East Sussex · London and the South East
Chiddingly Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Get a clear view of the roof at a property in Chiddingly. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Chiddingly
Buyers in Chiddingly and right across London and South East England use our pre-purchase roof survey. Whether it is a terrace, a semi, a detached house or a flat, the roof gets the same careful look. The report says what’s in good order, what isn’t and what to deal with first. We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and have 20+ years’ experience. To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. We survey chimney stacks, clay and concrete tiles and lead flashings and valleys, and the problems we are asked to look at most are slates or tiles that have slipped or gone and sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes.
Somewhere as small as Chiddingly, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings frequently sit beside a few newer homes. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
What you get is a clear record of the roof on the day we saw it. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, for example when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Place
- Chiddingly (BN8)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings close the gaps at chimneys, walls and abutments. We look for lead that has lifted, split or been patched over.
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay plain tiles are common on older South East homes, and some still have peg tiles. Where pegs have rotted, tiles can slip.
Chiddingly: your questions answered
Will you come out to Chiddingly?
Yes, Chiddingly is covered. Our area covers London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
How do I find out if my home in Chiddingly is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
The visit typically takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. We will give you an idea of timing when booking.
Do you go up on the roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. We inspect from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where it applies.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Where possible, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and views from upper windows help too. Access is usually arranged through the agent or seller.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
That depends on the survey. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in.
How do I book a survey in Chiddingly?
It’s easiest to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Give us the address and some details about the roof, and we’ll take it from there. We survey seven days a week.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- The size of the roof
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
We offer three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you’d like to know.
Getting in touch
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- The address and postcode of the property
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
Most bookings start with a short call: call 07833 053749 or email us and we will ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Chiddingly?
Blocked or leaking gutters do damage that isn’t obvious at first. Overflowing water soaks walls and can rot the timber behind. Hidden gutters behind parapets or in roof valleys can send water indoors. We check them as part of the survey.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
If you own a rental within reach of Berwick (Sussex) station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
What to check before booking
- What experience they bring
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- Whether the price includes VAT
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Chiddingly
Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs, and the county’s older buildings include oast houses and Wealden hall houses. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. Historic houses such as Horselunges Manor, about 2.7 miles south-east, show how far back building in the area around Chiddingly goes. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years.
For an older house near a landmark such as The Parish Church, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Chiddingly is about 4 miles north-west of Hailsham, in East Sussex. Wherever you are in Chiddingly, we can carry out pre-purchase roof surveys at your property. Our East Sussex coverage includes Chiddingly and the places around it. Our Brighton page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in BN8 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Whitesmith (1 mile west), East Hoathly (2 miles north-west), Halland (3 miles north-west), Shortgate (3 miles west) and Blackboys (4 miles north). Further out, we also cover Eastbourne (9 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (13 miles east), Seaford (10 miles south), Lewes (8 miles west), Hailsham (4 miles south-east) and Crowborough (10 miles north).
Landmarks near Chiddingly
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Six Bells Public House and the streets around them. The closest station to Chiddingly is Berwick (Sussex) station, roughly 4.7 miles south. Nearby you’ll also find Sussex Farm Museum (2.8 miles north-east) and Tickerage Castle (4.8 miles north-west). Not far away are Selwyns Wood.
What this survey can’t tell you
Some things cannot be seen without opening up the roof, so a survey has limits:
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will tell you. The full list of what we check.
What we check
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
What we do, step by step
We work from the outside in: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the roof space where it can be reached. All told, expect an hour or two on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. In a small place like Chiddingly, access is typically the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Before we arrive
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Check pets are kept safely away
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
Booking a survey
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or email us and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
Useful tips for Chiddingly property owners
Most of what helps is simple and safe from ground level. Our suggestions:
- Mention any deadline when you get in touch
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Check we’ll be able to get into the roof space
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller, and we cannot promise any result.
After strong winds, look at the roof from ground level. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.