West Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Boxgrove, West Sussex
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Boxgrove, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Get in touch for a price.
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
What happens if roof problems are left?
After exchange, any roof defect is yours to deal with. 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. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Boxgrove, driving rain gets into any weakness, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, which starts from £400, inc. VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Why book us in Boxgrove
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or two real surveys.
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Boxgrove
If you’re buying a flat, the roof may well be shared. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that is frequently not the individual flat owner, with costs often passed on through the service charge. We inspect what access allows us to see safely, and the report gives you clear points to raise with your solicitor or the managing agent. If the building has a flat roof, we check that too where access allows. We are often asked to look into roof slopes that look uneven or sagging and ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof, on clay and concrete tiles, gutters and downpipes and lead flashings and valleys.
For a small place like Boxgrove, the visit is planned like any other: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed beforehand. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when you book. Whether you are buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Visits can be booked seven days a week.
Most points in the report come with a picture, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Location
- Boxgrove (PO18)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from ground level
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
How the survey changes by roof type
Lead flashings and valleys
Lead flashings seal the joints where a roof meets a wall or chimney. We check whether they’ve lifted, split or been replaced with mortar or bitumen.
Gutters and parapets
The rainwater system keeps water off the walls. We check for blockages, leaking joints and sagging runs.
How the survey works
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes roughly 1–2 hours at most homes; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. You are welcome to ask questions while we are there. Older rural homes like those around Boxgrove 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.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- We agree a time and how we’ll get in, including the loft.
- We look at the roof from ground level, from windows, from the loft space and from the roof where safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Leave side gates unlocked
How to book
Most bookings start with a short call: phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
Read more
Boxgrove homes and their roofs
Boxgrove is about 3 miles from Goodwood Aerodrome. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. About 1.5 miles north-west lies Goodwood House, a reminder of how long the area around Boxgrove has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
If you let a flat or house near Chichester station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full. If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near The Priory Church of St Mary and St Blaize, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Boxgrove is about 3 miles north-east of Chichester, in West Sussex. From houses to flats and shops in Boxgrove, the roof can be surveyed on a weekday or at the weekend. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. Portsmouth is in our area too.
Here we cover the PO18 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on The Street, Priory Close and Kirkby Close or anywhere close by, we can help. We also cover the places around Boxgrove: Halnaker (1 mile north), Tangmere (1 mile south), Strettington (1 mile west), Waterbeach (1 mile north-west) and Westerton (1 mile west). Within a short drive, we also cover Worthing (14 miles east), Bognor Regis (5 miles south), Chichester (3 miles south-west), Selsey (9 miles south), Littlehampton (9 miles east) and Emsworth (10 miles west).
What’s near Boxgrove
Typical jobs here are in homes near Ormiston Six Villages Academy and The Winterton Arms Public House and the streets around them. Boxgrove’s nearest station is Chichester station, about 3.5 miles south-west. A little further out are Chichester Centre (2.7 miles west) and Tote Copse Castle (1.9 miles south-east). For a walk, there is Levin Down.
Places near Boxgrove
More services for Boxgrove
Questions from Boxgrove
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Boxgrove?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Is drone flying allowed in Boxgrove?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. Goodwood Aerodrome is about 3 miles away, so we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before any flight. Strong wind or a downpour also stops a small drone flying, and the rest of the survey doesn’t depend on the drone.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. The report sets out what we found, with photos, which you can share with the seller or agent. How the seller responds is up to them.
How quickly will I get the report?
That depends on which survey you choose: within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Tell us your exchange date and we will help you choose.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it is not a RICS home survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
Do you work in Boxgrove?
Yes. We cover Boxgrove and the rest of West Sussex, as part of our work across London and South East England. For a price, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing are not part of what we do. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
Practical tips
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Ask for loft access on the day
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Request records of any re-roofing
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. What happens next is your decision and the seller’s, and we can’t promise any result.
After strong winds, look at the roof from the ground. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.