East Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in East Dean, East Sussex
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in East Dean. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
What happens if roof problems are left?
When a chain is moving fast, a roof survey can feel like one more delay. We visit on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and a Premium report comes the same day, which helps it fit around your exchange date. Matching old materials, like handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. That’s one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
A Basic Survey starts from £150, with VAT included. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400, both with VAT included. We confirm the price for your roof before booking.
Why us?
- Photographs and a written report every time
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Clear package prices, with VAT included
- 98% customer satisfaction
See our cost guide and two real surveys.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in East Dean
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where it applies, along with a same-day report. Where a flight is not possible, because of airspace rules or the weather, we tell you and look from ground level, windows and the loft instead. If you’re worried about chimney mortar that has eroded and bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Somewhere as small as East Dean, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings often sit beside a few newer homes. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Where
- East Dean (BN20)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
The visit usually starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the loft space if there’s safe access. All told, expect between one and two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Older roofs in small places like East Dean can have low, tight loft spaces, so it helps to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it’s safe.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed ahead of time.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- You get a report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
Book a survey
For a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in East Dean, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us give you an accurate price.
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Questions from East Dean
Is East Dean within the area you cover?
Yes, East Dean is covered. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Is my home in East Dean listed or in a conservation area?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. It’s a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, and you get a written report with photos. It doesn’t cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. You might ask for work to be done, ask questions or ask for a change to the price. What the seller agrees to is their decision, so we cannot promise any saving.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, across 20+ years of surveying roofs, and 98% of customers are satisfied.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It depends on the weather and the survey. Strong wind or a downpour can make access unsafe and ground a drone, so we’d move the date with you.
Tips that help
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so questions can go to the seller’s solicitor. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it, particularly where we’ve found patch repairs.
Once you’ve moved in, keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, especially after autumn. Overflowing water is behind a lot of damp. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.
Local roofs and buyers in East Dean
East Dean lies within about 1 mile of the sea, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Corroded clips and nails and lifted ridge pieces are typical of exposed roofs near the sea. With Alfriston Clergy House about 3.9 miles north-west, East Dean sits in an area with a long building history. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
For an older house near a landmark such as The Parish Church of St Simon and St Jude, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges. If you let a flat or house near Eastbourne station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
East Dean is about 4 miles south-west of Eastbourne, in East Sussex. Roofs in East Dean get the same thorough look as anywhere else in East Sussex. We cover towns and villages across East Sussex, large and small. You can also see our page for Brighton.
Every address in BN20 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Streets in the area include Lower Street, Went Way and Gilberts Drive. If you’re just outside East Dean, we cover Friston (1 mile north-east), Birling Gap (1 mile south), Jevington (2 miles north), Meads (3 miles east) and Old Town (3 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Eastbourne (4 miles north-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (13 miles north-east), Seaford (4 miles west), Lewes (12 miles north-west), Hailsham (8 miles north) and Uckfield (15 miles north).
What’s near East Dean
Around East Dean, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Tiger Inn, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Eastbourne station, roughly 3.4 miles east. Well-known places in the area include Filching Manor And Motor Museum (3.3 miles north) and Eastbourne District General Hospital (3.3 miles north-east). For a walk, there’s Combe Hill.
What this survey can’t tell you
No survey can tell you everything, and we’d rather be clear about that before booking. Keep these in mind:
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll point you to the right survey before booking. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in East Dean
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before you book. This is what makes a difference:
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- How big the roof is
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all inc. VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Booking your survey
A little information up front helps. Please include:
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email to find out.
How the survey changes by roof type
Natural slate
On a slate roof, the underlay may be old bitumen felt, or there may be none at all on very old roofs. From inside the roof space, we report what we can see of it.
Flat roofs
Ponding, blistering, splits and worn upstands are the usual warning signs. Blocked outlets are checked as well.