West Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Birdham
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat across Birdham, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Call or email for a price.
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
Roof by roof
Lead flashings and valleys
Lead-lined valleys and gutters are common on older homes in London and South East England. Worn or cracked lead lets water straight into the roof, and missing lead is not unknown, as it’s a target for thieves.
Natural slate
Good slate is one of the longest-lasting roof coverings, yet the nails that fix it often give out first. When slates start to slip, corroded nails are often the reason.
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Birdham
We survey roofs for buyers in Birdham and across London and the South East. From terraced and semi-detached homes to detached houses and flats, the roof gets the same careful look. We tell you what’s sound, what needs attention and how urgent it is. We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and have 20+ years’ experience. To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email. Common reasons to book are worn or lifted lead flashings and loose pots and cracked flaunching, across the roof space, chimney stacks and natural slate.
In a village or hamlet like Birdham, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
Findings are set out part by part, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, each with a short note and a photo. You will see the good as well as the bad.
- Location
- Birdham (PO20)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Birdham questions
Is my home in Birdham listed or in a conservation area?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Is the coastal weather around Birdham hard on roofs?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
Do I need to be at home?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Birdham?
To book, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know the address and what you’d like to know. We’ll confirm the price and agree a day with you.
How long does the survey visit take?
Allow between one and two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. We will confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. It is a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, and you get a written report with photos. It does not cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Places near Birdham
What else we do in Birdham
What affects the price in Birdham
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. The main factors are:
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
- Which survey package you book
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. We’ll give you the figure before anything is booked.
Getting in touch
If you can, have these to hand when you contact us:
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Dates you’re working to, such as exchange
Booking is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and give us a few details about the property and we will recommend the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Birdham
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work around your tenants.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, with the report sent to whoever needs it. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
What we are asked to look at in Birdham
Gutter problems often look minor from the street. 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. We check them as part of the survey.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near St James' Church, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Questions to ask before you book
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- What experience they bring
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Leave it or get it looked at?
Once you exchange, the roof’s problems become yours. Before then, you can still ask questions, ask for work to be done or reconsider. Finding out later gives you the same facts, but too late to use them in the purchase. Older cottages and farmhouses around Birdham can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
One thing that affects the price is the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, with VAT included. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Why book us in Birdham
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- An independent look at the roof
Take a look at our cost guide and our case studies.
What we do, step by step
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. You are welcome to ask questions while we are there. In a hamlet or village like Birdham, 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.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- We agree a time and how we’ll get in, including the loft.
- The roof is inspected from every safe vantage point, inside and out.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
Booking a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to phone 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Related advice
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Birdham
The coast is about 2 miles or less from Birdham, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Corroded clips and nails and lifted ridge pieces are typical of exposed roofs near the sea, which is worth knowing before you buy or pay for new work. In Sussex, older roofs are frequently handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. 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.
Landlords with a home close to Fishbourne station may find that a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Birdham is about 4 miles south-west of Chichester, in West Sussex. In Birdham, as across West Sussex, every roof gets the same careful survey. We cover towns and villages across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. For surveys nearby, see our Portsmouth page.
All of PO20 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Old Common Close, Main Road and Walwyn Close or anywhere close by, we can help. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Somerley (1 mile south-west), Almodington (1 mile south), Shipton Green (1 mile west), Highleigh (2 miles south-east) and Earnley (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Bognor Regis (6 miles east), Chichester (4 miles north-east), Selsey (5 miles south-east), Littlehampton (13 miles east), Emsworth (6 miles north-west) and Rustington (14 miles east).
Local landmarks in Birdham
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Birdham Public House, among other places. The nearest railway station is Fishbourne station, about 3.3 miles north. Nearby you’ll also find Chichester Castle (4.1 miles north-east) and St Richard's Hospital (4.4 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Pilsey Island.