West Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Kirdford
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Kirdford from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and South East England.
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
DIY checks: what’s safe
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.
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Kirdford
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where applicable, a drone inspection, along with a same-day report. Where a flight isn’t possible, because of airspace rules or the weather, we tell you and inspect from every other safe vantage point. If you’ve noticed signs of past leaks inside the loft and blistered or split felt on a flat roof, we can find out what’s behind it.
Some older homes in villages like Kirdford 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. Whether you’re buying or signing off new roofing, it’s worth knowing where you stand, as well as what condition the roof is in. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
We keep jargon out of it: where something needs attention, it says so plainly.
- Location
- Kirdford (RH14)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
When you need someone else
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in Kirdford
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Kirdford
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Kirdford?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you cover smaller places like Kirdford?
Yes. Kirdford is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
How experienced are you?
We have completed more than 5,000 surveys, over more than 20 years, with 98% customer satisfaction.
What insurance do you have?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Where it is safe, yes. Much of the inspection is done from ground level, from windows and from the roof space. On Premium, a drone is used where applicable.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Where possible, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and views from upper windows help too. Access is normally arranged through the agent or seller.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Kirdford
In Sussex, older roofs are often handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Petworth House, about 4.1 miles south-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Kirdford. If you are buying an older home nearby, it’s worth knowing whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before you plan any re-roofing. If you let a flat or house near Billingshurst station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Kirdford is about 10 miles west of Horsham, in West Sussex. Kirdford is one of many places we visit across West Sussex, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex. For surveys nearby, see our Guildford page.
Surveys in RH14 are booked the same way as anywhere else. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Oakside, Poplar Walk and Maple Drive or a nearby road, we can survey it. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Mackerel's Common (1 mile north), Balls Cross (2 miles west), Wisborough Green (2 miles east), Plaistow (2 miles north) and Ifold (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Horsham (10 miles east), Littlehampton (15 miles south), Storrington (9 miles south-east), Billingshurst (5 miles east), Bewbush (15 miles east) and Angmering (15 miles south).
Landmarks near Kirdford
Kirdford’s nearest station is Billingshurst station, about 4.7 miles east. The countryside around Kirdford includes Shillinglee Lake and The Mens.
When to book a survey in Kirdford
Patch repairs are common on roofs of every age. Bitumen over flashings, mortar fillets in place of lead and odd replacement tiles can be signs that something has leaked before. Our report records them so you can ask the seller what was done and when.
Look out for signs like these:
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
The streets around a church such as The Parish Church of St John the Baptist are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Before booking anyone
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Also near Kirdford
Also in Kirdford
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings are a common source of leaks, so they get close attention in a pre-purchase survey. We photograph any that need work.
Flat roofs
Repeated coatings on a flat roof can mask what’s underneath. We say when the covering would need opening up to know more.
For landlords and managing agents
Landlords and letting agents in Kirdford book surveys as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photographs, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, from shops and offices to industrial units. Bigger roofs take more time, and they’re priced for the size.
How the survey works
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. You’re welcome to ask questions while we are there. Rural addresses near Kirdford can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- 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.
- The roof is inspected from every safe vantage point, inside and out.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- Your report arrives by email, with photos and recommendations prioritised by urgency.
Preparing for the visit
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
How to book
Most bookings start with a short call: phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. The price is agreed before a date is set.