West Sussex · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Donnington, West Sussex
Roof leak investigations across Donnington, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Damp patches next to the stack
- Leaks below a flat extension roof
- Drips in the loft during heavy rain
How the survey works
We photograph the roof as we go, so you can see in the report what we found and where. We take close-ups from wherever is safe. A typical visit takes an hour or two at a typical home, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Older rural homes like those around Donnington can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- You get in touch with details of the leak and any photos.
- Inside, we check the damp area and the roof space above it.
- Outside, we check 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
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
Booking a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or send us an email when you are ready.
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Roof leak investigation in Donnington: what you get
Older homes have more places for water to get in. Worn lead, tired valley linings and blocked parapet outlets are frequent causes. If your home has a butterfly roof, the central valley gutter is a common culprit in heavy rain. We check parapets, valleys and flashings from every safe vantage point. Our report shows what we found, with photos. Common reasons to book are damp underlay across a wide area and a leak that comes and goes with the weather, on rooflights and dormers, chimney stacks and lead flashings.
For a small place like Donnington, the inspection is the same as anywhere: we simply plan the journey and access ahead. It helps to know where the water appears, in what weather, and what you’ve seen outside, along with any repairs done before. If you have photos of the water coming in, they help as well.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, sent by email. It explains the condition of the leaking roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Where
- Donnington (PO20)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips from our surveys
Getting the most from a roof leak investigation starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Tips:
- Check the loft is accessible
- Check whether pipes or tanks run near the stain
- Let us know what has already been tried
- Put a bucket under the drip and move valuables
We email the report to you, with photographs of what we found. It explains the likely entry point, the route the water takes and our recommendations. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day.
Keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, especially in autumn. Blocked outlets on parapet and flat roofs cause many leaks. Leave the clearing to someone with the right equipment.
What affects the price in Donnington
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- The size of the roof
- Which survey package you book
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What to let us know when you contact us
What helps most when you contact us:
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from ground level or a window, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Roof leak investigations in Donnington: local notes
Donnington is within about 3 miles of the coast, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Driving rain off the sea can be pushed into gaps that stay dry in calmer weather, and salt air slowly wears metal fixings. With Goodwood House about 4.8 miles north-east, Donnington sits in an area with a long building history. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
The streets around a church such as The Parish Church of St George are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, leaks on older roofs often start at lead flashings, valleys or around old chimney stacks. Anyone responsible for a site like Chichester High School For Girls will know that tracing a leak on a big roof starts with where the water appears and works back. For landlords with property near Chichester station, a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer right away.
Donnington is about 2 miles south of Chichester, in West Sussex. We visit Donnington as part of our work across West Sussex, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. We cover towns and villages across West Sussex, large and small. Our Portsmouth page covers surveys nearby.
Postcode districts we cover here for roof leak investigations: PO20. Donnington sits on or near the B2201, so getting to you is simple. Other places close to Donnington include Hunston (1 mile east), North Mundham (1 mile east), Runcton (2 miles east), Chichester (2 miles north) and Portfield (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Bognor Regis (5 miles east), Selsey (5 miles south), Littlehampton (11 miles east), Emsworth (7 miles north-west), Rustington (12 miles east) and Angmering (14 miles east).
Around Donnington
Around Donnington, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Blacksmith's Arms Public House and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Chichester station, about 1.6 miles north of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Chichester Cathedral Treasury (1.8 miles north) and St Richard's Hospital (2.5 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Nutborne Marshes.
Different roofs, different checks
Parapet and box gutters
Parapet and box gutters sit behind walls or inside the roof. A blocked outlet sends water over the lining and into the building.
Lead flashings
Wherever a roof meets a wall or stack, a flashing keeps rain out. Lifted, split or slipped lead is a common cause, and for flashings that have been patched with bitumen.
Donnington questions
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Donnington?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Is the coastal weather around Donnington hard on roofs?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it typically shows.
How fast do I get the report?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. Each one is emailed, ready to forward.
Do you look in the roof space?
Where it’s relevant to the survey and there’s safe access, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps.
Will you fix the leak as part of this?
This service finds and reports the cause, not to carry out the repair. With the report, a roofer knows exactly where to look.
Is Donnington in your area?
Yes. Donnington is part of the area we cover, and the service is the same as everywhere else we work.
Why is the stain in a different place from the leak?
Rain that gets in will run along whatever it lands on. On a flat roof it can travel under the covering before it shows. Following that route is what our investigation does.
Why get it checked now?
A leak that returns after a repair normally means the real source wasn’t found. A careful investigation looks at every likely route, not just the obvious one. That’s often what breaks the cycle. Older cottages and farmhouses around Donnington can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it’s left.
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package you pick makes a difference too. The price is always agreed first.
Why us?
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- An independent view of the roof
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- 98% customer satisfaction
For landlords and managing agents
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. We survey on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when tenants work during the week.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, with the report sent to whoever needs it. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.