East Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Tidebrook, East Sussex
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Tidebrook, from an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Tidebrook
With a written roof report, you can go back to the seller or agent with specifics. You might ask about past repairs, ask for work to be done before completion or think again about your offer. We cannot say how a seller will respond, but you will be negotiating from a clear picture rather than a hunch. It also helps you decide whether to go ahead at all. Common reasons to book are sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes and bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs, across clay and concrete tiles, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and natural slate.
Being in a small place like Tidebrook makes no difference to the inspection itself: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed beforehand. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at when you book, so the visit can be planned around them. Whether you’re buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photographs, emailed to you. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Location
- Tidebrook (TN5)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
The survey, step by step
The visit normally starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the roof space if there’s safe access. All told, expect an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Cottages and farmhouses around Tidebrook often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- 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.
- 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 the survey
- Tell us where we can park nearby
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Booking a survey
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the details.
Advice
For landlords and managing agents
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photographs included.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work.
What we can’t see
Every survey has limits, and it’s better to know them up front. Bear these in mind:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Tidebrook
Chimneys take the worst of the weather. Pointing crumbles, flaunching cracks and flashings lift. On terraced and semi-detached homes, a stack may be shared with next door, which can affect how any work is arranged.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
For landlords with property near Wadhurst station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- What insurance they carry
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
Can I check my roof myself?
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and falls from height are serious. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
How the survey changes by roof type
Natural slate
Slate is common on Victorian and Edwardian houses. We check for slipped, cracked and missing slates, and for clips or tingles that show past repairs.
Lead flashings and valleys
Many older houses have lead in their valleys and hidden gutters. Splits in a lead valley send water inside, and lead is also a target for theft.
Also near Tidebrook
More services for Tidebrook
Tidebrook homes and their roofs
If the drone is used for your survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. With Wadhurst Castle about 2.3 miles north-east, Tidebrook sits in an area with a long building history. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near The Parish Church of St John the Baptist, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Tidebrook is about 6 miles east of Crowborough, in East Sussex. Bookings from Tidebrook are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Our East Sussex coverage includes Tidebrook and the places around it. Maidstone is in our area too.
Here we cover the TN5 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. We also cover the places around Tidebrook: Rusher's Cross (1 mile south-west), Coggins Mill (1 mile south-west), Mayfield (2 miles south-west), Mark Cross (2 miles north-west) and Argos Hill (2 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Bexhill-on-Sea (15 miles south-east), Hailsham (12 miles south), Crowborough (6 miles west), Uckfield (10 miles south-west), Polegate (15 miles south) and Heathfield (5 miles south).
Around Tidebrook
We work in homes and buildings around Wadhurst Park. For rail, the closest station is Wadhurst station, about 2.4 miles north of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Ticehurst House Hospital (4.5 miles east). The countryside around Tidebrook includes Bewl Water.
Common questions in Tidebrook
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Tidebrook?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Tidebrook?
Yes, Tidebrook is within the area we cover. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just call 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the property.
What insurance do you have?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS home survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with 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.
When will the report arrive?
That depends on which survey you choose: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Let us know your timetable as you book.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. Home surveys sometimes suggest a closer look at the roof, and that’s where a roof survey helps. It does not stand in for a RICS survey.