East Sussex · London and the South East
Etchingham Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Etchingham, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
Before booking, it is worth knowing what a survey won’t do:
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- A structural engineer’s report
- The condition of the rest of the house (that’s a RICS home survey)
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer before booking. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
Pre-purchase roof survey in Etchingham
A roof report gives you something solid to take back to the seller or the agent. You might ask about past repairs, ask for work to be done before completion or think again about your offer. What the seller agrees to is up to them, but you’ll be asking from facts rather than guesses. It also helps you decide whether to go ahead at all. We survey the roof space, gutters and downpipes and flat-roofed extensions and dormers, and common reasons people get in touch are lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney and ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof.
Some older homes in villages like Etchingham are listed or sit in a conservation area. If so, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so check with the council before work starts. Whether you are buying or signing off new roofing, it’s worth knowing where you stand, as well as what condition the roof is in. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Where
- Etchingham (TN19)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Practical tips
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Mention any deadline when you get in touch
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or agent. You might ask for the work to be done before completion, or ask to adjust the price. The outcome is between you and the seller.
Look in the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.
Why it’s worth a survey now in Etchingham
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. For older village homes like those around Etchingham, the right replacement materials aren’t always easy to find quickly. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the size and height of the roof, access and which survey you book.
Why book with us
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Package prices that include VAT
- PI and public liability insurance
Take a look at what a roof survey costs and our case studies.
How the survey works
We photograph the roof as we go, so the report shows exactly what we saw. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. Most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Somewhere like Etchingham needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect everything that’s safely in view, inside and out.
- 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 photographs and recommendations before you exchange.
Before we arrive
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Note where any stains or damp appear
Arrange a survey
You can call us seven days a week. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
Etchingham homes and their roofs
If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs, and the county’s older buildings include oast houses and Wealden hall houses. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new.
The streets around a church such as The Parish Church of St Nicholas and St Mary are often 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. With Bateman's about 2.8 miles south-west, the area around Etchingham has a long history. 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.
Etchingham is about 11 miles north-west of Hastings, in East Sussex. Etchingham is one of many places we visit across East Sussex, for homes and businesses alike. Our area takes in places right across East Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Maidstone.
Every address in TN19 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. That includes homes and businesses on High Street, Oxenbridge Lane and Church Hill and the roads around them. Other places close to Etchingham include Burgh Hill (1 mile north-east), Hurst Green (2 miles north-east), Silver Hill (2 miles east), Cooper's Corner (2 miles north-east) and Ticehurst (3 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Hastings (11 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (11 miles south), Hailsham (13 miles south-west), Crowborough (12 miles west), St Leonards (12 miles south-east) and Uckfield (15 miles west).
Landmarks near Etchingham
Typical jobs here are in homes near Robertsbridge Community College. Etchingham has its own railway station: Etchingham station. A little further out are Ticehurst House Hospital (3.3 miles north-west). The countryside around Etchingham includes Bewl Water.
Also near Etchingham
Also in Etchingham
DIY checks: what’s safe
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and falls from height are serious. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
Etchingham: your questions answered
How do I find out if my home in Etchingham is listed?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Do you cover smaller places like Etchingham?
Yes. Etchingham 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.
When will the report arrive?
It depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Tell us your exchange date and we will help you choose.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. Much of the inspection is done from the ground, from windows and from the roof space. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where applicable.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Let us know your preferred days when booking.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that in advance, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Etchingham
Blocked or leaking gutters do damage that is not obvious at first. Water spilling over a gutter soaks brickwork and can rot fascias and rafter ends. Valley and parapet gutters can overflow inside the house. They’re part of what we look at.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
For landlords with property near Etchingham station, it’s worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Before booking anyone
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- What insurance they carry
- What experience they bring