West Sussex · London and the South East
New Roof Snagging in Handcross
Checking a new or replacement roof for snags in Handcross, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Verge tiles or slates not secured
- Missing or blocked roof ventilation
- Cracked or slipped new tiles or slates
The survey, step by step
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. That way we can focus on what matters to you. The visit normally takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Cottages and farmhouses around Handcross frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We start with what the roofer did and when they finished.
- The new coverings and roof edges are inspected as far as can safely be seen.
- We check valleys, flashings, gutters and the underlay at the eaves.
- We check the loft where safe and look for debris or damage.
- You get a photo report of each snag.
Before we arrive
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Booking a survey
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Related advice
How new roof snagging works in Handcross
Householders book snagging after a re-roof or roof replacement and some new-build owners want their roof looked at. Whatever the roof, we inspect as far as it can be seen safely including from the loft and the roof where it is safe. You then get a photo-illustrated written report to share with your roofer. If you’ve noticed underlay not dressed into the gutter and offcuts and broken tiles left behind, we can find out what’s behind it.
In a village or hamlet like Handcross, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Whether you are buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
You receive the findings by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Location
- Handcross (RH17)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near Handcross
What else we do in Handcross
What new roof snagging doesn’t cover
We only report what can safely be seen on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Whether the roof will leak in future
- Legal advice on your contract
- Pricing the remedial work
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Handcross
- Replacement roofs
- New-build homes
- Ridges and verges
- Flashings and valleys
- Loft conversions and dormers
- New flat roofs
DIY checks: what’s safe
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Don’t go up yourself.
A lot can be seen from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
Tips that help
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Tell your roofer the work will be inspected
- Keep the contract and invoices together
- Note the end of any warranty or defects period
- Check lower roofs and walls after scaffolding comes down
Once the work is finished, check the ceilings and loft after the next downpour. If anything shows, tell your roofer right away.
File the contract, invoices and warranty papers in one place. The report belongs with them.
Handcross: your questions answered
Is Handcross within the area you cover?
Yes. Handcross is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We work right across London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Handcross?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. We inspect everything that’s safely in view: from ground level, from windows, from inside the roof space, from the roof where it is safe and by drone where it applies. Anything we can’t see is noted in the report.
What does a new roof inspection include?
Coverings, ridges, verges, hips, valleys and flashings are all checked plus gutters, ventilation and visible underlay at the eaves. We look for leftover debris and knock-on damage too.
Does the weather affect the survey?
It can, depending on the survey. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. We’ll rearrange with you if the weather is not right.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof, not the whole building. For the rest of the building, a RICS home survey is a separate job.
Why it’s worth a survey now in Handcross
Defects and warranty periods have an end date. A snagging inspection before then leaves time to act. Older and listed buildings around Handcross may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so they’re priced to match. The price is confirmed before booking.
Why us?
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Surveys on weekdays and at weekends
- An independent look at the roof
Read our cost guide and two real surveys.
Handcross homes and their roofs
About 1.9 miles south-east lies Tyes Place, a reminder of how long the area around Handcross has been built on. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most.
For landlords with property near Balcombe station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Handcross is about 4 miles south of Crawley, in West Sussex. In Handcross, as across West Sussex, every roof gets the same careful survey. Handcross is one of the places in West Sussex we cover for new roof snagging.
Every address in RH17 is covered for new roof snagging, from the main roads to the quietest streets. If you need new roof snagging at a property on High Street, London Road and Windmill Platt or anywhere close by, we can help. If you’re just outside Handcross, we cover Slaugham (1 mile south), Plummers Plain (2 miles south-west), Colgate (3 miles north-west), Broadfield (3 miles north) and Lower Beeding (3 miles south-west). We also work in nearby towns like Crawley (4 miles north), Horsham (5 miles west), Haywards Heath (6 miles south-east), Burgess Hill (7 miles south-east), East Grinstead (10 miles north-east) and Shoreham-by-Sea (15 miles south).
What’s near Handcross
We work in homes and buildings around The Royal Oak Public House and Handcross Park School, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Balcombe station, about 2.8 miles east of the centre. Nearby you will also find Crawley Hospital (4.3 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Tilgate Lake and Blunts Wood and Paiges Meadow.
When to book a survey in Handcross
A roof is hard for most owners to see properly. Without an independent check, you are relying on what can be seen from the ground before you pay.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Cracked or slipped new tiles or slates
- Loose or badly finished ridge tiles
- Poorly finished verges
- Underlay ending short at the eaves
Take an older house close to All Saints: older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Are they insured for the work?
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID