Road and Bell Lane and the roads around them. Being close to the A277 and A2029, Southover is simple for us to get to for flat roof surveys. We also cover Cliffe (1 mile north-east), Lewes (1 mile north-west), South Malling (1 mile north), Iford (2 miles south-west) and Offham (2 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Eastbourne (13 miles south-east), Seaford (8 miles south-east), Hailsham (11 miles east), Crowborough (14 miles north-east), Uckfield (8 miles north-east) and Newhaven (6 miles south).
Around Southover
Around Southover, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Kings Head pub, Priory School and Railway Land and the streets around them. There’s a railway station in Southover itself: Lewes station. Nearby you’ll also find Lewes Castle (within half a mile north-west) and Museum of Agricultural Bygones (3.9 miles north-east). The countryside around Southover includes Cliffe Hill and Southerham Farm.
Southover: your questions answered
Do you look at commercial flat roofs near Southover, such as hotels?
Yes, we cover commercial roofs as well as homes. Roof access is agreed with the building manager or owner beforehand.
Is Southover within the area you cover?
Yes. Southover is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
What do I do with the report?
The report arrives by email. With Standard there is a follow-up consultation; with Premium, an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. We look at the parts we’re given access to.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Let us know your preferred days when booking.
How soon will I get the report?
Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24–48 hours and Premium reports on the same day. Each one is emailed.
When to book a survey in Southover
Flat roofs frequently get walked on for other jobs: cleaning windows, fitting aerials or air conditioning, or clearing gutters. A covering that wasn’t designed for foot traffic can crack or puncture. New brackets and fixings through the roof are another common source of leaks.
It’s worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Blocked or damaged outlets
- Dips that suggest the deck is deflecting
- Pools of water lying on the roof
- Leaks around rooflights
Hotels and guest houses near Southover cannot easily close rooms for a leak, so it pays to find faults before guests do.
Before booking anyone
- What experience they bring
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- How soon the report will arrive
- What’s outside the scope of the survey