Brighton and Hove · London and the South East
Patcham Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Patcham, with a written report you can act on. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
Local roofs and buyers in Patcham
Patcham is within about 3 miles of the coast, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, and loose ridges, slates and tiles are the first to lift in a gale. In Sussex, older roofs are often handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. The covering on a house you’re buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest.
If you live in an older home near All Saints Church, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light. Landlords with a home close to Preston Park station may find that a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Patcham is about 2 miles north of Brighton, in Brighton and Hove. We survey roofs in Patcham as part of our work across London and South East England. Patcham is one of the towns and villages in Brighton and Hove we cover.
Every address in BN1 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on London Road, Vale Avenue and Eldred Avenue or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Other places close to Patcham include Waterhall (1 mile north-west), Westdene (1 mile south-west), Hollingbury (1 mile east), Withdean (1 mile south) and Preston (1 mile south). Larger places within reach include Carlton Hill (3 miles south), Hanover (3 miles south), Brunswick (3 miles south), Kemptown (4 miles south-east), Whitehawk (3 miles south-east) and Aldrington (3 miles south-west).
Around Patcham
Typical jobs here are in homes near Withdean Park, Patcham High School and The Dharma Primary School. Patcham’s nearest station is Preston Park station, about 1.3 miles south of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Clayton Castle (3.1 miles north) and Brighton Transport Museum (1.8 miles south). For a walk, there’s Ditchling Beacon and Ladies Mile.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Patcham: what you get
We survey roofs for buyers in Patcham and across London and the South East. Whether it is a terrace, a semi, a detached house or a flat, we follow the same careful process. The report says what’s in good order, what isn’t and what to deal with first. We’re insured for professional indemnity and public liability, with more than 20 years’ experience behind us. To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or email us. We’re often asked to look into flashings that have lifted or split and slates or tiles that have slipped or gone, on flat-roofed extensions and dormers, chimney stacks and clay and concrete tiles.
Houses in smaller places like Patcham can stand more in the open than those in a built-up town, which can mean more wind and rain on the roof. Loose ridge tiles, lifted coverings and tired flashings are the kind of things that show it. Whether you are buying or signing off new work, those edges deserve a proper look. On an exposed roof, a loose ridge or verge soon becomes a bigger job.
What you get is a clear record of the roof on the day we saw it. It’s useful right away, and a good reference for later, such as when you want to compare after future work.
- Where
- Patcham (BN1)
- Wider area
- Brighton and Hove
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay plain tiles are common on older South East homes, and some still have peg tiles. Rotten pegs let tiles slide, so we look for gaps along the courses.
Chimney stacks
Chimney stacks take the brunt of the weather. The pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings are all checked, as far as we can see them safely.
Why act early in Patcham
A mortgage valuation is not a roof survey. Its job is to check the property’s value for the mortgage, and it will not look closely at the roof. A roof survey is carried out for the buyer, and the report is written for you to use. Homes in smaller places like Patcham can face more weather, so a loose ridge or verge soon lets rain in. Each storm lifts it a little further.
For a price for your roof in Patcham, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Why us?
- Clear package prices, with VAT included
- PI and public liability insurance
- Every finding written up with photos
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
See what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
Common questions in Patcham
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Patcham, take more of a battering?
Places near the sea get more wind and more salt in the air than inland, and both are hard on roofs. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
How do I find out if my home in Patcham is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Just tell us the days that suit you.
Are you insured?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Only where it is safe to do so. Much of the inspection is done from the ground, from windows and from the loft space. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where it applies.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so the building owner or managing agent needs to agree access. We inspect only the parts we’re allowed to reach.
Nearby places to Patcham
Also in Patcham
What we do, step by step
The visit has one job: to see as much of the roof as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. It normally takes roughly 1–2 hours at most homes, and more on a big or complicated roof. In a smaller place like Patcham, as anywhere, the forecast plays a part: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from ground level and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- The roof is inspected from every safe vantage point, inside and out.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Let us know where we can park nearby
Getting a price
To book a survey, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the addresses.
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the building owner or managing agent. Mention it when you get in touch and we will plan the survey around it.
When to book a survey in Patcham
Rear extensions, dormers and garages often have flat roofs. Felt flat roofs often last around 15 to 20 years, and ponding, blisters and splits are common signs of age. They’re easy to overlook on a viewing, because many can only be seen from an upstairs window.
People usually book a survey when they’ve noticed one of these:
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
Preston Manor & Gardens lies about 1.5 miles south, so building around Patcham goes back a long way. Older homes in the area can come with listed status or conservation area rules, which affect re-roofing, so check with the council before you buy.
What to check before booking
- Their report turnaround times
- What the survey won’t cover
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
We only report everything that’s safely in view on the day, so there are some things a survey can’t cover:
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- A structural engineer’s report
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- The roof space
- Natural slate