West Sussex · London and the South East
Coates Roof Leak Investigation
Roof leak investigations in Coates, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Damp walls below an overflowing gutter
- Stains around a skylight
- Damp patches next to the stack
Why get it checked now?
If a leak has been ‘fixed’ before and has come back, the cause was probably missed. A careful investigation looks at every likely route, not just the obvious one. It gives the next repair a far better chance. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Coates, driving rain gets into any weakness, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT.
Why book us in Coates
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Clear package prices, including VAT
- An independent view of the roof
- Over 20 years’ experience
Read our cost guide and our case studies.
How a roof leak investigation works in Coates
Our job is to find the likely source and tell you. The report shows, with photos, where we believe the water gets in and how it travels, and recommends what should be done. It gives any roofer a clear brief. The investigation finds and explains the cause, and the repair itself is a separate job. If you’ve noticed water through the ceiling under a flat roof and drips in the loft during heavy rain, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Many homes in small places like Coates face open ground, so storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hard. Damp in old stone, brick or timber walls is slow to dry out, so it pays to find the cause quickly. A written record also helps if you need to explain it to anyone else.
Report times depend on the survey you book: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Where
- Coates (RH20)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. It usually takes between one and two hours for most houses, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Somewhere like Coates needs a little journey planning: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- We help you choose the package that suits the leak.
- A visit is booked for a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The investigation works from the stain back to the roof.
- Where it is useful and included, we take moisture readings and use thermal imaging.
- You get photos, the likely cause and clear recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Book a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will explain the options and the price.
Related advice
Leaks and storm damage in Coates
About 2.1 miles south lies Bignor Roman Villa, a reminder of how long the area around Coates has been built on. 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. In Sussex, older roofs are often handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. Different coverings let water in at different points, which shapes where the search starts.
If you let a flat or house near Pulborough station, tracing a leak quickly matters when a tenant is living with it. Take an older house close to Church of St Agatha: old mortar, worn lead and slipped slates are the usual suspects when water gets in. If you look after a building like Fittleworth CofE Village School, water through a big roof can travel a long way before it drips, so the search covers more than the obvious spot.
Coates is about 10 miles north of Littlehampton, in West Sussex. In Coates, as across West Sussex, every roof gets the same careful survey. We cover towns and villages across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. We also survey roofs in Crawley.
Postcode districts we cover here for roof leak investigations: RH20. Nearby, we also carry out roof leak investigations in Lower Horncroft (1 mile east), Fittleworth (1 mile north-east), Bedham (1 mile north-east), Watersfield (2 miles south-east) and Coldwaltham (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Horsham (14 miles north-east), Worthing (12 miles south-east), Bognor Regis (12 miles south-west), Chichester (12 miles south-west), Littlehampton (10 miles south) and Lancing (14 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Coates
In Coates, that means homes and buildings near The Swan Hotel, among other places. The closest station to Coates is Pulborough station, roughly 2.7 miles east. Well-known places in the area include Coates Castle (0.5 miles south-west) and Coultershaw Heritage Site (2 miles north-west). Not far away are Bignor Hill and Amberley Wild Brooks.
Tips from our surveys
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Catch drips in a bucket and protect the floor
- Mention any plumbing above the damp area
- Clear the loft hatch so we can get in
- Stay off ladders and the roof
Keep the report after the work is done. If the leak returns, it’s a useful record of what was found, which makes the next step quicker.
Check the loft after heavy rain, with care and a good torch. Watch for water marks, wet underlay and damp wood. Take photos of anything that changes.
Towns and villages near Coates
Other services in Coates
Your questions about roof leak investigations in Coates
Is Coates in the area you cover?
Yes, Coates is within the area we cover. Our area covers London and South East England. You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and some details.
Is my home in Coates listed or in a conservation area?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Does someone need to be in?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. Access is agreed with you when you book.
Do you look in the roof space?
If there is a loft and safe access to it, yes. From inside, the underside of the roof often shows damp, staining or daylight that can’t be seen from outside.
How should I prepare for the leak investigation?
Note when the leak appears and what the weather was doing, and take photos. Clear access to the loft. Keep away from any light or socket that water is reaching.
Is it a leak or condensation?
Condensation can look very like a leak. Widespread damp on the underside of the roof in cold weather, with blocked vents, suggests condensation. We check the pattern, take moisture readings and tell you which is more likely.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is frequently shared, so we need permission from whoever owns or manages the building. We inspect only the parts we are allowed to reach.
What you can safely check yourself
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
You can learn a lot from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Coates
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out by urgency where it matters, which helps with budgets and planning.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, with the most urgent items set out first.
When you need someone else
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Plumbing leaks that look like roof leaks
- Carrying out the fix
- Whether rotten timbers meet design loads
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Coates
- Lead flashings
- Rooflights and dormers
- Slate and tile slopes
- Flat roof details
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Valleys and parapet gutters