West Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in East Marden, West Sussex
Know where you stand with the roof before you decide what to do next. Pre-purchase roof surveys in East Marden, with photographs and a clear written report.
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Blocked or leaking gutters
About our pre-purchase roof survey in East Marden
With a written roof report, you can go back to the seller or agent with specifics. You can ask about the roof’s history, ask for repairs before completion or rethink the price. We can’t say how a seller will respond, but you will be negotiating from a clear picture rather than a hunch. It also helps you decide whether to go ahead at all. We survey flat-roofed extensions and dormers, chimney stacks and clay and concrete tiles, and common reasons people get in touch are slipped or missing slates and tiles and patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem.
In a village or hamlet like East Marden, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
It isn’t only a list of defects. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Location
- East Marden (PO18)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Why get it checked now?
It is tempting to skip the roof to keep a sale moving. We visit on any day of the week, and the Premium Survey report arrives the same day, which helps it fit around your exchange date. Around East Marden, older homes often have old roof timbers, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, from £400 with VAT included. We’ll tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Why book us in East Marden
- Clear package prices, with VAT included
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Photos and a written report every time
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or two real surveys.
East Marden homes and their roofs
With Uppark about 2.6 miles north-west, East Marden sits in an area with a long building history. 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, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. 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.
The streets around a church such as Church of St Peter are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
East Marden is about 6 miles north-east of Emsworth, in West Sussex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in East Marden for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings. Our West Sussex coverage includes East Marden. Portsmouth is in our area too.
We survey roofs across PO18 for pre-purchase roof surveys. If you are just outside East Marden, we cover Compton (2 miles west), Chilgrove (2 miles east), Didling (3 miles north-east), Elsted (3 miles north) and East Harting (3 miles north). Further out, we also cover Bognor Regis (12 miles south-east), Chichester (7 miles south-east), Selsey (14 miles south), Emsworth (6 miles south-west), Portfield (7 miles south-east) and Yapton (13 miles south-east).
Around East Marden
A little further out are Museum of Gardening (3.6 miles east). The countryside around East Marden includes Bow Hill and Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve.
Questions from East Marden
Will you come out to East Marden?
Yes, we do. Our area covers London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Is East Marden in the area you cover?
We do. The survey and report are the same in East Marden as anywhere else.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Where we can, yes. From the roof space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If access isn’t possible, we note it in the report.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We carry out surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To find a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Is this an asbestos survey?
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 and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before any work.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
When conditions and the roof make it safe, yes. We also inspect from ground level, upper windows and the roof space, and a drone is part of the Premium Survey where applicable.
When will the report arrive?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed, with photographs.
When you need someone else
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll recommend the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
What we look at
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
What a survey costs
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. The main factors are:
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Which survey package you book
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on how big and how high the roof is, how it can safely be seen and the package you choose.
Booking your survey
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- Anything about access we should know
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
We survey roofs seven days a week. To find a date that works for you, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Also near East Marden
What else we do in East Marden
How it works
We look at the roof from outside and, where it’s relevant and there is safe access, from inside the loft space too. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging, as far as the space allows. All in, the survey typically takes about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. In a hamlet or village like East Marden, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- 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 written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Book a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Roof by roof
Natural slate
Good slate is one of the longest-lasting roof coverings, yet the nails that fix it frequently give out first. When slates start to slip, corroded nails are often the reason.
Lead flashings and valleys
Many older houses have lead in their valleys and hidden gutters. Worn or cracked lead lets water straight into the roof, and missing lead is not unknown, as it’s a target for thieves.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
It is useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when booking.