East Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Offham, East Sussex
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Offham, from an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
Tips that help
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Our tips:
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Check we’ll be able to get into the roof space
If you want quotes for the work, roofers can work from the report. They’ll see exactly what we found, and where, so each quote covers the same ground.
After strong winds, look at the roof from ground level. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Dealing with them early keeps water out.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Offham
Buying a home is a big commitment, and the roof is one of the costliest parts to put right. A pre-purchase roof survey looks at it closely before you’re tied in. We check the slates or tiles, the ridges and valleys, the flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, and the roof space where it’s safe to get in. The findings come in a written report with photos. Typical surveys look at gaps where slates or tiles have come loose and damp timbers or stains in the loft, across lead flashings and valleys, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and the roof space.
In a village or hamlet like Offham, 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 are buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
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.
- Where
- Offham (BN7)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Common roof problems in Offham
Most viewings never get near the roof. You walk round the rooms, but the roof stays out of sight, and a quick glance from the street misses a lot. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, which is why buyers book a closer look before committing.
A survey can pick up problems like:
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Blocked or leaking gutters
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Peter, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Before you book anyone
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed beforehand. We survey on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Buying a home or a new roof in Offham
About 1.7 miles south-east lies Anne of Cleves House, a reminder of how long the area around Offham 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, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. 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, alongside oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about.
For landlords with property near Cooksbridge station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Offham is about 1 mile north-west of Lewes, in East Sussex. From houses to flats and shops in Offham, we can survey the roof. Across East Sussex, we cover Offham. Our Brighton page covers surveys nearby.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: BN7. Other places close to Offham include Hamsey (1 mile north-east), Lewes (1 mile south-east), South Malling (1 mile south-east), Southover (2 miles south-east) and Cliffe (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Eastbourne (15 miles south-east), Seaford (10 miles south-east), Hailsham (12 miles east), Crowborough (14 miles north-east), Uckfield (7 miles north-east) and Newhaven (7 miles south).
Local landmarks in Offham
Around Offham, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Railway Land, The Blacksmiths Arms and Lewes Old Grammar School. The closest station to Offham is Cooksbridge station, roughly 0.9 miles north of the centre. Nearby you will also find Brighton And Hove Albion Football Club Museum (3.8 miles south-west) and Lewes Castle (1.5 miles south-east). Open spaces near Offham include Malling Down and Offham Hill.
Places near Offham
More services for Offham
Why it is worth a survey now in Offham
A slow leak can go unnoticed for months. Damp can spread into timbers and ceilings before anyone sees a mark. Spotting it before you buy means you know about it from day one. In a small place like Offham, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Why book us in Offham
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- An independent look at the roof
- Every finding written up with photos
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
Take a look at our cost guide and our case studies.
How it works
Every visit follows the same pattern: we listen to what’s been worrying you, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. Most visits take about 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Around Offham, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it is safe.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Before we arrive
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
How to book
To get a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Offham, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Some details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.
Advice
FAQs for Offham
Do you cover smaller places like Offham?
Yes, Offham is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Is Offham in the area you cover?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos.
Are you insured?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. 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 as you book.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
They do different things. A home survey looks at the whole property, while ours looks only at the roof, in more detail. Our survey complements a RICS survey and does not replace one.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
It typically takes roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
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)
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Whether timbers meet design loads
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Offham
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate