East Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Forest Row
A careful look at the roof at your property in Forest Row, and put it all in a photo-illustrated written report.
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
We only report what can be seen safely on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Natural slate
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Forest Row
With a written roof report, you can go back to the seller or agent with specifics. 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 will be negotiating from a clear picture rather than a hunch. It can also help you decide whether the purchase is still right for you. We survey natural slate, the roof space and gutters and downpipes, and people most frequently book us about chimney mortar that has eroded and blistered or split felt on a flat roof.
In a smaller place like Forest Row, some houses face open ground, so their roofs may take more wind and driving rain. Ridges, verges and flashings are where that weather typically shows first. Whether you are buying or signing off new work, those edges deserve a close look. On an exposed roof, a loose ridge or verge soon becomes a bigger job.
The written findings come by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Place
- Forest Row (RH18)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
FAQs for Forest Row
Do you cover smaller places like Forest Row?
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.
Do you cover Forest Row?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Forest Row as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Where it’s applicable and safe, yes. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where it applies.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. The report is most useful before exchange, because after that the roof is yours to deal with.
How experienced are you?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
When will the report arrive?
That depends on which survey you choose: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Let us know your timetable when booking.
What we do, step by step
Every roof is different; as a rough guide, the survey takes roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. You’re welcome to ask questions while we’re there. A visit to a smaller place like Forest Row is no different on the day: we look from ground level, from windows, from the loft and from the roof where it is safe. It helps to show us anything you’ve already noticed.
- You book once your offer is accepted and tell us the address and your timetable.
- We agree a time and how we’ll get in, including the loft.
- We check the roof from ground level, from windows, from the roof space and from the roof where safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- We email a report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Before we arrive
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Arrange a survey
You can call us seven days a week. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
Tips that help
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Check we’ll be able to get into the loft space
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
Your report arrives by email, with photos of what we found. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Each defect is explained in plain words, and recommendations are ranked by urgency where that helps.
Keep the loft ventilated. Condensation in a roof space can look like a leak and can damage timbers over time. Avoid packing insulation into the eaves so tightly that air can’t flow.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Roof area
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Building height and the viewpoints available
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, from £400 inc. VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you want to find out.
Booking your survey
We’ll normally ask about:
- When you need the report by
- The property’s address and postcode
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
Once you know what you need, call 07833 053749 or send us an email. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
Buying a home or a new roof in Forest Row
Standen, about 2.3 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Forest Row. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Older houses across Sussex often have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging on their upper 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. Whether you are buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
For landlords with property near East Grinstead station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer. The streets around a church such as The Parish Church of the Holy Trinity are often among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs frequently have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Forest Row is about 3 miles south-east of East Grinstead, in East Sussex. We survey roofs in Forest Row and the rest of East Sussex, as part of our work across London and the South East. Forest Row is one of the places in East Sussex where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys. Crawley is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: RH18. Streets in the area include Evelyn Clark Square, Station Road and London Road, and we cover them all. We also cover Coleman's Hatch (1 mile east), Wych Cross (2 miles south), Upper Hartfield (2 miles east), Chelwood Gate (3 miles south) and Birchgrove (3 miles south-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Lewes (15 miles south), Crowborough (6 miles south-east), Uckfield (9 miles south), South Malling (15 miles south), Heathfield (13 miles south-east) and Southover (15 miles south).
Around Forest Row
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Foresters Arms and Greenfields School. Forest Row’s nearest station is East Grinstead station, roughly 3.2 miles north-west of the centre. Nearby you will also find East Grinstead Museum (2.8 miles north-west) and Bolebroke Castle (3.6 miles north-east).
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney stacks
Leaning stacks, loose pots and eroded mortar are common findings. We note them with photos so you can ask about them.
Flat roofs
Flat roofs on extensions, dormers and garages are easy to forget about. Felt roofs frequently last around 15 to 20 years, rubber longer and GRP up to about 30. We look for signs of age and failure.
What you can safely check yourself
It is useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That part is for a survey.