East Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Northiam, East Sussex
Not sure what state the roof is in? We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Northiam and across East Sussex.
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all including VAT. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What we need to know
What helps most when you contact us:
- When you need the report by
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, so call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Northiam: what you get
A roof report gives you something solid to take back to the seller or the agent. You can ask about the roof’s history, ask for repairs before completion or rethink the price. We cannot say how a seller will respond, but you will be negotiating from a clear picture rather than a hunch. It also helps you decide whether to go ahead at all. If you’ve noticed standing water on a flat extension roof and bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on the roof space, natural slate and lead flashings and valleys alike.
For a small place like Northiam, the visit is planned like any other: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them as you book. Whether you’re buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Visits can be booked on weekdays and at weekends.
Findings are set out part by part, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets. It records what’s sound as well as what is not.
- Where
- Northiam (TN31)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Places near Northiam
Also in Northiam
Local roofs and buyers in Northiam
If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings, alongside oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most.
With Great Dixter about 0.5 miles west, the area around Northiam has a long history. 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.
Northiam is about 9 miles north of Hastings, in East Sussex. Roofs in Northiam get the same thorough look as anywhere else in East Sussex. We cover towns and villages across East Sussex. Maidstone is in our area too.
Here we cover the TN31 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. You’ll find streets such as Station Road, Main Street and Elizabeth Gardens. Being close to the A268, Northiam is simple for us to get to for pre-purchase roof surveys. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Beckley (2 miles south-east), Beckley Furnace (3 miles south), Broad Oak (3 miles south), Flackley Ash (3 miles east) and Broadland Row (4 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Hastings (9 miles south), Bexhill-on-Sea (12 miles south-west), St Leonards (10 miles south), Hastings Old Town (10 miles south), Belmont (10 miles south) and Heathfield (15 miles west).
Around Northiam
We work in homes and buildings around Hayes Arms Hotel, among other places. Other landmarks nearby include The C.M Booth Collection (4 miles north). For a walk, there is Flatropers Wood.
Useful tips for Northiam property owners
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Request records of any re-roofing
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
After you move in, keep the report somewhere safe. Deal with the urgent items first, and use the photos as a record of how the roof looked when you bought. Premium comes with a follow-up after 12 months.
Every so frequently, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
FAQs for Northiam
Will you come out to Northiam?
Yes, we do. We survey roofs across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
How do I find out if my home in Northiam is listed?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
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, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have completed over 5,000 surveys.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Tell us which days suit you when you book.
Do you go up on the roof?
When conditions and the roof make it safe, yes. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft, and a drone is part of the Premium Survey where applicable.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes, you can. The report sets out what we found, with photos, which you can share with the seller or agent. We can’t promise how the seller will respond.
How it works
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself 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. Older rural homes like those around Northiam can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. Each part is looked at from wherever it can be seen safely, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
How to prepare
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Tell us about parking before the day
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
Book a survey
A quick phone call is typically the easiest start: ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
Read more
Landlords, agents and block managers in Northiam
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed in advance. Surveys run on any day of the week, which can make access easier.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.
Leave it or get it looked at?
It’s tempting to skip the roof to keep a sale moving. Weekend visits are available as well as weekdays, and a Premium report comes the same day, so it can fit around a tight timetable. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Northiam, driving rain gets into any weakness, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, including VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you’d like to know.
Why book us in Northiam
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Surveys on weekdays and at weekends
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- An independent view of the roof
Common roof problems in Northiam
Chimneys take the worst of the weather and they’re often the least maintained part of a roof. Pointing crumbles, flaunching cracks and flashings lift. A stack may be shared with the neighbours, which can affect how any work is arranged.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
For any home in Northiam, it’s the small, early fault that is cheapest to put right.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- What happens after the report arrives
- When you’ll get the report
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely