West Sussex · London and the South East
Cowfold Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys across Cowfold, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. You get a clear report with photos.
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
For landlords and managing agents
Landlords, agents and building managers in Cowfold and across West Sussex can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work around your tenants.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Cowfold: what you get
With a written roof report, you can go back to the seller or agent with specifics. You can ask about the roof’s history, ask for repairs before completion or rethink the price. What the seller agrees to is up to them, but you will be asking from facts rather than guesses. It can also help you decide whether the purchase is still right for you. We survey chimney stacks, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and the roof space, and people most often book us about blocked or leaking gutters and flashings that have lifted or split.
In a village or hamlet like Cowfold, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Location
- Cowfold (RH13)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Also near Cowfold
What else we do in Cowfold
How it works
When we arrive, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you need to know. After that, we check everything we can see safely, from ground level, from windows, in the loft space and by drone where applicable. Most surveys take about one to two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Older rural homes like those around Cowfold 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 book once your offer is accepted and let us know the address and your timetable.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- The roof is inspected from every safe vantage point, inside and out.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Before we arrive
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Leave side gates unlocked
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Book a survey
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or email us to find out.
Advice
Cowfold questions
Will you come out to Cowfold?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Cowfold?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
What’s the best way to book?
Just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address. We will ask a few questions, confirm the price and agree a date, weekday or weekend.
How long does the survey visit take?
It typically takes about 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Report times depend on the package, from the same day for Premium to within 48 hours for Basic.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Where it is safe, yes. We inspect from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. On Premium, a drone is used where applicable.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
It’s your choice, but the two do different jobs. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Our survey complements a RICS survey and doesn’t replace one.
Do you need access inside the house?
Where possible, yes. We look in the loft space where there’s safe access, and views from upper windows help too. The agent or seller can arrange entry.
Useful tips for Cowfold property owners
Getting the most from a pre-purchase roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Tips:
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Request records of any re-roofing
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. They’ll see exactly what we found, and where, which makes quotes easier to compare.
Check the roof from the garden and the street after a storm. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us when booking.
Local roofs and buyers in Cowfold
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. The covering on a house you’re buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest. Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
The streets around a church such as Church of St Peter are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light. Whatever the street in Cowfold, a roof costs least to look after when faults are caught early.
Cowfold is about 6 miles south of Horsham, in West Sussex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Cowfold for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings. We cover towns and villages across West Sussex. You can also see our page for Crawley.
All of RH13 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on Oakfield Road, Acorn Avenue and Holm Oaks. Other places close to Cowfold include Kent Street (1 mile south-east), Wineham (2 miles south-east), Shermanbury (2 miles south), Crosspost (3 miles east) and Twineham Green (3 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Crawley (9 miles north-east), Horsham (6 miles north), Worthing (13 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (8 miles east), Burgess Hill (7 miles east) and East Grinstead (15 miles north-east).
Landmarks near Cowfold
Nearby you will also find The Dene Hospital (4.9 miles east). For a walk, there is Knepp Wildland.
Honest limits
Some things cannot be seen without opening up the roof, so a survey has limits:
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
How the survey changes by roof type
Gutters and parapets
Parapet and box gutters are hidden behind walls and can overflow inside. We look at their linings and outlets from wherever is safe.
Chimney stacks
Our chimney check is a visual one, not a flue, gas or sweep inspection. We will say if the flue needs a specialist.