Brighton and Hove · London and the South East
East Saltdean Roof Leak Investigation
Find out the condition of the leaking roof at your property in East Saltdean from an independent roof surveyor. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Damp ceilings under a flat roof
- Wet patches on loft insulation
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
Tips from our surveys
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Keep water away from lights and sockets
- Catch drips in a bucket and protect the floor
- Don’t climb onto the roof to look
- Move stored items away from the hatch
Standard includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, and Premium includes an in-person consultation. It’s a chance to ask about anything in the report.
Have flashings and flat roofs looked at every few years. Flashings, valleys and flat roof details are frequent weak points, and wear is easier to deal with before water gets in.
Roof leak investigation in East Saltdean
Water is good at hiding where it gets in. It can run along a rafter, a batten or the underlay before it drips, so the stain on your ceiling is seldom right under the hole. Our leak investigation traces it back. Patching the spot above the stain often misses the real cause. Finding the route first lets the repair go where it is needed. We survey flat roof details, valleys and parapet gutters and lead flashings, and common reasons people get in touch are damp on a chimney breast and staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall.
Older cottages and houses around East Saltdean may have roofs with little or no underlay. Without a sound underlay, any gap in the coverings lets water straight through. Finding where it gets in, and whether it is old wear or new damage, decides what comes next. In the loft, damp battens or wet insulation are often the first clues.
You receive the findings by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Place
- East Saltdean (BN2)
- Wider area
- Brighton and Hove
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Can I check my roof myself?
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Roof by 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.
Valleys
Debris in a valley slows the water and pushes it sideways. In heavy rain, it can spill under the edges of the slates or tiles.
Questions from East Saltdean
Is the coastal weather around East Saltdean hard on roofs?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there’s more wind, and more salt in the air. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it usually shows, and East Saltdean is within about 1 mile of the coast.
Is East Saltdean within the area you cover?
Yes. East Saltdean is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not always. Safety comes first, and fragile or steep roofs cannot always be walked on. We use safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where applicable.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing aren’t part of what we do. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, like cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings.
Will you photograph what you find?
Yes. Photographs are part of every report, so you can see exactly what each finding refers to.
What this survey cannot tell you
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Leaks from plumbing, tanks or pipework rather than the roof
- A promise to find every leak on a single visit
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney stacks
- Slate and tile slopes
- The roof space
- Flat roof details
- Rooflights and dormers
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Lead flashings
East Saltdean roofs and the weather
The coast is about 1 mile or less from East Saltdean, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Strong wind lifts anything already loose, and driving rain gets in wherever it can, and salt air slowly wears metal fixings. Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs. Where water gets in depends a good deal on what the roof is made of and how it’s detailed.
Homes near green spaces such as Beacon Hill can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls. If you live in an older home near St Nicholas, lead flashings, valleys and old chimneys are typical places for water to get in.
East Saltdean is about 4 miles west of Newhaven, in Brighton and Hove. Bookings from East Saltdean are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. East Saltdean is one of the places in Brighton and Hove we cover for roof leak investigations.
Surveys in BN2 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. You’ll find streets such as Wicklands Avenue, Oaklands Avenue and Brambletyne Avenue. We also cover the places around East Saltdean: Saltdean (1 mile west), Telscombe (1 mile east), Rottingdean (2 miles north-west), Ovingdean (2 miles north-west) and Rodmell (3 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Brighton (5 miles north-west), Brighton and Hove (7 miles west), Hove (7 miles west), Carlton Hill (5 miles west), Hanover (5 miles north-west) and West Hill (5 miles west).
Local landmarks in East Saltdean
We work in homes and buildings around Beacon Hill, Smugglers Rest pub and Peacehaven Community School and the streets around them. The closest station to East Saltdean is Southease station, about 3.3 miles north-east of the centre. A little further out are French Convalescent Home (3.5 miles west) and Planet Earth Museum (3.7 miles east). Not far away are Newmarket Hill and Beacon Hill Local Nature Reserve.
When to book a survey in East Saltdean
Every flat roof covering has a working life. A felt roof often lasts around 15 to 20 years, and splits, blisters and lifting laps let water in. Leaks frequently start at the edges, upstands and outlets.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Damp on a chimney breast
- Damp underlay across a wide area
- Wet patches on loft insulation
- Staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall
If you let a flat or house near Southease station, a tenant living with a leak needs the cause found, not just the stain painted over.
Before booking anyone
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
Places near East Saltdean
Also in East Saltdean
The survey, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photographs as we go and record our findings for the written report. It normally takes between one and two hours for most houses, and longer for a large or complex roof. A visit to a smaller place like East Saltdean is no different on the day: we look from the ground, from windows, from the loft and from the roof where it is safe. Point out any stains, cracks or loose pieces you’ve spotted.
- We help you choose the package that suits the leak.
- We agree a date, including weekends.
- We inspect inside and out, starting from the stain.
- Moisture detection and thermal imaging are used where your package includes them and they help.
- The report explains the likely entry point and what needs attention.
Getting ready for the survey
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
Arrange a survey
If you’re buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or send us an email whenever suits you.