East Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Fairwarp, East Sussex
Find out the condition of the roof at your property in Fairwarp. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
Pre-purchase roof survey in Fairwarp: what you get
Buying a flat brings its own roof questions. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that is often not the individual flat owner, with costs often passed on through the service charge. 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 is checked as far as access allows. We survey flat-roofed extensions and dormers, clay and concrete tiles and lead flashings and valleys, and the problems we are asked to look at most are gaps where slates or tiles have come loose and bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs.
In a village or hamlet like Fairwarp, 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, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Fairwarp (TN22)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings as a written report with photos, emailed to you. As for time on site, it usually takes between one and two hours at most homes, and more on a big or complicated roof. For a village or hamlet like Fairwarp, the journey is planned in advance: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from the loft where there’s safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed in advance.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Arrange a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.
Advice
Can I check my roof myself?
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level.
What happens if roof problems are left?
When a chain is moving fast, a roof survey can feel like one more delay. Weekend visits are available as well as weekdays, and a Premium report comes the same day, which helps it fit around your exchange date. Outbuildings and barns around Fairwarp are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and which survey you book.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Fairwarp
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
See what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
For landlords and managing agents
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf, with the report sent to whoever needs it. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the building owner or managing agent. Tell us about it as you book and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Nearby places to Fairwarp
What else we do in Fairwarp
Before and after the survey
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Let us know your timetable
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, while Premium includes a consultation in person. Whichever package you choose, you can ask us what a finding means.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. Binoculars from ground level are enough for a first look.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Fairwarp: local notes
Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs, and oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of East Sussex’s older buildings. Whether you’re buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds. Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it’s listed or in a conservation area. Listed building consent covers changes to a listed building’s special interest, and an Article 4 direction can bring extra controls in a conservation area.
If you let a flat or house near Buxted station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer. If you own one of the older houses in the streets near St John the Evangelist Church, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Fairwarp is about 4 miles south-west of Crowborough, in East Sussex. If you’re in Fairwarp, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Fairwarp is one of the towns and villages in East Sussex where we work. We also survey roofs in Crawley.
Here we cover the TN22 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Streets in the area include Oldlands Hill, Hop Garden and Back Lane, all of which we cover. If you are just outside Fairwarp, we cover High Hurstwood (1 mile east), Five Ash Down (1 mile south), Sweethaws (2 miles north-east), Crowborough (4 miles north-east) and Marden's Hill (4 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include Lewes (11 miles south-west), Hailsham (13 miles south-east), Uckfield (4 miles south), Polegate (15 miles south-east), South Malling (11 miles south) and Heathfield (8 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Fairwarp
In Fairwarp, that means homes and buildings near The Foresters Arms, among other places. The nearest railway station is Buxted station, about 2.5 miles south-east of the centre. Nearby you will also find Tickerage Castle (4.1 miles south-east) and Crowborough War Memorial Hospital (3.2 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Brickfield Meadow.
How the survey changes by roof type
Lead flashings and valleys
Many leaks start at a flashing, so we look at each one closely. Any that need attention are photographed and explained.
Chimney stacks
A leaning stack, cracked flaunching or crumbling pointing can all need work. We note them with photos so you can ask about them.
Fairwarp: your questions answered
Is my home in Fairwarp listed or in a conservation area?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Fairwarp?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs.
Do you use drones?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Flights depend on the weather on the day and airspace rules. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. What the seller agrees to is their decision, so we can’t promise any saving.
Does someone need to be in?
That depends on the survey. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in, while outside access can be discussed when you book.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Light rain does not normally stop a survey, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Strong wind or heavy rain can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so if conditions are not right we will arrange another day with you.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
It’s your choice, but the two do different jobs. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Our survey complements a RICS survey and does not replace one.