West Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Keynor Estate, West Sussex
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Keynor Estate, from an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
Pre-purchase roof survey in Keynor Estate: what you get
Older homes frequently 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. We explain each finding in plain English, so it is clear what it means for your purchase. We survey chimney stacks, natural slate and clay and concrete tiles, and common reasons people get in touch are patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem and lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney.
Being in a small place like Keynor Estate makes no difference to the inspection itself: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when booking. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Visits can be booked on any day of the week.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Each point is backed by a photograph where possible, with the urgent items made clear.
- Location
- Keynor Estate (PO20)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What a survey costs
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Roof area
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Which survey package you book
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
What we need to know
A little information up front helps. It helps to include:
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- The address and postcode of the property
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. Our price is from £150, including VAT. To book, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
What we can’t see
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, so a survey has limits:
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll suggest the right survey. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
What happens on the day
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. Most surveys take about 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. For a village or hamlet like Keynor Estate, the journey is planned beforehand: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed ahead of time.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
How to prepare
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Getting a price
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email to find out.
Related advice
Tips from our surveys
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Do not leave it until just before exchange
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. Whichever package you choose, you can ask us what a finding means.
After strong winds, look at the roof from the ground. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.
Buying a home or a new roof in Keynor Estate
Keynor Estate lies within about 2 miles of the sea, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, and strong wind lifts anything already loose on a roof. Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the council can say whether a street is in a conservation area. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent.
For landlords with property near Chichester station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one. For an older house near a landmark such as St Mary Our Lady Sidlesham, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Keynor Estate is about 2 miles north of Selsey, in West Sussex. We visit Keynor Estate as part of our work across West Sussex, for homes and businesses alike. Keynor Estate is one of the towns and villages in West Sussex we cover. For surveys nearby, see our Portsmouth page.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in PO20 are booked the same way as anywhere else. That includes homes and businesses on Chalk Lane and Cow Lane. If you are just outside Keynor Estate, we cover Sidlesham (1 mile north-east), Street End (1 mile north), Church Norton (2 miles south-east), Sidlesham Common (2 miles north) and Pagham (2 miles east). Further out, we also cover Bognor Regis (5 miles east), Chichester (5 miles north), Littlehampton (12 miles east), Emsworth (8 miles north-west), Rustington (13 miles east) and Angmering (14 miles east).
Local landmarks in Keynor Estate
Around Keynor Estate, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Academy, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Chichester station, roughly 4.4 miles north. A little further out are Selsey Lifeboat Museum (2.9 miles south) and St Richard's Hospital (5.2 miles north).
Places near Keynor Estate
What else we do in Keynor Estate
Checking the roof from ground level
A lot can be seen from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Keynor Estate: your questions answered
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Keynor Estate?
Places near the sea get more wind and more salt in the air than inland, and both are hard on roofs. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
Will you come out to Keynor Estate?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing aren’t part of what we do. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Ideally, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and upstairs windows give useful views. The agent or seller can arrange entry.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Only where it’s safe to do so. Much of the inspection is done from ground level, from windows and from the loft space. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where it applies.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. Home surveys sometimes suggest a closer look at the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It isn’t a replacement for a RICS survey.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so we need permission from the building owner or managing agent. We can only inspect what we are given access to.
Why get it checked now?
After exchange, any roof defect is yours to deal with. Before it, you still have choices. Finding out later gives you the same facts, but too late to use them in the purchase. Around Keynor Estate, older homes frequently have old roof timbers, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you need to know.
Why us?
- Clear package prices, with VAT included
- Photographs and a written report every time
- 98% of clients satisfied
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID