East Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Ripe, East Sussex
A careful look at the roof at your property in Ripe, and put it all in a photo-illustrated written report.
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Ripe
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Corroded nails let slates slide, valley linings wear thin and chimney mortar erodes. Most of it can’t be seen from the street. Our survey picks it out, with photos so you can see it for yourself. Each finding is explained in plain words, so you know what it means for the house you are buying. We survey lead flashings and valleys, gutters and downpipes and natural slate, and people most often book us about blistered or split felt on a flat roof and slipped or missing slates and tiles.
Somewhere as small as Ripe, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings often sit beside a few newer homes. 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. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
The report is written in plain words, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Photos show what each point refers to.
- Where
- Ripe (BN8)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Honest limits
It is a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Whether timbers meet design loads
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. What a survey covers and does not.
What we look at
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- The roof space
The survey, step by step
You don’t need to do much on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we will get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes about 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Somewhere as small as Ripe, access is frequently the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- 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.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
How to prepare
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Booking a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: phone 07833 053749 or email us, and we will ask about the building and what you need. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
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Surveys for landlords and agents in Ripe
Landlords and letting agents in Ripe book surveys as well as homeowners. A written report with photos gives you a clear record of the roof, useful for planning maintenance.
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Tell us about it when booking and we will plan the survey around it.
Ripe homes and their roofs
Charleston Farmhouse, about 2.3 miles south-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Ripe. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. In Sussex, older roofs are frequently handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs, and the county’s older buildings include oast houses and Wealden hall houses. The covering on a house you are buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest.
If you own a rental within reach of Berwick (Sussex) station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Ripe is about 5 miles west of Hailsham, in East Sussex. Bookings from Ripe are handled just like any other: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Ripe is one of the towns and villages in East Sussex where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys. For surveys nearby, see our Brighton page.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: BN8. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Carriage Mews, Channers Lane and Church Lane or anywhere close by, we can survey it. We also cover the places around Ripe: Selmeston (2 miles south), Wickstreet (2 miles south-east), Laughton (2 miles north), Golden Cross (2 miles north-east) and Berwick (2 miles south). We also work in nearby towns like Eastbourne (8 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (14 miles east), Seaford (7 miles south), Lewes (6 miles west), Hailsham (5 miles east) and Crowborough (13 miles north).
Local landmarks in Ripe
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Lamb Inn. The nearest railway station is Berwick (Sussex) station, roughly 2.2 miles south-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Hellingly Hospital Railway (5.1 miles east) and Museum of Agricultural Bygones (3 miles north-west). The countryside around Ripe includes Firle Beacon.
Also in Ripe
Tips from our surveys
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Mention any deadline when you get in touch
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Request records of any re-roofing
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. The Premium Survey includes a 12-month follow-up to see how things have changed.
Once you’ve moved in, keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, particularly after autumn. Blocked gutters cause much of the damp we see. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.
What we are asked to look at in Ripe
Patch repairs are common on roofs of every age. Bitumen painted over a flashing, mortar where lead should be, or a few tiles that don’t match can be signs that something has leaked before. Our report records them so you can ask the seller what was done and when.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Flashings that have lifted or split
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near The Parish Church of St John the Baptist, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
What to check before booking
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- What happens after the report arrives
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- How long the report takes to arrive
What we look for on each type of roof
Flat roofs
Many homes have a flat roof somewhere, frequently over an extension. Felt frequently lasts around 15 to 20 years, EPDM rubber 30 to 50 and GRP up to about 30. We check how the covering is wearing.
Chimney stacks
A stack stands exposed above the roof line. The pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings are all checked.
Questions from Ripe
Is Ripe in the area you cover?
Yes. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and Ripe is part of that. Just call 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us about the property, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Do you cover smaller places like Ripe?
Yes. Ripe is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. It’s a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, with a written report and photos. It is not a RICS survey and doesn’t cover the rest of the house.
Do you need access inside the house?
Ideally, yes. We look in the loft space where there’s safe access, and views from upper windows help too. The agent or seller can arrange entry.
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?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. You might ask for work to be done, ask questions or ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller.