West Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in East Grinstead
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in East Grinstead. We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
Local roofs and buyers in East Grinstead
If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. About 1.7 miles south-west lies Saint Hill Manor, a reminder of how long the area around East Grinstead has been built on. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years.
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Our Lady and St Peter's Church, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
East Grinstead is about 8 miles east of Crawley, in West Sussex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in East Grinstead and nearby. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex. For surveys nearby, see our Crawley page.
Here we cover the RH19 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on Station Road, High Street and London Road or anywhere close by, we can help. East Grinstead is on the A22 and A264, so it’s easy for us to get to. Other places close to East Grinstead include Dormans Park (1 mile north), Saint Hill Green (2 miles south), Felbridge (2 miles north-west), Ashurst Wood (2 miles south-east) and Felcourt (2 miles north). We also work in nearby towns such as Crawley (8 miles west), Horsham (14 miles west), Haywards Heath (10 miles south-west), Burgess Hill (13 miles south-west), Broadfield (9 miles west) and Bewbush (9 miles west). As one of the bigger places in West Sussex, East Grinstead has homes, rented property and businesses of every kind.
Landmarks near East Grinstead
Around East Grinstead, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Bush Davies School of Theatre Arts, The Railway pub and Sackville School, among other places. East Grinstead has its own railway station: East Grinstead station. Nearby you’ll also find East Grinstead Museum (within half a mile south-east) and Queen Victoria Hospital (0.8 miles north-east). Not far away are Hedgecourt Lake.
Pre-purchase roof survey in East Grinstead: what you get
Buying a flat brings its own roof questions. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that’s often not the individual flat owner. We check as much of the roof as access safely allows, and the report helps you ask your solicitor or the managing agent the right questions. Where the building has a flat roof, it’s checked as far as access allows. We survey chimney stacks, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and natural slate, and people most frequently book us about gutters choked with leaves and moss and a ridge or slope that dips.
Around towns like East Grinstead, many houses have gained extensions, dormers, porches or garages, and many of those additions have flat roofs. Where an extension roof meets the main house is a classic place for water to get in. For a home you are buying in East Grinstead, or a roof just finished there, those joints get a careful look.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Where
- East Grinstead (RH19)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Why it is worth a survey now in East Grinstead
A mortgage valuation isn’t a roof survey. Its job is to check the property’s value for the mortgage, and it won’t look closely at the roof. Our survey is done for you, and the report is written for you to use. On a house in a town like East Grinstead, wet loft insulation stops working and can stay damp for a long time. That’s an extra cost on top of the roof work itself.
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.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in East Grinstead
- Photos and a written report every time
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Read our cost guide and what we found on two real jobs.
Common roof problems in East Grinstead
A chimney stack stands out in the wind and rain and they’re often the least maintained part of a roof. Mortar erodes, the flaunching around the pots cracks and the flashings work loose. A stack may be shared with the neighbours, which can affect how any work is arranged.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
Landlords with a home close to East Grinstead station may find that the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What they will not be able to tell you
- Their report turnaround times
- Will the report include photos?
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
Questions from East Grinstead
Do you carry out roof surveys in East Grinstead?
Yes, East Grinstead is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in East Grinstead as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
How do I find out if my home in East Grinstead is listed?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. Home surveys sometimes suggest a closer look at the roof, and that’s where a roof survey helps. It isn’t a replacement for a RICS survey.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS home survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. Much of the inspection is done from ground level, from windows and from the loft space. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where it applies.
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.
What’s the best way to book?
To book, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price and find a day that suits.
What we do, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. It usually takes about 1–2 hours at a typical home, and more on a big or complicated roof. A survey in East Grinstead needs access inside and out, including the loft hatch and any rooms with damp. Mention gates, side passages and anything at the back. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You book once your offer is accepted and tell us the address and your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from the ground, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- Your report arrives by email, with photos and recommendations prioritised by urgency.
How to prepare
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Arrange a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form when you’re ready.
Advice
DIY checks: what’s safe
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
You can learn a lot from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Towns and villages near East Grinstead
Also in East Grinstead
Landlord and commercial surveys in East Grinstead
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer, and they’re priced for the size.
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- House, block, shop or office
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all with VAT included. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Getting in touch
You don’t need to know any roofing terms. Just let us know:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Dates you’re working to, such as exchange
You can call us seven days a week. To book or ask a question, ring 07833 053749 or email us.