West Sussex · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in East Lavant
Find out what’s going on with the leaking roof before you decide what to do next. We carry out roof leak investigations in East Lavant.
- Water coming in around a roof light or dormer
- Damp underlay across a wide area
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in East Lavant
A leak that comes and goes can be the hardest to pin down. Driving rain from one direction, melting snow or a gutter that overflows in a downpour can all set it off. Telling us when it happens helps a lot, along with any photos you’ve taken. We look for the clues it leaves behind, like tide marks, stained timbers and damp underlay. Moisture readings show where materials are still wet. We survey slate and tile slopes, lead flashings and chimney stacks, and the problems we are asked to look at most are brown rings on upstairs ceilings and drips from nail tips in a cold loft.
In a village or hamlet like East Lavant, older cottages and farmhouses often have roofs that have been patched over many years. A new leak may be fresh damage or the latest sign of long-term wear, which matters if you’re thinking of an insurance claim. We check everything that’s safely in view and set out what we find. Older walls and timbers hold water for a long time, so it’s worth finding the cause soon.
We keep jargon out of it: where something needs attention, it says so plainly, and where it can wait, that’s said too.
- Where
- East Lavant (PO18)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
DIY checks: what’s safe
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
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.
What we do, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photographs as we go and make notes for the report. It typically takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, though a hard-to-trace leak can take longer. Somewhere as small as East Lavant, access is often the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- You tell us where the water appears, when, and what the weather was doing.
- Inside, we check the stain and the ceiling around it.
- In the loft, we follow any signs of water back towards the roof.
- Outside, we check flashings, valleys, chimneys, gutters and flat roof details from every safe vantage point.
- We email a written report showing where the water most likely gets in.
Before the survey
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Arrange a survey
To get a price for roof leak investigations in East Lavant, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. The address, the type of property and what you need to know help us give you an accurate price.
Advice
FAQs for East Lavant
Do you cover smaller places like East Lavant?
Yes, East Lavant is covered. Our area covers London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Is my home in East Lavant listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll explain what’s needed.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. For the rest of the building, a RICS home survey is a separate job.
How do I book a survey in East Lavant?
To book, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price and agree a day with you.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only when it’s safe. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. Safe viewpoints, the loft and a drone where it applies let us see the rest, and the report records anything we couldn’t see.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Not always. If we only need the outside, we can agree that ahead of time, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Roof leak investigations in East Lavant: local notes
With Goodwood House about 1.5 miles east, East Lavant sits in an area with a long building history. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. Different coverings let water in at different points, which shapes where the search starts.
If you look after a building such as Lavant CofE Primary School, water through a big roof can travel a long way before it drips, so the search covers more than the obvious spot. If you let a flat or house near Chichester station, a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer straight away.
East Lavant is about 2 miles north of Chichester, in West Sussex. We carry out roof leak investigations for householders, landlords and businesses in East Lavant and the surrounding area. Our West Sussex coverage includes East Lavant. Our Portsmouth page covers surveys nearby.
Every address in PO18 is within our area for roof leak investigations. We cover properties on Pook Lane, Fordwater Road and Shop Lane. Other places close to East Lavant include Mid Lavant (1 mile north-west), Westerton (2 miles south-east), Westhampnett (2 miles south-east), Waterbeach (2 miles east) and Maudlin (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Bognor Regis (7 miles south-east), Selsey (9 miles south), Littlehampton (11 miles east), Emsworth (7 miles west), Rustington (12 miles east) and Storrington (15 miles east).
Local landmarks in East Lavant
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Royal Oak Public House and Bishop Luffa School. East Lavant’s nearest station is Chichester station, roughly 2.5 miles south. A little further out are Chichester Castle (2 miles south) and The Chichester City Museum (2.1 miles south). The countryside around East Lavant includes Stoke Down and Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve.
Tips from our surveys
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Let us know if there are tanks or pipes in the loft
- Let us know about any past repairs to the roof
- Clear the loft hatch so we can get in
- Take dated photos of the leak
If there are several possible sources, we list them in order of likelihood. Recommendations are prioritised by urgency where relevant, so you know what to deal with first.
Keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, ideally once the leaves have fallen. Blocked outlets on parapet and flat roofs cause many leaks. Leave the clearing to someone with the right equipment.
Different roofs, different checks
Parapet and box gutters
Some older terraces have a butterfly roof with a valley gutter in the middle. If that gutter or its outlet fails, water can come through the top-floor ceiling.
Lead flashings
Lead flashings seal the joints at chimneys, walls and dormers. We check for lead that has lifted, split or slipped, and for flashings that have been patched with bitumen.
Also near East Lavant
Also in East Lavant
Landlord and commercial surveys in East Lavant
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Tell us about it when you book and we’ll plan the survey around it.
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 we’re asked to look at in East Lavant
Some water in the loft isn’t rain at all. Moist air from bathrooms and kitchens condenses on the cold underside of the roof, particularly where ventilation is poor. Drips from nails and damp underlay are typical signs.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
- Staining around the chimney inside
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Mary, the leak may come from a chimney, a valley or tired lead rather than the covering itself.
Questions to ask before you book
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Will the report include photos?
- Their track record with similar roofs