Brighton and Hove · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Rottingdean
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Rottingdean, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photos.
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
Useful tips for Rottingdean property owners
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. What happens next is your decision and the seller’s, and we can’t promise any result.
Look in the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. 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.
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Rottingdean
Buyers in Rottingdean and right across London and the South East use our pre-purchase roof survey. Whether it’s 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 hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and have 20+ years’ experience. To book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. We’re frequently asked to look into slipped or missing slates and tiles and worn or lifted lead flashings, on gutters and downpipes, the roof space and flat-roofed extensions and dormers.
Being in a small place like Rottingdean makes no difference to the inspection itself: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at as you book. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
Findings are set out part by part, from the coverings down to the gutters, with a note and a photo for each point. It records what’s sound as well as what is not.
- Where
- Rottingdean (BN2)
- Wider area
- Brighton and Hove
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we can’t see
It helps to know what a survey won’t do before booking:
- A structural engineer’s report
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
What we check
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
Local roofs and buyers in Rottingdean
Rottingdean is within about 1 mile of the coast, where wind off the sea can be strong. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. In Sussex, older roofs are often handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs. 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 Moulsecoomb station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full. If your house is among the older ones in the streets near St Wulfran's Church, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Rottingdean is about 3 miles west of Telscombe, in Brighton and Hove. If you are in Rottingdean, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Our area takes in places right across Brighton and Hove, large and small.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in BN2 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. You’ll find streets such as Longhill Road, New Barn Road and Court Ord Road, and we cover them all. Other places close to Rottingdean include Ovingdean (1 mile west), Roedean (1 mile west), Saltdean (1 mile south-east), East Saltdean (2 miles south-east) and Telscombe (3 miles east). Larger places within reach include Brighton (3 miles north-west), Brighton and Hove (6 miles west), Hove (5 miles west), Carlton Hill (3 miles west), Hanover (3 miles west) and West Hill (4 miles west).
What’s near Rottingdean
Typical jobs here are in homes near Ovingdean Hall School, Our Lady of Lourdes RC School and Beacon Hill. The closest station to Rottingdean is Moulsecoomb station, about 3.2 miles north-west. Nearby you’ll also find Churchill Square (3.6 miles west) and French Convalescent Home (1.9 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Beacon Hill Local Nature Reserve and Newmarket Hill.
What we do, step by step
We will ask a few questions first, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. In a hamlet or village like Rottingdean, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Tell us about parking before the day
Booking a survey
When you are ready to go ahead, ring 07833 053749 or email us. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
Related advice
Surveys for landlords and agents in Rottingdean
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer, so they’re priced to suit.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed beforehand. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which helps when tenants work during the week.
When to book a survey in Rottingdean
Flat roofs turn up on extensions, dormers, porches and garages. A felt roof often lasts around 15 to 20 years, and ponding, blisters and splits are common signs of age. They’re easy to overlook on a viewing, especially when they’re only visible from an upper floor.
Most people get in touch after spotting one of these:
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
Royal Pavilion, about 3.2 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Rottingdean. 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.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Is VAT included in the price?
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- What happens after the report arrives
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- Roof area
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- House, block, shop or office
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all with VAT included. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
What we need to know
A little information up front helps. Please include:
- The address and postcode of the property
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email, let us know about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Questions from Rottingdean
Will you come out to Rottingdean?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Rottingdean, 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.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We do not sample or test for asbestos. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it is disturbed.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
They do different things. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Ours sits alongside a RICS survey rather than replacing it.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
Once your offer has been accepted, and before exchange. That gives you time to use the findings.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. Access is agreed with you as you book.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Only where it’s safe to do so. Much of the inspection is done from ground level, from windows and from the loft space. On Premium, a drone is used where applicable.