West Sussex · London and the South East
Elsted Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A careful look at the roof at your property in Elsted, and put it all in a report with photographs.
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
Checking the roof from ground level
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and falls from height are serious. That’s where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
It helps to keep a record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us when booking, as it helps us focus the survey.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Elsted
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where applicable, along with a same-day report. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we’ll say so and look from the ground, windows and the loft instead. Typical surveys look at slipped or missing slates and tiles and quick fixes on flashings and valleys, on the roof space, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and lead flashings and valleys.
Some older homes in villages like Elsted are listed or sit in a conservation area. That can affect what materials a new roof may use, so check with the council and Historic England’s list. Whether you’re buying or signing off new roofing, it is worth knowing where you stand. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, each with a short note and a photograph. You will see the good as well as the bad.
- Place
- Elsted (GU29)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Elsted
Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. 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. If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
If you live in an older home near The Parish Church of St Paul, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them. Historic houses like Uppark, about 2.7 miles south-west, show how far back building around Elsted goes. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area.
Elsted is about 5 miles south-east of Petersfield, in West Sussex. Elsted gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful look at whatever is safely visible, photographs and a clear written report. We cover towns and villages across West Sussex. Portsmouth is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: GU29. Close by, we survey roofs in East Harting (1 mile west), Elsted Marsh (1 mile north-east), Didling (1 mile south-east), Nyewood (2 miles north-west) and Dumpford (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Bognor Regis (14 miles south-east), Chichester (9 miles south), Emsworth (9 miles south-west), Portfield (10 miles south), Yapton (14 miles south-east) and East Wittering (14 miles south).
What’s near Elsted
Around Elsted, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Three Horseshoes Public House and the streets around them. Well-known places in the area include Midhurst Community Hospital (4.7 miles east). Not far away are Iping and Stedham Commons and Oakham Hill.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Leaving it means judging the roof from the street. That will not show slipped slates on the rear slope, a worn valley or cracked flaunching. We fill that gap before you are tied in, with photos of anything that needs attention. Outbuildings and barns around Elsted are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included.
Why book us in Elsted
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Plain-English reports with photos
- PI and public liability insurance
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
Take a look at our cost guide or two real surveys.
What this survey cannot tell you
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll point you to the right survey before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
Common questions in Elsted
Is Elsted within the area you cover?
Yes. Elsted is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Is Elsted in the area you cover?
Yes, Elsted is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Elsted as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Does someone need to be in?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. We’ll talk about access as you book.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Where possible, yes. We look in the loft space where there is safe access, and upstairs windows give useful views. Access is usually arranged through the agent or seller.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It can, depending on the survey. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. We’ll rearrange with you if the weather is not right.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, if the building owner or managing agent agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we are allowed to reach, and the report makes that clear.
How many surveys have you done?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have completed over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
Places near Elsted
Also in Elsted
Useful tips for Elsted property owners
Small things make a difference. Our tips:
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller.
Keep the loft ventilated. 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.
For landlords and managing agents
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer, so they’re priced to suit.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. Access is agreed with the tenant in advance.
How the survey works
There is not much for you to do on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we will get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes about one to two hours at a typical home; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. For a village or hamlet like Elsted, the journey is planned ahead of time: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect what can safely be seen, inside and out.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- 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 is safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- Your report arrives by email, with photos and recommendations prioritised by urgency.
Before the survey
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Let us know where we can park nearby
Getting a price
If you’re buying, it’s useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email when you’re ready.