West Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Chidham
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat across Chidham, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Call or email for a price.
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- A ridge or slope that dips
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Chidham
A roof report gives you something solid to take back to the seller or the agent. You might ask about past repairs, ask for work to be done before completion or think again about your offer. We cannot say how a seller will respond, but you will be asking from facts rather than guesses. It also helps you decide whether to go ahead at all. If you’re worried about loose pots and cracked flaunching and standing water on a flat extension roof, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
In a village or hamlet like Chidham, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Whether you are 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.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Photos show what each point refers to, and recommendations are put by urgency where it matters.
- Location
- Chidham (PO18)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Roof by roof
Clay and concrete tiles
Older homes in the South East frequently have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles on some. Rotten pegs let tiles slide, so we look for gaps along the courses.
Gutters and parapets
Gutters, downpipes and outlets carry water away from walls. Leaking joints, sagging lengths and blockages are all noted.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Chidham
How do I find out if my home in Chidham is listed?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Is Chidham within the area you cover?
Yes, Chidham is covered. We work right across London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
Can you survey in bad weather?
A survey can typically go ahead in light rain. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so we’ll agree a new date if the weather isn’t suitable.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
How many surveys have you done?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. Home surveys sometimes suggest a closer look at the roof, and that’s where a roof survey helps. It doesn’t stand in for a RICS survey.
How long will you be at the property?
Allow about 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. We’ll confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Why get it checked now?
Even if you go ahead regardless, knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan. You will know which jobs are urgent and which can wait, and you can line up a roofer before small faults grow. Older cottages and farmhouses around Chidham can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, with VAT included, and we will tell you which fits.
Why book with us
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- An independent look at the roof
- Package prices that include VAT
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and our case studies.
What happens on the day
We photograph the roof as we go, so the report shows exactly what we saw. We take close-ups from wherever is safe. Most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours for most houses, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. In a small place like Chidham, access is normally the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- 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
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Leave side gates unlocked
Getting a price
We survey roofs seven days a week. To find a date that works for you, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Read more
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will recommend the right survey before you book. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Chidham
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
DIY checks: what’s safe
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date.
Places near Chidham
What else we do in Chidham
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Chidham
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before you book. These are the things that affect it:
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- Which survey package you book
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so they’re priced to match. You will know the figure before booking.
Getting in touch
If you can, have these to hand when you contact us:
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- The property’s address and postcode
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
For a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Chidham, call 07833 053749 or email us. The address, the type of property and what you need to know help us give you an accurate price.
Chidham homes and their roofs
Chidham is within about 2 miles of the coast, and wind near the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Warblington Castle, about 4.1 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Chidham. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area. Take an older house close to The Parish Church of St Mary: a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming. Landlords with a home close to Nutbourne station may find that a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Chidham is about 4 miles west of Chichester, in West Sussex. Bookings from Chidham are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Across West Sussex, we cover Chidham. 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 Chidham Lane, Harbour Way and Cot Lane or anywhere close by, we can help. If you are just outside Chidham, we cover Nutbourne (1 mile north-west), Bosham (1 mile east), Broadbridge (1 mile east), Hambrook (1 mile north) and Bosham Hoe (2 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns like Bognor Regis (9 miles east), Chichester (4 miles east), Selsey (8 miles south-east), Littlehampton (15 miles east), Emsworth (3 miles north-west) and Portfield (5 miles east).
Landmarks near Chidham
In Chidham, that means homes and buildings near Bourne Community College and the streets around them. Chidham’s nearest station is Nutbourne station, roughly 1 mile north-west. Nearby you’ll also find Warblington Castle (4.1 miles west) and St Richard's Hospital (4.6 miles east). The countryside around Chidham includes Nutborne Marshes and Stoke Down.