West Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Haywards Heath
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat around Haywards Heath, with a written report you can act on. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- A ridge or slope that dips
Pre-purchase roof survey in Haywards Heath
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Corroded nails let slates slide, valley linings wear thin and chimney mortar erodes. Most of it cannot be seen from the street. We look closely and record what we see, with photos that show you exactly where. We explain each finding in plain English, so it’s clear what it means for your purchase. If you’ve noticed signs of past leaks inside the loft and slipped or missing slates and tiles, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on chimney stacks, the roof space and natural slate alike.
In a town like Haywards Heath, older streets usually sit alongside post-war and newer estates. Older roofs are frequently slate or clay tile, and many later houses have concrete interlocking tiles. Whether you’re buying or have just had a new roof, the checks depend on which you have, from fixings and underlay to ridges and valleys. What sits under the tiles, from old felt to modern membranes, matters as much as the tiles themselves.
We keep jargon out of it: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, along with how urgent it is.
- Where
- Haywards Heath (RH16, RH17)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
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. All in, the survey typically takes about 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. In Haywards Heath, parking is rarely complicated, though it is useful to know about driveways or restrictions. The inspection covers everything that’s safely in view from outside, from windows and from the roof space.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Before we arrive
- Tell us about parking before the day
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
Booking a survey
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Advice
Haywards Heath questions
Is Haywards Heath in the area you cover?
Yes. We work right across London and the South East, and Haywards Heath is part of that. Just call 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us about the property.
Is my home in Haywards Heath listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
Once your offer has been accepted, and before exchange. That way you can still act on what we find.
How soon is the report ready?
That depends on which survey you choose: within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Let us know your exchange date and we will help you choose.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes. You’ll have photos and a written description of each defect, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. We can’t promise how the seller will respond.
What insurance do you have?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It isn’t a replacement for a RICS survey.
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Haywards Heath
If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. With Ockenden Manor about 2.1 miles west, Haywards Heath sits in an area with a long building history. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Landlords with a home close to Haywards Heath station may find that a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Haywards Heath is about 9 miles south-east of Crawley, in West Sussex. We survey roofs in Haywards Heath as part of our work across London and the South East. Haywards Heath is one of the places in West Sussex we cover. You can also see our page for Crawley.
Every address in RH16 and RH17 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on Church Road, Market Place and High Street or a nearby road, we can survey it. With the A272 and B2028 close by, Haywards Heath is simple for us to get to. Close by, we survey roofs in Scaynes Hill (2 miles east), Wivelsfield (2 miles south), Wivelsfield Green (3 miles south-east), Ditchling Common (4 miles south) and North Chailey (4 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Crawley (9 miles north-west), Horsham (11 miles north-west), Burgess Hill (3 miles south-west), East Grinstead (10 miles north-east), Shoreham-by-Sea (14 miles south-west) and Lancing (15 miles south-west). Being one of West Sussex’s larger places, Haywards Heath has every kind of building, from houses and flats to offices.
Local landmarks in Haywards Heath
In Haywards Heath, that means homes and buildings near The Heath Tavern, Scrase Valley and Tavistock and Summerhill School. The nearest railway station is Haywards Heath station, about 0.6 miles north-west. Well-known places in the area include Waterbury Castle (3.8 miles north-east) and St Francis & Hurstwood Park Hospital Museum (0.8 miles north). For a walk, there is Ashenground and Bolnore Woods.
Tips that help
Nothing here needs a ladder. A few suggestions:
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Let us know your timetable
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
With Standard, you get a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. Whichever package you choose, you can ask us what a finding means.
Keep the loft ventilated. Poor ventilation lets condensation build up, wetting timbers and insulation. Keep insulation clear of eaves vents so air can move.
Towns and villages near Haywards Heath
What else we do in Haywards Heath
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey.
For landlords and managing agents
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf. Access is agreed with the tenant beforehand.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer, and they’re priced for the size.
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney stacks
We inspect the outside of the stack, not a flue, gas or sweep inspection. If a flue needs testing, we’ll suggest who to ask.
Clay and concrete tiles
Tiled roofs often last half a century or longer. We check for slipped, cracked and missing tiles, along with odd replacement tiles that hint at earlier leaks.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Haywards Heath
Buildings put up or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. It’s frequently found in cement sheets, soffits and flue pipes. We do not test for it or carry out asbestos surveys, but our report flags materials that could contain it and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before work starts.
Look out for signs like these:
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Old water stains in the roof space
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of the Presentation, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Questions to ask before you book
- What exactly goes into their report
- When you’ll get the report
- Whether VAT is added on top
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?