West Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in East Dean, West Sussex
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in East Dean, and put it all in a written report with photos.
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
Pre-purchase roof survey in East Dean: what you get
Book after your offer is accepted and before exchange. At that point you can still ask questions, because nothing is binding yet. We survey on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when a sale is moving quickly. The report comes within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. We survey clay and concrete tiles, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and gutters and downpipes, and people most frequently book us about blistered or split felt on a flat roof and flashings that have lifted or split.
Being in a small place like East Dean makes no difference to the inspection itself: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them as you book. Whether you’re buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
We keep jargon out of it: where something needs attention, it says so plainly.
- Place
- East Dean (PO18)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What you can safely check yourself
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
Honest limits
Every survey has limits, and we’d rather be clear about that before booking. Bear these in mind:
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll point you to the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
What we check
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
Buying a home or a new roof in East Dean
If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. About 2.6 miles west lies West Dean House, a reminder of how long the area around East Dean has been built on. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
East Dean is about 6 miles north-east of Chichester, in West Sussex. We cover East Dean and the rest of West Sussex. Our West Sussex coverage includes East Dean and the places around it. Portsmouth is in our area too.
Every address in PO18 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys. You will find streets such as Main Road, Chapel Row and Charlton Road. We also cover the places around East Dean: Charlton (1 mile west), Singleton (2 miles west), West Dean (3 miles west), Heyshott (3 miles north) and Cocking (3 miles north-west). Larger places within reach include Worthing (15 miles south-east), Bognor Regis (8 miles south), Chichester (6 miles south-west), Selsey (13 miles south), Littlehampton (11 miles south-east) and Emsworth (10 miles south-west).
Landmarks near East Dean
We work in homes and buildings around The Star And Garter Public House and the streets around them. Other landmarks nearby include Weald and Downland Gridshell (1.8 miles west) and Chichester Centre (5 miles south-west). The countryside around East Dean includes Graffham Common and Levin Down.
East Dean: your questions answered
Do you carry out roof surveys in East Dean?
Yes. We work right across London and the South East, and East Dean is part of that. You can call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and some details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Will you come out to East Dean?
Yes, East Dean is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Where we can, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If we can’t get in, the report says so.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing aren’t part of what we do. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, over more than 20 years.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day. Just say which days work for you.
Do you go up on the roof?
Only where it’s safe. We also inspect from ground level, upper windows and the loft space, and a drone is part of the Premium Survey where it applies.
What happens on the day
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. We take close-ups from wherever is safe, including by drone where it is applicable and the weather allows. A typical visit takes about one to two hours for most houses; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. For a village or hamlet like East Dean, the journey is planned ahead of time: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed beforehand.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Let us know where we can park nearby
Arrange a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? It’s easiest to ring 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will explain the options and the price.
Advice
When to book a survey in East Dean
Buildings put up or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. It is frequently found in cement sheets, soffits and flue pipes. We do not test for it or carry out asbestos surveys, but we flag materials that might so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before anything is disturbed.
Most people get in touch after spotting something like this:
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Blocked or leaking gutters
If you live in an older home near The Parish Church of All Saints, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Before booking anyone
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Their report turnaround times
Other services in East Dean
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in East Dean
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. That comes down to:
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the size and height of the roof, how it can safely be seen and which survey you book.
Getting in touch
A few details help us suggest the right survey and price. When you get in touch, it is useful to mention:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Anything about access we should know
- The address and postcode of the property
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the details.
Tips from our surveys
You do not need to be a roofer to help. What helps most:
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Let us know your exchange date when booking
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. If anything in the report is not clear, ask us.
Do not block the vents at the eaves. Condensation in a roof space can look like a leak and can damage timbers over time. Keep insulation clear of eaves vents so air can move.