West Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Highleigh
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat around Highleigh, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Old water stains in the loft space
Common roof problems in Highleigh
The fixings and underlay often fail before good slates or tiles do. Good slate can last well over a century, yet the nails holding it rust and let slates slide. That kind of wear is common on older roofs and easy to miss from ground level.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
For landlords with property near Chichester station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What experience they bring
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- What insurance they carry
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Highleigh
We survey roofs for buyers in Highleigh and across London and South East England. Whether it is a terrace, a semi, a detached house or a flat, we follow the same careful process. We tell you what’s sound, what needs attention and how urgent it is. We are insured for professional indemnity and public liability, with more than 20 years’ experience behind us. To book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. We survey the roof space, chimney stacks and lead flashings and valleys, and the problems we are asked to look at most are signs of past leaks inside the loft and flashings that have lifted or split.
For a small place like Highleigh, the visit is planned like any other: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed in advance. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when you book, so the visit can be planned around them. Whether you are buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Visits can be booked on any day of the week.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Highleigh (PO20)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Roof by roof
Natural slate
Older slate roofs often have bitumen felt under them, and very old ones may have none. Where we can see it from the loft, we say what condition it’s in.
Gutters and parapets
Some older terraces have a butterfly roof with a central valley gutter. If yours does, we check that gutter and where it drains.
The survey, step by step
The visit has one job: to look at the roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. It usually takes about 1–2 hours for a house, and longer for a large or complex roof. Rural addresses near Highleigh can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- You book once your offer is accepted and let us know the address and your timetable.
- We agree a time and how we will get in, including the loft.
- We check the roof from ground level, from windows, from the loft space and from the roof where safe.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Before we arrive
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Note where any stains or damp appear
Arrange a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: ring 07833 053749 or email us. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Related advice
What happens if roof problems are left?
Lots of buyers go ahead anyway, but with their eyes open. You will know which jobs are urgent and which can wait, and you can line up a roofer before small faults grow. For older village homes like those around Highleigh, the right replacement materials are not always easy to find quickly. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we will tell you which fits.
What you get with us
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Prices that include VAT
- Surveys seven days a week
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
Take a look at our cost guide and two real surveys.
Places near Highleigh
More services for Highleigh
Checking the roof from ground level
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey.
Practical tips
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Let us know your timetable
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Do not leave it until just before exchange
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so questions can go to the seller’s solicitor. Past repairs, re-roofing and any records of that work are all fair questions, especially where we have found patch repairs.
Check the roof from the garden and the street after a storm. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.
Highleigh: your questions answered
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Highleigh, take more of a battering?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it typically shows, and Highleigh is within about 2 miles of the coast.
Is my home in Highleigh listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes, you can. You will have photos and a written description of each defect, which you can share with the seller or agent. We cannot promise how the seller will respond.
How long does the survey visit take?
Allow between one and two hours on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. We will give you an idea of timing as you book.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
Book as soon as your offer is agreed. You need the report before you exchange, because after that the roof is yours to deal with.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it isn’t a RICS home survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. Home surveys sometimes suggest a closer look at the roof, and that is where a roof survey helps. It is not a replacement for a RICS survey.
Highleigh homes and their roofs
Highleigh is within about 2 miles of the coast, and wind near the sea can be strong. A small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near St Mary Our Lady Sidlesham, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Highleigh is about 3 miles north of Selsey, in West Sussex. We provide pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Highleigh. We cover towns and villages across West Sussex. Our Portsmouth page covers surveys nearby.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in PO20 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on Critchel's Lane, Highleigh Road and Green Lane and the roads around them. Other places close to Highleigh include Almodington (1 mile west), Birdham (2 miles north-west), Somerley (2 miles west), Earnley (2 miles west) and Shipton Green (3 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Bognor Regis (5 miles east), Chichester (4 miles north), Selsey (3 miles south), Littlehampton (12 miles east), Emsworth (8 miles north-west) and Rustington (13 miles east).
Near you in Highleigh
The closest station to Highleigh is Chichester station, roughly 3.9 miles north. A little further out are Chichester Castle (4.5 miles north) and Selsey Lifeboat Museum (3.5 miles south). Not far away are Pilsey Island.