West Sussex · London and the South East
The Haven Gutter Survey
Gutter surveys in The Haven, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Fascia boards damaged by overflowing water
- Valley or box gutters that overflow inside
- Cracked or loose downpipes
Questions from The Haven
Do you cover smaller places like The Haven?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
I let a flat near Billingshurst station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, landlords and agents book with us as well as owners. Just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know about the building.
How experienced are you?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Typically, if there’s one and it can be reached safely. From inside, the underside of the roof often shows damp, staining or daylight that cannot be seen from outside.
Does the report include photographs?
Yes. We photograph the roof as we go, and they go into the written report.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only when it’s safe. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. We use safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where it applies, and the report records anything we couldn’t see.
Is there a good time of year to book a gutter survey?
You can book at any time of year. Booking before autumn and winter gives you time to plan, and a wet spell can show where gutters overflow.
How a gutter survey works in The Haven
We check the rainwater system above ground level, from the gutters down to where the downpipes meet the ground. It is not a CCTV drain survey and we can’t see inside buried drains. If the problem looks like a blocked or broken drain below ground, we will say so in the report, so you can get the drains checked separately. Anything we find above ground, such as a split hopper or a leaking downpipe, is photographed and recorded. If you’re worried about joints that drip after rain and water spilling over the gutter edge, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on eaves gutters, downpipes and parapet and box gutters alike.
Some older homes in villages like The Haven are listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is often expected.
The report records the gutter as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, for instance when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Location
- The Haven (RH14)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
More services for The Haven
The Haven homes and their roofs
England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. If your home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission, so check with the council. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
In and around The Haven, as anywhere, a roof is easiest to deal with when its problems are found early.
The Haven is about 3 miles north of Billingshurst, in West Sussex. In The Haven, as across West Sussex, every roof gets the same careful survey. The Haven is one of the places in West Sussex we cover for gutter surveys. There’s also a page for Crawley.
Surveys in RH14 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We also cover the places around The Haven: Five Oaks (1 mile south-east), Bucks Green (2 miles north), Slinfold (2 miles east), Rudgwick (2 miles north) and Tisman's Common (2 miles north-west). Larger places within reach include Crawley (12 miles east), Horsham (5 miles east), Broadfield (11 miles east), Storrington (10 miles south), Billingshurst (3 miles south) and Bewbush (10 miles east).
What’s near The Haven
We work in homes and buildings around The Blue Ship Public House. The nearest railway station is Billingshurst station, about 3.4 miles south of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Horsham Hospital (5.3 miles east) and Christs Hospital School Museum (3.9 miles east).
What you can safely check yourself
You can learn a lot from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
Before and after the survey
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Have overhanging branches cut back
- Check downpipe clips are holding
- Watch ceilings under valley gutters for fresh marks
- Don’t leave hidden gutters out of a clear-out
For let and shared buildings, the report can go on file to help plan maintenance. The photographs help when you explain the work to others.
Have overhanging branches and climbing plants cut back from the roof using someone with the right kit. Fewer leaves in the gutters means fewer blockages.
What we look for on each type of roof
Fascias and soffits
Most gutters are fixed to the fascia, so a rotten fascia can let the gutter drop. Damaged or stained boards are recorded.
Plastic (uPVC) gutters
Older plastic gutters can turn brittle and split. We check joints, brackets and the line of each run.
Common roof problems in The Haven
Falling leaves are the most common cause of blocked gutters. Nearby trees drop leaves, twigs and seeds into gutters every autumn, and they collect at the outlets. A choked outlet soon means a full, overflowing gutter.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Overflowing valley or parapet gutters
- Leaks at the gutter joints
- Downpipes that are split or coming away
- Gutters full of debris and silt
Landlords with a home close to Billingshurst station may find that a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Questions to ask before booking
- What exactly goes into their report
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- Are they insured for the work?
How it works
The aim of the visit is simple: to see as much of the gutter as can be seen safely and record it clearly. Notes and photos go into the written report. The visit normally takes about one to two hours on an ordinary house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. In a hamlet or village like The Haven, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We start by hearing about any drips, overflows or damp patches.
- The eaves gutters, downpipes and fascias are checked from the ground and vantage points.
- We check hidden gutters, such as valleys and parapets, where it is safe to see them.
- We look in the roof space, where there’s safe access, for signs of water getting in.
- You get a written report with photographs and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Book a survey
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email, let us know about the property and we will point you to the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Advice
What this survey can’t tell you
It helps to know what a survey will not do before booking:
- The inside of buried drains
- Asbestos testing of old gutters, downpipes or soffits
- Blockages deep inside downpipes
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
What we check
- Downpipes
- Parapet and box gutters
- Valley gutters
- Eaves gutters
- Fascias and soffits
- Outlets and hoppers