West Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Billingshurst
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Billingshurst, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Call or email for a price.
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
Pre-purchase roof survey in Billingshurst
Buying a home is a big commitment, and the roof is one of the costliest parts to put right. Our pre-purchase roof survey gives you a careful look at it before you’re committed. We look at the slates or tiles, the ridges and valleys, the flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, plus the loft where there is safe access. You get a written report with photographs. We survey flat-roofed extensions and dormers, chimney stacks and gutters and downpipes, and the problems we are asked to look at most are damp timbers or stains in the loft and slates or tiles that have slipped or gone.
In a smaller place like Billingshurst, some houses face open ground, so their roofs may take more wind and driving rain. Loose ridge tiles, lifted coverings and tired flashings are the kind of things that show it. For a purchase or a new roof, those exposed edges are looked at closely. Wind lifts anything already loose, so a small fault on an exposed roof doesn’t stay small for long.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent.
- Location
- Billingshurst (RH14)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips that help
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so they can raise enquiries with the seller’s side. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it, especially where we’ve found patch repairs.
Look in the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
What we do, step by step
We photograph the roof as we go, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available, including by drone where it is applicable and the weather allows. A typical visit takes between one and two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. In a smaller place like Billingshurst, as anywhere, the forecast plays a part: the parts that need calm, dry weather are planned around it.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed ahead of time.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it’s safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Booking a survey
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: ring 07833 053749 or email us and we will ask a few questions about the roof. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
Related advice
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- The shape of the roof and its details
To find out what your survey will cost, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and some details. The price is agreed before a date is set.
What we need to know
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, tell us:
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, so call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Billingshurst
Is my home in Billingshurst listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Will you come out to Billingshurst?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We work right across London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Do you need access inside the house?
If it can be arranged, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If access is not possible, we note it in the report.
How experienced are you?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, across 20+ years of surveying roofs, and 98% of clients are satisfied.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. Much of the inspection is done from ground level, from windows and from the loft space. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where it applies.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. Home surveys sometimes suggest a closer look at the roof, and that is where a roof survey helps. It does not stand in for a RICS survey.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
DIY checks: what’s safe
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
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.
Also near Billingshurst
Other services in Billingshurst
Landlords, agents and block managers in Billingshurst
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Billingshurst
If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. 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. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about.
For an older house near a landmark like Billingshurst Unitarian Chapel, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light. If you let a flat or house near Billingshurst station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Billingshurst is about 6 miles south-west of Horsham, in West Sussex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Billingshurst for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings. Across West Sussex, we cover Billingshurst and the places around it. Crawley is in our area too.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in RH14 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Local streets include High Street, Station Road and Lower Station Road. Other places close to Billingshurst include Coneyhurst (2 miles south-east), Newpound Common (2 miles north-west), Five Oaks (2 miles north-east), The Haven (3 miles north) and Slinfold (4 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Crawley (13 miles north-east), Horsham (6 miles north-east), Worthing (14 miles south), Haywards Heath (15 miles east), Burgess Hill (15 miles east) and Littlehampton (15 miles south).
Landmarks near Billingshurst
We work in homes and buildings around The Railway Inn and The Weald School, among other places. Billingshurst has its own railway station: Billingshurst station. Green spaces nearby include The Mens.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Billingshurst
Blocked or leaking gutters do damage that is not obvious at first. Water spilling over a gutter soaks brickwork and can rot fascias and rafter ends. Hidden gutters behind parapets or in roof valleys can send water indoors. They’re part of what we look at.
A survey can pick up problems like:
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
Old Place Manor lies about 4.9 miles south-west, so building around Billingshurst goes back a long way. If you’re buying an older home nearby, it is worth knowing whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before you plan any re-roofing.
What to check before booking
- What happens after the report arrives
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Their insurance cover