East Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Kent Street, East Sussex
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Kent Street, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Kent Street
Older homes often have roofs that have been patched over the years. Corroded nails let slates slide, valley linings wear thin and chimney mortar erodes. Little of that is easy to judge from the pavement on a viewing. We look closely and record what we see, with photos so you can see it for yourself. Each finding is explained in plain words, so you know what it means for the house you’re buying. We survey lead flashings and valleys, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and clay and concrete tiles, and the problems we are asked to look at most are loose pots and cracked flaunching and gutters choked with leaves and moss.
Some older homes in villages like Kent Street are listed or sit in a conservation area. If so, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so check with the council before work starts. For a buyer or someone with a newly finished roof, it is worth knowing which applies, as well as what condition the roof is in. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
We keep jargon out of it: if work is needed, the report says so clearly.
- Where
- Kent Street (TN33)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Kent Street
Is Kent Street within the area you cover?
Yes, Kent Street is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Kent Street?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it usually shows, and Kent Street is within about 5 miles of the coast.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning. Let us know about it when you book and we will explain what’s needed.
How long will you be at the property?
On site, it usually takes between one and two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. What the seller agrees to is their decision.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Where we can, yes. From the loft space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If access is not possible, we note it in the report.
How many surveys have you done?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years, across London and South East England.
DIY checks: what’s safe
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, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
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. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
What we do, step by step
Photographs are taken throughout the visit, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. A typical visit takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. In a hamlet or village like Kent Street, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, 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 choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- 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.
Getting ready for the survey
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
Arrange a survey
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and give us some details about the property and we will recommend the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
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Nearby places to Kent Street
Other services in Kent Street
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. The main factors are:
- The shape of the roof and its details
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- The size of the roof
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, all with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What we need to know
These details help when you get in touch:
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email when you’re ready.
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney stacks
A leaning stack, cracked flaunching or crumbling pointing can all need work. We note them with photos so you can ask about them.
Lead flashings and valleys
Lead flashings seal the joints where a roof meets a wall or chimney. We look for lead that has lifted, split or been patched over.
Buying a home or a new roof in Kent Street
Kent Street lies within about 5 miles of the sea, and wind near the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain. In Sussex, older roofs are frequently handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs, and oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of East Sussex’s older buildings. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new.
If you let a flat or house near Battle station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Kent Street is about 3 miles north of Hastings, in East Sussex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Kent Street. Kent Street is one of the towns and villages in East Sussex where we work. Our Maidstone page covers surveys nearby.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in TN33 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Other places close to Kent Street include Westfield (1 mile east), Telham (2 miles west), Sedlescombe (2 miles north), Whatlington (2 miles north-west) and Brede (3 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Eastbourne (14 miles south-west), Hastings (3 miles south), Bexhill-on-Sea (6 miles south-west), Hailsham (13 miles west), St Leonards (4 miles south) and Polegate (14 miles south-west).
Near you in Kent Street
The nearest railway station is Battle station, about 2.2 miles west. A little further out are Hastings Castle (4.3 miles south-east) and Conquest Hospital (2.2 miles south-east). The countryside around Kent Street includes Senlac Hill and Church Wood and Robsack Wood.
Common roof problems in Kent Street
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. They’re part of what we look at.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
Durhamford Manor, about 2.2 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Kent Street. When you buy an older home, the roof’s age, past repairs and any listing all affect what you might spend later.
Before booking anyone
- Is VAT included in the price?
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- What insurance they carry
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
No survey can tell you everything, and it is better to know them up front. Bear these in mind:
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll suggest the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Kent Street
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks