Brighton and Hove · London and the South East
Kemptown Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Not sure what state the roof is in? You can book a pre-purchase roof survey in Kemptown and across Brighton and Hove, with plain-English findings.
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Flashings that have lifted or split
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Kemptown
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where it applies, a drone inspection, and the report arrives the same day. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we’ll say so and look from ground level, windows and the loft instead. We survey chimney stacks, clay and concrete tiles and the roof space, and people most frequently book us about loose pots and cracked flaunching and gaps where slates or tiles have come loose.
Bungalows, chalet bungalows and older cottages are common in smaller places like Kemptown, many of them extended or given dormers over the years. Low roofs are easier to see from ground level, but dormer cheeks, valleys and flat-roofed additions still need close attention. The same goes for a purchase or a new roof around Kemptown. Lead around a dormer and the edges of a flat roof are common places for snags and wear alike.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent, whichever applies.
- Location
- Kemptown (BN2)
- Wider area
- Brighton and Hove
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Kemptown
Kemptown lies within about 1 mile of the sea, where wind off the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone cannot fly safely in high wind or heavy rain. In Sussex, older roofs are frequently handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. The covering on a house you are buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest.
If you own a rental within reach of Brighton station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one. Royal Pavilion, about 1 mile west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Kemptown. Older homes in the area can come with listed status or conservation area rules, which affect re-roofing, so check with the council before you buy.
Kemptown is about 1 mile south-east of Brighton, in Brighton and Hove. Surveys in Kemptown work the same way as everywhere we cover: a proper look at everything that’s safely in view, photographs and a clear written report. Kemptown is one of the places in Brighton and Hove we cover.
Every address in BN2 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. That includes homes and businesses on Abbey Road, Manor Road and Eastern Road. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Whitehawk (1 mile north-east), Carlton Hill (1 mile north-west), Hanover (1 mile north-west), Brighton (1 mile north-west) and West Hill (2 miles north-west). Larger places within reach include Brighton and Hove (3 miles north-west), Hove (3 miles west), Aldrington (3 miles west), Withdean (3 miles north-west), Hangleton (4 miles north-west) and Patcham (4 miles north-west). Kemptown is one of the larger places we cover in Brighton and Hove.
Local landmarks in Kemptown
In Kemptown, that means homes and buildings near St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School, Queen's Park and Saint George's Inn. For rail, the closest station is Brighton station, about 1.3 miles north-west of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Brighton Motor Museum (less than half a mile south-west) and Churchill Square (1.4 miles west). Not far away are Newmarket Hill and Whitehawk Hill.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Kemptown
Blocked or leaking gutters do damage that isn’t obvious at first. Overflowing water soaks walls and can rot the timber behind. Hidden gutters behind parapets or in roof valleys can send water indoors. We check them as part of the survey.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near St George's Church, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Whether VAT is added on top
What a survey costs
We confirm the exact price before booking. This is what makes a difference:
- The roof’s overall size
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Which survey package you book
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, how it can be seen safely and the package you choose.
What we need to know
We’ll usually ask about:
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- When you need the report by
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to phone 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Places near Kemptown
What else we do in Kemptown
Different roofs, different checks
Natural slate
Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but the nails holding it corrode long before that. Slipped or missing slates are a sign of ‘nail fatigue’, and we note how widespread it looks.
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay and concrete tiles commonly last 50 years or more. We check for slipped, cracked and missing tiles, and for mismatched replacements that point to past repairs.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Kemptown
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work around your tenants.
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the addresses.
What happens on the day
We check the roof from outside and, where it’s relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the roof space too. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging. All in, the survey normally takes an hour or two for a house, or half a day or so for a commercial building. A visit to a smaller place like Kemptown is no different on the day: we look from the ground, from windows, from the loft and from the roof where it’s safe. Point out any stains, cracks or loose pieces you’ve spotted.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed beforehand.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Before the survey
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
Booking a survey
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
What we can’t see
It helps to know what a survey won’t do before booking:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll suggest the right survey before you book. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Kemptown
Do you cover smaller places like Kemptown?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Kemptown?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey seven days a week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Let us know which days suit you when you book.
When will the report arrive?
Premium reports arrive the same day, Standard reports within 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed, with photos.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We don’t sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it is disturbed.
How do I book a survey in Kemptown?
The quickest way is to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Give us the address and some details about the roof. We survey seven days a week.
How long will you be at the property?
On site, it typically takes roughly 1–2 hours for a house, and more on a big or complicated roof. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.