West Sussex · London and the South East
Keymer Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Keymer and the rest of West Sussex. We survey seven days a week.
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
Checking the roof from the ground
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Keymer: what you get
Our packages start with the Basic Survey from £150, while Standard starts from £250 and Premium from £400, inc. VAT. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check. Premium adds thermal imaging, a drone inspection where it applies and an in-person consultation. Choose the level that suits the home you are buying. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. Typical surveys look at patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem and gutters that overflow or drip at the joints, on natural slate, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and clay and concrete tiles.
Bungalows, chalet bungalows and older cottages are common in smaller places like Keymer, and many have been extended or had dormers added. Low roofs are easier to see from the ground, but dormer cheeks, valleys and flat-roofed additions still need close attention. The same goes for a purchase or a new roof around Keymer. Snags and wear both tend to show at dormer lead work and along flat-roof edges.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. It’s useful straight away, and a good reference for later, for instance when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Place
- Keymer (BN6)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we are asked to look at in Keymer
The fixings and underlay often fail before good slates or tiles do. Good slate can last well over a century, but corroded nails let slates slip. That kind of wear is common on older roofs.
Problems we come across often include:
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Old water stains in the loft space
If you live in an older home near St Cosmas and St Damian Church, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Whether the price includes VAT
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- What experience they bring
- How long the report takes to arrive
How the survey changes by roof type
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.
Clay and concrete tiles
Older homes in the South East often have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles on some. Rotten pegs let tiles slide, so we look for gaps along the courses.
Tips that help
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Check we will be able to get into the roof space
- Book once your offer is accepted
Your report arrives by email, with photos of what we found. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Findings are set out in plain English, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant.
After you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, ideally once the leaves have dropped. Blocked gutters cause much of the damp we see. Get a professional in rather than climbing up yourself.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Keymer: local notes
Older houses across Sussex often have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging on their upper walls. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. Listing and conservation areas can both shape what roof work is allowed on an older home. The council is the place to check, along with Historic England’s list, ideally before any re-roofing is planned.
For landlords with property near Hassocks station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Keymer is about 2 miles south of Burgess Hill, in West Sussex. Keymer is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and the South East. We cover towns and villages across West Sussex. You can also see our page for Brighton.
All of BN6 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on Flowers Close, The Quadrant and Kymer Gardens or anywhere close by, we can help. If you are just outside Keymer, we cover Hassocks (1 mile west), Ditchling (1 mile east), Clayton (1 mile south-west), Hurst Wickham (1 mile north-west) and Westmeston (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Crawley (13 miles north), Horsham (13 miles north-west), Worthing (14 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (5 miles north), East Grinstead (15 miles north) and Shoreham-by-Sea (8 miles south-west).
Near you in Keymer
In Keymer, that means homes and buildings near The Greyhound Public House and Downlands Community School and the streets around them. Keymer’s nearest station is Hassocks station, roughly 0.5 miles west. Nearby you’ll also find The Dene Hospital (3.2 miles north-west) and Clayton Castle (1.2 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Ditchling Beacon and Bedelands Farm Nature Reserve.
FAQs for Keymer
Is Keymer within the area you cover?
Yes. Keymer is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We survey roofs across London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Keymer?
Yes, Keymer is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Keymer as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That gives you time to use the findings.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Does someone need to be in?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you when booking.
How long will you be at the property?
The visit usually takes about 1–2 hours at most homes, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. We will give you an idea of timing as you book.
How it works
We check the roof from outside and, where it is 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 usually takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. In a smaller place like Keymer, as anywhere, the forecast plays a part: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from the ground and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Getting ready for the survey
- Tell us about parking before the day
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
Arrange a survey
Once you know what you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.
Advice
Also in Keymer
For landlords and managing agents
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, including offices, shops and units. Bigger roofs take more time, and they’re priced for the size.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. We survey seven days a week, which can make access easier.