Brighton and Hove · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Roedean, Brighton and Hove
Know where you stand with the roof before you decide what to do next. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Roedean.
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Blocked or leaking gutters
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Roedean
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Little of that is easy to judge from the pavement on a viewing. Our survey picks it out, with photos so you can see it for yourself. We explain each finding in plain English, so you know what it means for the house you are buying. We survey chimney stacks, the roof space and gutters and downpipes, and people most frequently book us about blistered or split felt on a flat roof and gutters that overflow or drip at the joints.
Somewhere as small as Roedean, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings frequently sit beside a few newer homes. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid, 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 doesn’t just list problems. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Location
- Roedean (BN2)
- Region
- Brighton and Hove
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
Where it’s relevant and can be reached safely, the roof space is checked as well as the outside. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement. The whole visit normally takes an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Somewhere like Roedean needs a little journey planning: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there’s safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed in advance.
- 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’s safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Arrange a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will explain the options and the price.
Advice
Roof by roof
Gutters and parapets
Gutters, downpipes and outlets carry water away from walls. Leaking joints, sagging lengths and blockages are all noted.
Flat roofs
Repeated coatings on a flat roof can mask what’s underneath. We record what we can see and say where a closer look is needed.
What we are asked to look at in Roedean
Slates and tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay that hold them. Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but corroded nails let slates slip. That kind of wear is common on older roofs and easy to miss from ground level.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
For landlords with property near Brighton station, it’s worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
What to check before booking
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- What happens after the report arrives
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
Tips from our surveys
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Let us know your exchange date when booking
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
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.
Once you’ve moved in, keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, ideally once the leaves have dropped. Overflowing water is behind a lot of damp. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.
DIY checks: what’s safe
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Roedean
Roedean is within about 1 mile of the coast, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, and strong wind lifts anything already loose on a roof. Historic houses such as Royal Pavilion, about 1.9 miles west, show how far back building in the area around Roedean goes. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof.
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near St Mark's Church, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Roedean is about 2 miles east of Carlton Hill, in Brighton and Hove. Anywhere in Roedean, we can carry out pre-purchase roof surveys at your property. Roedean is one of the places in Brighton and Hove where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: BN2. Whether your property is on Peel Road, Cliff Road and Henley Road or a nearby road, we can help. We also cover Ovingdean (1 mile east), Rottingdean (1 mile east), Saltdean (3 miles east), East Saltdean (3 miles east) and Falmer (3 miles north). Further out, we also cover Brighton and Hove (4 miles west), Hove (4 miles west), Brunswick (3 miles west), Seven Dials (3 miles north-west), Hollingdean (3 miles north-west) and Prestonville (3 miles north-west).
Landmarks near Roedean
Around Roedean, our work takes us to homes and buildings near St Mary's Hall, Whitehawk Hill and Longhill High School, among other places. The nearest railway station is Brighton station, roughly 2.2 miles north-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include French Convalescent Home (0.5 miles west) and Churchill Square (2.3 miles west). The countryside around Roedean includes Whitehawk Hill and Newmarket Hill.
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 send us an email.
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps when budgeting.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Roedean
Is the coastal weather around Roedean hard on roofs?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it normally shows, and Roedean is within about 1 mile of the coast.
Will you come out to Roedean?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Are you insured?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Where it’s safe, yes. We inspect from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where it applies.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, if the building owner or managing agent agrees access. We look at the parts we are given access to, and the report makes that clear.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It works alongside a home survey.