East Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Lower Dicker, East Sussex
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in Lower Dicker, with photographs and a written report.
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Old water stains in the roof space
What this survey can’t tell you
We only report everything that’s safely in view on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
Pre-purchase roof survey in Lower Dicker
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Most of it cannot be seen from the street. 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’s clear what it means for your purchase. We survey flat-roofed extensions and dormers, the roof space and natural slate, and people most frequently book us about old water stains in the roof space and slates or tiles that have slipped or gone.
In a village or hamlet like Lower Dicker, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Location
- Lower Dicker (BN27)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
DIY checks: what’s safe
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
Lower Dicker homes and their roofs
About 1.2 miles east lies Horselunges Manor, a reminder of how long the area around Lower Dicker has been built on. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years. If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
The streets around a church such as Zoar Strict Baptist Chapel are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Lower Dicker is about 2 miles north-west of Hailsham, in East Sussex. Roofs in Lower Dicker get the same thorough look as anywhere else in East Sussex. Across East Sussex, we cover Lower Dicker and the places around it. You can also see our page for Brighton.
We cover every part of the BN27 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Hackhurst Lane, Diamond Drive and Court Lodge Close or a nearby road, we can survey it. We also cover Lower Horsebridge (1 mile east), Nash Street (1 mile north-west), Tile Hurst (1 mile south-east), Upper Dicker (1 mile south-west) and Upper Horsebridge (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Eastbourne (7 miles south-east), Hastings (15 miles east), Bexhill-on-Sea (11 miles east), Seaford (9 miles south-west), Lewes (9 miles west) and Crowborough (12 miles north).
What’s near Lower Dicker
Around Lower Dicker, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Hailsham Community College and Bede's Prep School, among other places. The nearest railway station is Berwick (Sussex) station, roughly 3.9 miles south-west of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Sussex Farm Museum (3.5 miles north) and Hellingly Hospital Railway (1.8 miles east).
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before you book. This is what makes a difference:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- How big the roof is
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on the size and height of the roof, how it can be seen safely and which survey you book.
Booking your survey
A few details help us point you to the right survey and price. When you contact us, let us know:
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- What’s prompted the survey
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
When you’re ready to go ahead, call 07833 053749 or email us. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
Tips that help
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Mention any deadline when you contact us
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or agent. You might ask for the work to be done before completion, or ask to adjust the price. The outcome is between you and the seller.
Do not block the vents at the eaves. Poor ventilation lets condensation build up, wetting timbers and insulation. Avoid packing insulation into the eaves so tightly that air cannot flow.
Towns and villages near Lower Dicker
What else we do in Lower Dicker
Common roof problems in Lower Dicker
Asbestos was banned in UK construction in 1999. It is frequently found in cement sheets, soffits and flue pipes. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys, but we flag materials that might and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before work starts.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
If you own a rental within reach of Berwick (Sussex) station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
What to check before booking
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Whether the price includes VAT
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- When you will get the report
Lower Dicker: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Lower Dicker?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Is Lower Dicker in the area you cover?
Yes, Lower Dicker is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Lower Dicker as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
What’s the best way to book?
The quickest way is to call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Give us the address and a few details about the roof. We survey seven days a week.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it’s safe to do so. Much of the inspection is done from the ground, from windows and from the roof space. On Premium, a drone is used where applicable.
Does someone need to be in?
It depends on what we need to see. For inside areas and the loft space, someone has to give us access.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Let us know about it when you book and we’ll explain what’s needed.
How soon is the report ready?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. We send it by email, with photos.
What we do, step by step
You do not need to do much on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, like stains, drips or loose pieces, and we will get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes about 1–2 hours for a house, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Older rural homes like those around Lower Dicker can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from 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 we arrive
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
How to book
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or email us and give us a few details about the property and we will explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.