West Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in East Lavant
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in East Lavant, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Call or email for a price.
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
Pre-purchase roof survey in East Lavant
A full home survey looks at the whole property, so the roof is one item among many. We do not offer a RICS home survey, and ours is not a substitute for one. What it adds is a closer look at the roof alone, with photographs of what we find and written recommendations. The two sit side by side if you want the fullest picture. If you are worried about roof slopes that look uneven or sagging and flashings that have lifted or split, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Being in a small place like East Lavant 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, so the visit can be planned around them. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Visits can be booked on weekdays and at weekends.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Location
- East Lavant (PO18)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
Every roof is different; as a rough guide, the survey takes roughly 1–2 hours for a house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. If you have questions on the day, just ask. Around East Lavant, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Preparing for the visit
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Find any records of previous roof work
Book a survey
To book a survey, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We will confirm the price before you book.
Read more
Pre-purchase roof surveys around East Lavant
Older houses across Sussex frequently have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging on their upper walls. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. The covering on a house you are buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest. Goodwood Aerodrome is about 1 mile from East Lavant. If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Historic houses such as Goodwood House, about 1.5 miles east, show how far back building around East Lavant goes. Older homes in the area can come with listed status or conservation area rules, which affect re-roofing, so check with the council before you buy. If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St Mary, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
East Lavant is about 2 miles north of Chichester, in West Sussex. We visit East Lavant as part of our work across West Sussex, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex. There’s also a page for Portsmouth.
All of PO18 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Streets in the area include Pook Lane, Fordwater Road and Shop Lane, all of which we cover. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Mid Lavant (1 mile north-west), Westerton (2 miles south-east), Westhampnett (2 miles south-east), Waterbeach (2 miles east) and Maudlin (2 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Bognor Regis (7 miles south-east), Selsey (9 miles south), Littlehampton (11 miles east), Emsworth (7 miles west), Rustington (12 miles east) and Storrington (15 miles east).
Near you in East Lavant
We work in homes and buildings around The Royal Oak Public House and Bishop Luffa School and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Chichester station, roughly 2.5 miles south. Other landmarks nearby include Chichester Castle (2 miles south) and The Chichester City Museum (2.1 miles south). Not far away are Stoke Down and Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve.
Practical tips
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Ask for loft access on the day
- Mention any deadline when you get in touch
Once the home is yours, the report becomes a maintenance list. Work through the urgent items before anything else, and keep the photos to compare against later. The Premium Survey includes a 12-month follow-up to see how things have changed.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Watch for gaps in the pointing, cracked flaunching and loose lead. A pair of binoculars from the garden shows a lot.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Even if you go ahead regardless, knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan. The report shows what needs doing first, so you can plan work before small faults get bigger. Matching old materials, like handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
All our prices include VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for the job before booking.
What you get with us
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Photos and a written report every time
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Surveys seven days a week
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or two real surveys.
When to book a survey in East Lavant
Patch repairs are common on roofs of every age. Bitumen painted over a flashing, mortar where lead should be, or a few tiles that do not match can point to a problem that keeps coming back. Our report records them so you can ask the seller what was done and when.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
If you let a flat or house near Chichester station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Is VAT included in the price?
- Whether you get a written report with photos
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney stacks
A stack stands exposed above the roof line. The pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings are all checked.
Flat roofs
Standing water, blisters, splits and tired upstands all point to wear. Blocked outlets are checked as well, and we say what we see from wherever is safe.
East Lavant: your questions answered
Can you fly a drone over a roof in East Lavant?
Usually it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. Goodwood Aerodrome is about 1 mile away, so we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before any flight. The flight also waits for calm, dry weather.
Will you come out to East Lavant?
Yes. East Lavant is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Does someone need to be in?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
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 our survey gives you that closer look. It is not a replacement for a RICS survey.
Are you insured?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
How long will you be at the property?
The visit usually takes about one to two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. We’ll confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We carry out surveys on weekdays and at weekends. To arrange a date, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Also near East Lavant
Also in East Lavant
Honest limits
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll tell you before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space