West Sussex · London and the South East
Hickstead Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Hickstead and the rest of West Sussex. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
How it works
Every visit follows the same pattern: we listen to what’s been worrying you, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. Most visits take about 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Around Hickstead, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it’s useful to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- We agree a time and how we’ll get in, including the loft.
- We inspect the roof from the ground, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it is safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Arrange a survey
If you are buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or send us an email whenever suits you.
Read more
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Hickstead
If you are buying a flat, the roof may well be shared. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that’s often not the individual flat owner. We inspect what access allows us to see safely, and the report gives you clear points to raise with your solicitor or the managing agent. Where the building has a flat roof, it’s checked as far as access allows. We survey natural slate, chimney stacks and gutters and downpipes, and the problems we are asked to look at most are signs of past leaks inside the loft and gaps where slates or tiles have come loose.
Some older homes in villages like Hickstead 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 are buying or signing off new roofing, it is worth knowing where you stand. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later.
- Place
- Hickstead (RH17, BN6)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we are asked to look at in Hickstead
Chimneys take the worst of the weather. Pointing crumbles, flaunching cracks and flashings lift. On terraced and semi-detached homes, a stack may be shared with next door, which can affect how any work is arranged.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near The Parish Church of St Peter, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
What to check before booking
- Their insurance cover
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- What follow-up you get after the report
Can I check my roof myself?
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Don’t go up yourself.
Roof by roof
Chimney stacks
We inspect the outside of the stack, and it is not a flue or gas safety check. We’ll say if the flue needs a specialist.
Flat roofs
Repeated coatings on a flat roof can mask what’s underneath. We record what we can see and say where a closer look is needed.
Questions from Hickstead
Is Hickstead in the area you cover?
Yes, Hickstead is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Will you come out to Hickstead?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
It is your choice, but the two do different jobs. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Ours sits alongside a RICS survey rather than replacing it.
What if it rains on the day?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drones can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. We will rearrange with you if the weather is not right.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. The report sets out what we found, with photos, which you can share with the seller or agent. We can’t promise how the seller will respond.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, if the freeholder or managing agent agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we’re allowed to reach, and the report makes that clear.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Where it’s safe, yes. We inspect from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. On Premium, a drone is used where it applies.
Honest limits
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- A structural engineer’s report
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will suggest the right survey. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
Why it’s worth a survey now in Hickstead
Even if you go ahead regardless, knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan. You’ll know which jobs are urgent and which can wait, and you can line up a roofer before small faults grow. Outbuildings and barns around Hickstead are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. It is worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
Prices start from £150, with VAT included, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, both with VAT included. We confirm the exact price before you book.
Why book with us
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Prices that include VAT
- An independent look at the roof
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
Also in Hickstead
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Hickstead
Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
With Ockenden Manor about 3.4 miles north-east, the area around Hickstead has a long history. When you buy an older home, the roof’s age, past repairs and any listing all affect what you might spend later. Landlords with a home close to Burgess Hill station may find that a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Hickstead is about 3 miles west of Burgess Hill, in West Sussex. Wherever you are in Hickstead, we can come and survey your property. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. We also survey roofs in Brighton.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in RH17 and BN6 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Goddards Green (1 mile east), Sayers Common (1 mile south), Abbotsford (2 miles east), Ansty (2 miles north-east) and Hurstpierpoint (2 miles south). Further out, we also cover Crawley (10 miles north), Horsham (9 miles north-west), Worthing (13 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (5 miles north-east), Burgess Hill (3 miles east) and East Grinstead (14 miles north-east).
What’s near Hickstead
We work in homes and buildings around St Paul's Catholic College, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Burgess Hill station, about 3.1 miles east. Nearby you will also find The Dene Hospital (1.3 miles east) and Clayton Castle (4.6 miles south-east). Open spaces near Hickstead include Wolstonbury Hill and Bedelands Farm Nature Reserve.