East Sussex · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Cliffe, East Sussex
Need a roof leak investigation in Cliffe? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Water that shows only in certain storms
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in Cliffe
On older houses, leaks often start at lead work and hidden gutters. Lead flashings crack or lift, valley linings wear and parapet gutters overflow when outlets block. If your home has a butterfly roof, the central valley gutter is a common culprit. We check parapets, valleys and flashings from every safe vantage point. Our report shows what we found, with photos. If you’re worried about wet patches on loft insulation and drips from nail tips in a cold loft, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
In older homes around places like Cliffe, the underlay may be old bitumen felt, or there may be none at all. Once the slates or tiles let water past, there’s little to stop it reaching the ceiling. Finding where it gets in, and whether it’s old wear or new damage, decides what comes next. In the loft, damp battens or wet insulation are frequently the first clues.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Where
- Cliffe (BN7, BN8)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What affects the price in Cliffe
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before booking. This is what makes a difference:
- Height and safe access
- The roof’s overall size
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Which survey package you book
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
What we need to know
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It helps to include:
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
- What’s prompted the survey
Getting a price 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.
What happens if roof problems are left?
A small drip today can be a bigger leak after the next storm. Wind lifts loose slates further and gaps widen. Tracing it now lets you plan the work rather than react to it. On a bungalow or cottage around Cliffe, the roof sits close to the rooms below, so water can show inside quickly once it gets past the covering. Catching the cause first saves redecorating as well.
All our prices include VAT. Prices start from £150, including VAT. You will know the price for your roof before booking.
Why us?
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Drones and thermal imaging where applicable
- Photographs and a written report every time
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
Do you need a roof leak investigation in Cliffe?
Some water in the loft isn’t rain at all. Warm, moist air from the house rises into a cold roof space and condenses, particularly where ventilation is poor. Wet nail tips and damp underlay over a wide area are classic signs.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Staining around the chimney inside
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
- Damp walls below an overflowing gutter
If you run a hotel or guest house in or near Cliffe, a roof problem can mean rooms out of use, so it’s worth knowing the roof’s condition.
Before you book anyone
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- What exactly goes into their report
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
Can I check my roof myself?
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry.
A lot can be seen from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Common questions in Cliffe
How do I find out if my home in Cliffe 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, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Is Cliffe within the area you cover?
Yes, Cliffe is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
How do I arrange a roof leak investigation in Cliffe?
It is easiest to call 07833 053749 or send us an email. Give us the address and some details about the roof, and we’ll suggest the right survey. Surveys run seven days a week.
How experienced are you?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years, across London and South East England.
Can every leak be traced?
Not always, and we’ll be honest about that. Some leaks hide well, especially those that need wind-driven rain. Where the source isn’t certain, we list the likely routes in order.
Is thermal imaging part of a leak investigation?
We use thermal imaging where it helps, and it’s part of the Premium Survey. It picks up temperature patterns rather than water, so we confirm its findings with moisture readings.
Does the investigation include the repair?
A leak investigation finds and reports the likely source. The repair is not part of it. You get a report with photos showing where the water is getting in and what needs attention, which whoever carries out the work can follow.
When you need someone else
It’s a careful look at the leaking roof, not the whole story. Its limits include:
- Leaks from plumbing, tanks or pipework rather than the roof
- An intermittent leak that shows no trace on the day
- The repair itself (the investigation finds and reports the cause)
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll tell you before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in Cliffe
- Rooflights and dormers
- Slate and tile slopes
- Lead flashings
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Flat roof details
Places near Cliffe
Other services in Cliffe
The survey, step by step
The visit typically starts outside and finishes in the loft: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the loft space where it can be reached. In total, it takes roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, or half a day or so for a commercial building. For a survey in Cliffe, we agree the time, the access and parking before the day. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. If there are outbuildings or garages you want looked at, mention them.
- You tell us where the water shows and when it appears.
- Inside, we check the damp area and the roof space above it.
- Outside, we look at every likely route in.
- We use moisture detection, and thermal imaging where it is useful.
- Your report sets out where the water is most likely getting in, with photos and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Arrange a survey
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know where you stand. Our price is from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Advice
Cliffe roofs and the weather
Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings, alongside oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. Different coverings let water in at different points, which shapes where the search starts. About 0.7 miles south-west lies Anne of Cleves House, a reminder of how long the area around Cliffe has been built on. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If you own a rental within reach of Lewes station, a tenant living with a leak needs the cause found, not just the stain painted over. If you look after a building like Priory School, tracing a leak on a big roof starts with where the water appears and works back.
Cliffe is about 1 mile east of Lewes, in East Sussex. Cliffe gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photos and a written report. Cliffe is one of the towns and villages in East Sussex we cover for roof leak investigations. You can also see our page for Brighton.
Every address in BN7 and BN8 is within our area for roof leak investigations. We cover properties on Ham Lane, New Road and Court Road. You will find Cliffe on the A26, so it’s easy for us to get to. We also cover the places around Cliffe: Southover (1 mile south-west), South Malling (1 mile north-west), Lewes (1 mile west), Hamsey (2 miles north) and Offham (2 miles north-west). Larger places within reach include Eastbourne (13 miles south-east), Seaford (8 miles south-east), Hailsham (10 miles east), Crowborough (14 miles north-east), Uckfield (7 miles north-east) and Newhaven (6 miles south).
Landmarks near Cliffe
Around Cliffe, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Gardeners Arms, Railway Land and Lewes Old Grammar School. Cliffe has its own railway station: Lewes station. Other landmarks nearby include Lewes Castle (0.5 miles west) and Lewes Victoria Hospital (1.1 miles west). Open spaces near Cliffe include Cliffe Hill and Malling Down.