West Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Danehill, West Sussex
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Danehill, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. You get a clear report with photos.
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Danehill
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. 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. If you are worried about blocked or leaking gutters and cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing, we can find out what’s behind it.
Older buildings in small places like Danehill may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials a new roof may use, so check with the council and Historic England’s list. For a buyer or someone with a newly finished roof, it is worth knowing which applies, as well as what condition the roof is in. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
Findings are set out part by part, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, with a note and a photo for each point. You’ll see the good as well as the bad.
- Location
- Danehill (RH17)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
There is not much for you to do on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we will take it from there. The survey itself takes an hour or two for a house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. In a small place like Danehill, 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.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- The roof is inspected from each safe vantage point, inside and out.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- We email a photo-illustrated written report and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
Getting a price
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. To book, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Advice
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Danehill
In Sussex, older roofs are often handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most. With Priest House about 4 miles north-west, Danehill sits in an area with a long building history. If you own one of the older houses, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near The Parish Church of All Saints, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Danehill is about 5 miles north-east of Haywards Heath, in West Sussex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Danehill. Danehill is one of the towns and villages in West Sussex we cover. You can also see our page for Crawley.
All of RH17 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Whether your property is on London Road, Lewes Road and Oaktree Cottages or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Other places close to Danehill include Chelwood Common (1 mile north-east), Furner's Green (1 mile south), Horsted Keynes (1 mile west), Birchgrove (1 mile north) and Chelwood Gate (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Crawley (10 miles north-west), Horsham (14 miles west), Haywards Heath (5 miles south-west), Burgess Hill (8 miles south-west), East Grinstead (7 miles north) and Broadfield (10 miles north-west).
Around Danehill
The closest station to Danehill is Haywards Heath station, about 5 miles west of the centre. Nearby you will also find Waterbury Castle (1.7 miles west) and Princess Royal Hospital (4.8 miles south-west). Open spaces near Danehill include Brickfield Meadow.
Honest limits
We only report everything that’s safely in view on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- 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, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
Nearby places to Danehill
Also in Danehill
When to book a survey in Danehill
The fixings and underlay often fail before good slates or tiles do. Good slate can last well over a century, yet the nails holding it rust and let slates slide. That kind of wear is common on older roofs and easy to miss from ground level.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed something like this:
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
Landlords with a home close to Haywards Heath station may find that a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- When you’ll get the report
- Will the report include photos?
- Are they insured for the work?
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
Before and after the survey
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Some pointers:
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Don’t leave it until just before exchange
- Request records of any re-roofing
- Let us know your exchange date when you book
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so questions can go to the seller’s solicitor. Past repairs, re-roofing and any records of that work are all fair questions, especially where we’ve found patch repairs.
After you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, especially after autumn. Blocked gutters cause much of the damp we see. Get a professional in rather than climbing up yourself.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Danehill
Do you carry out roof surveys in Danehill?
Yes. We work right across London and the South East, and Danehill is part of that. You can phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a few details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Danehill?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. It is a dedicated roof survey, and you get a written report with photos. It does not cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
How soon is the report ready?
It depends on the package: within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Let us know your timetable as you book.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, like cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them, and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
Does the weather affect the survey?
It can, depending on the survey. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. We’ll rearrange with you if the weather is not right.
Do you go up on the roof?
When conditions and the roof make it safe, yes. We also inspect from ground level, upper windows and the loft space.
What a survey costs
Survey packages start from £150, including VAT. The price for your roof depends on:
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- The shape of the roof and its details
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package matters as well. The price is always agreed first.
Helping us price your survey
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
Most bookings start with a short call: phone 07833 053749 or email us. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Danehill
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work with less disruption.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, with the most urgent items set out first.