East Sussex · London and the South East
Westdean Gutter Survey
Gutter surveys in Westdean, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photos.
- Blocked outlets and hoppers
- Water backing up from a hidden gutter
- Joints that drip after rain
How a gutter survey works in Westdean
Damp patches on inside walls, stains below a valley or water running down the brickwork often trace back to the gutters. Our gutter survey helps show whether the rainwater system is the cause, from everything that’s safely in view. Where the cause looks more like the roof covering or a flashing, the report says so. The next step is suggested too. We survey parapet and box gutters, eaves gutters and valley gutters, and people most often book us about hoppers and outlets full of debris and leaks at the gutter joints.
Some older homes in villages like Westdean are listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are frequently matched when work is done.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Location
- Westdean (BN25)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes about one to two hours for a house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. If you have questions on the day, just ask. Cottages and farmhouses around Westdean frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can be seen safely.
- You let us know where you’ve seen overflows, drips or damp.
- The eaves gutters, downpipes and fascias are looked at from ground level and windows.
- We look at hidden gutters as far as safe access allows.
- The loft space is checked for staining, where it can be reached safely.
- A photo-illustrated written report and recommendations follows.
Before we arrive
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Find any records of previous roof work
Arrange a survey
You can call us seven days a week. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Read more
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That is where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
Tips that help
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. Our suggestions:
- Watch ceilings under valley gutters for fresh marks
- Have overhanging branches cut back
- Look for downpipes coming loose
- Watch the gutters during heavy rain
Once work is carried out, keep an eye on the gutters in the next downpour. Water should run to the outlets and away without spilling over, and if it doesn’t, raise it with whoever did the job.
Get small faults like a dripping joint or loose downpipe sorted quickly. They tend to get worse and spilled water harms brickwork and woodwork.
Signs you need a gutter survey in Westdean
Falling leaves are the most common cause of blocked gutters. Nearby trees drop leaves, twigs and seeds into gutters every autumn and the debris builds up at the outlets. A choked outlet soon means a full, overflowing gutter.
Typical things we are asked to look at include:
- Choked outlets or hopper heads
- Gutters packed with leaves or moss
- Overflowing valley or parapet gutters
- Joints that drip after rain
If you let a flat or house near Seaford station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Before booking anyone
- When you will get the report
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Their track record with similar roofs
Honest limits
It is a careful look at the gutter, not the whole story. Its limits include:
- Blockages deep inside downpipes
- Whether a material contains asbestos (a specialist asbestos surveyor’s job)
- Gutters out of sight from every safe vantage point
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll recommend the right survey. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Fascias and soffits
- Valley gutters
- Downpipes
- Outlets and hoppers
- Eaves gutters
- Parapet and box gutters
Places near Westdean
What else we do in Westdean
Local roofs in Westdean
The coast is about 2 miles or less from Westdean, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces, while driving rain finds any gap. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs, and oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of East Sussex’s older buildings. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters.
Anyone responsible for a site like Ladycross School will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. For an older house near a landmark such as The Parish Church of All Saints, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Westdean is about 2 miles east of Seaford, in East Sussex. Westdean is part of the area we cover across London and South East England. Across East Sussex, we cover Westdean and the places around it. You can also see our page for Brighton.
Here we cover the BN25 postcode area for gutter surveys. Close by, we survey roofs in Litlington (1 mile north), Dukes Green (2 miles north), Lullington (2 miles north), Alfriston (2 miles north) and Seaford (2 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Eastbourne (6 miles east), Bexhill-on-Sea (14 miles east), Lewes (10 miles north-west), Hailsham (7 miles north-east), Uckfield (13 miles north) and Newhaven (5 miles west).
Around Westdean
Around Westdean, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Cuckmere Inn, Seaford Head Nature Reserve and Seaford Head School, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Seaford station, roughly 2.6 miles west. Well-known places in the area include Chailey Heritage Marine Hospital (3.9 miles west) and Old Forge Museum (Alfriston) (2.2 miles north). The countryside around Westdean includes Combe Hill.
Roof by roof
Lead-lined valley and parapet gutters
Many older homes have lead-lined valley and parapet gutters. Splits and failed joints in the lead can let water straight in.
Fascias and soffits
On buildings from before 2000, soffits may be asbestos cement. Any we think could be are flagged for a specialist asbestos surveyor to check.
Questions from Westdean
Is the coastal weather around Westdean hard on roofs?
Places near the sea get more wind and more salt in the air than inland, and both are hard on roofs. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
Can a landlord with a rental near Seaford station book a roof survey?
Yes, landlords and agents book with us as well as owners. Just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us about the building, including who will give access on the day.
Does the season matter for a gutter survey?
Any time of year works. Booking before autumn and winter gives you time to plan, and a wet spell can show where gutters overflow.
How experienced are you?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, so it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Visible signs like deflection or sagging are recorded, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. The report will say if you need an engineer.
Does someone need to be in?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. Access is agreed with you as you book.