East Sussex · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in Alfriston
Roof leak investigations across Alfriston, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Drips in the loft during heavy rain
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
- Staining around the chimney inside
About our roof leak investigation in Alfriston
On a flat roof, water can travel a long way under the covering. Splits, blisters, failed laps, worn upstands and blocked outlets are common causes. Ponding water makes any weakness worse. We check the roof surface and the ceiling below to narrow it down. Leaks under flat extension, garage and dormer roofs are common. Felt frequently lasts around 15 to 20 years, so age is part of the picture. Typical surveys look at stains around a skylight and drips from nail tips in a cold loft, on the roof space, lead flashings and valleys and parapet gutters.
Many homes in small places like Alfriston face open ground, so storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hard. Once water gets into older walls, it takes a long time to dry, which makes finding the cause quickly worthwhile. A record with photographs is useful if you need to show the damage to anyone else.
It isn’t only a list of defects. 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
- Alfriston (BN26)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
Flat roof upstands and outlets
Upstands seal the edge of a flat roof where it meets a wall. A low or cracked upstand is a common way in.
Chimney stacks
A stack has several possible ways in for rain. We check each one as far as we can safely see, and look for damp on the breast inside.
What a survey costs
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- House, block, shop or office
All our prices include VAT. Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT. You will know the price for your survey before booking.
What we need to know
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It helps to include:
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
To book a survey, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We’ll confirm the price before you book.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Alfriston
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work with less disruption.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
What you can safely check yourself
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
How it works
The visit usually starts outside and finishes in the loft: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the roof space where it can be reached. All told, expect about one to two hours, more where the leak is intermittent or the roof is large. Around Alfriston, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it’s useful to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it’s safe.
- We start with what you’ve seen: where the stain is and when it gets worse.
- The visit starts indoors, at the stain and in the loft.
- Outside, we look at every likely route in.
- Where it helps, we take moisture readings and use thermal imaging.
- We email a report with photographs, the likely entry point and recommendations.
Before the survey
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
How to book
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
Common roof problems in Alfriston
A gutter that overflows can soak a wall and mark the ceiling inside. Hidden gutters behind parapets cause the most trouble, since a blocked outlet sends water over the lining and into the building.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
- Damp on a chimney breast
Anyone responsible for a site like Alfriston School will know that on a building that size, finding the source of a drip means looking well beyond the stain.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- What experience they bring
FAQs for Alfriston
Is the coastal weather around Alfriston hard on roofs?
Often, yes. Within about 4 miles of the sea, as Alfriston is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
How do I find out if my home in Alfriston is listed?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Can every leak be traced?
Not every leak can be pinned down in a single visit. Most leave clues we can follow, but intermittent leaks that need particular weather can be harder. The report sets out what we found and the most likely routes.
What happens after the survey?
You’ll receive the report by email, and what you do next is up to you: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Our three packages are Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, including VAT.
How long will you be at the property?
Allow about 1–2 hours for a house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. We will confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Do you cover Alfriston for roof leak investigations?
Yes. Alfriston is part of the area we cover.
Alfriston roofs and the weather
Alfriston is within about 4 miles of the coast, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Driving rain off the sea can be pushed into gaps that stay dry in calmer weather, while salt slowly corrodes metal fixings and flashings. With Alfriston Clergy House about 0.2 miles south-east, Alfriston sits in an area with a long building history. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
Landlords with a home close to Berwick (Sussex) station may find that a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer right away. Take an older house close to Church of St. Andrew: old mortar, worn lead and slipped slates are the usual suspects when water gets in.
Alfriston is about 3 miles north-east of Seaford, in East Sussex. Roofs in Alfriston get the same thorough look as anywhere else in East Sussex. Across East Sussex, we cover Alfriston and the places around it. There is also a page for Brighton.
Surveys in BN26 are booked the same way as anywhere else. That includes homes and businesses on High Street, Ropewalk and West Street and the roads around them. We also cover Winton (1 mile north), Lullington (1 mile south-east), Dukes Green (1 mile south), Milton Street (1 mile north-east) and Alciston (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Eastbourne (6 miles east), Bexhill-on-Sea (14 miles east), Seaford (3 miles south-west), Lewes (8 miles north-west), Hailsham (6 miles north-east) and Uckfield (11 miles north).
Landmarks near Alfriston
Around Alfriston, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Ye Olde Smugglers Inn, among other places. The nearest railway station is Berwick (Sussex) station, about 2.2 miles north of the centre. A little further out are Old Forge Museum (Alfriston) (less than half a mile north-east) and Chailey Heritage Marine Hospital (4.2 miles south-west). Open spaces near Alfriston include Firle Beacon.