West Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Ashurst, West Sussex
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Ashurst and the rest of West Sussex. Surveys run on any day of the week.
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Ashurst
A full home survey looks at the whole property, and the roof is only one part of it. Our survey is not a RICS survey, and it doesn’t replace one. What it adds is a closer look at the roof alone, with photos and written recommendations you can act on. The two sit side by side if you want the fullest picture. If you’ve noticed roof slopes that look uneven or sagging and worn or lifted lead flashings, we can find out what’s behind it.
Being in a small place like Ashurst makes no difference to the inspection itself: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed ahead of time. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when you book, so the visit can be planned around them. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
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 plan your next steps.
- Where
- Ashurst (BN44)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Ashurst
Do you cover smaller places like Ashurst?
Yes, Ashurst is covered. We work right across London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
Is Ashurst in the area you cover?
Yes, Ashurst is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Ashurst as anywhere else.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
It’s your choice, but the two do different jobs. A RICS home survey covers the whole building, while ours looks only at the roof, in more detail. Our survey complements a RICS survey and doesn’t replace one.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it’s safe. We also inspect from ground level, upper windows and the roof space.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Ashurst?
To book, phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price and agree a day with you.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
Book as soon as your offer is agreed. You need the report before you exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. You’ll have photos and a written description of each defect, which you can share with the seller or agent. We cannot promise how the seller will respond.
Useful tips for Ashurst property owners
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Book once your offer is accepted
Once the home is yours, the report becomes a maintenance list. Work through the urgent items before anything else, and keep the photos to compare against later. The Premium Survey includes a 12-month follow-up.
After you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, particularly after autumn. Overflowing water is behind a lot of damp. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.
Buying a home or a new roof in Ashurst
If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it’s listed or in a conservation area. Listed building consent covers changes to a listed building’s special interest, and an Article 4 direction can bring extra controls in a conservation area.
Whatever the street in Ashurst, a roof costs least to look after when faults are caught early.
Ashurst is about 7 miles north of Shoreham-by-Sea, in West Sussex. We visit Ashurst as part of our work across West Sussex, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Ashurst is one of the towns and villages in West Sussex we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. There is also a page for Brighton.
Here we cover the BN44 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. That includes homes and businesses on Church Lane and School Lane. We also cover the places around Ashurst: Partridge Green (2 miles north-east), Dial Post (2 miles north-west), Wiston (2 miles south-west), Littleworth (3 miles north) and Ashington (3 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Crawley (14 miles north-east), Horsham (9 miles north), Worthing (8 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (11 miles north-east), Burgess Hill (9 miles east) and Littlehampton (12 miles south-west).
Near you in Ashurst
In Ashurst, that means homes and buildings near Fountain Inn, among other places. Other landmarks nearby include Steyning Museum (3.1 miles south). The countryside around Ashurst includes Chanctonbury Hill and Knepp Wildland.
Also in Ashurst
How the survey works
The visit usually starts outside and finishes in the loft: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the roof space where it can be reached. In total, it takes about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Older rural homes like those around Ashurst can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed in advance.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from ground level and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the loft space and look at the roof from windows.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
How to prepare
- Let us know about parking before the day
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Arrange a survey
When you are ready to go ahead, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
Read more
Roof by roof
Natural slate
On a slate roof, the underlay may be old bitumen felt, or there may be none at all on very old roofs. Where we can see it from the loft, we say what condition it’s in.
Lead flashings and valleys
Many leaks start at a flashing, so we look at each one closely. Any that need attention are photographed and explained.
What we’re asked to look at in Ashurst
The fixings and underlay often fail before good slates or tiles do. Natural slate can last 100 years or more, yet the nails holding it rust and let slates slide. That kind of wear is common on older roofs and easy to miss from ground level.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
The streets around a church like The Parish Church of St James are often among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Questions to ask before you book
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Their report turnaround times
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- What they won’t be able to tell you
Surveys for landlords and agents in Ashurst
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf, and the report can go to both. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
With a portfolio of properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To discuss a number of properties, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the addresses.
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
Some things cannot be seen without opening up the roof, and that sets some limits:
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will point you to the right survey before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers