East Sussex · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in Etchingham
An experienced roof surveyor for roof leak investigations in Etchingham. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and the South East.
- Leaks that appear only in driving rain
- Damp ceilings under a flat roof
- Wet patches on loft insulation
How the survey works
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes between one and two hours for most homes, though a hard-to-trace leak can take longer. If you have questions on the day, just ask. Somewhere as small as Etchingham, 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 shows and when it appears.
- We check the stain, the ceiling and the loft above it.
- Outside, we look at every likely route in.
- Where it helps, we take moisture readings and use thermal imaging.
- Your report sets out where the water is most likely getting in, with photos and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Getting a price
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, so phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the details.
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Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in Etchingham
A leak that comes and goes can be the hardest to pin down. Wind-driven rain, an overflowing gutter or snow melt may be what triggers it. Notes on when it leaks, and what the weather was doing, help us, along with any photos you’ve taken. We look for the clues it leaves behind, such as tide marks, stained timbers and damp underlay. Moisture readings show where materials are still wet. Common reasons to book are water marks that spread in wet weather and condensation that looks like a leak, on slate and tile slopes, rooflights and dormers and lead flashings.
Many homes in small places like Etchingham face open ground, where storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hardest. Once water gets into older walls, it takes a long time to dry, so it pays to find the cause quickly. A record with photographs is useful if you need to show the damage to anyone else.
Findings are set out part by part, from the coverings down to the gutters. You will see the good as well as the bad.
- Location
- Etchingham (TN19)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Signs you need a roof leak investigation in Etchingham
Every flat roof covering has a working life. Felt often lasts around 15 to 20 years, and as it ages it splits, blisters and opens at the laps. Leaks often start at the edges, upstands and outlets.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
- Condensation that looks like a leak
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
Landlords with a home close to Etchingham station may find that a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer right away.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What follow-up you get after the report
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Their insurance cover
DIY checks: what’s safe
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Etchingham
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photos included.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.
Wind, rain and roofs in Etchingham
Older houses across Sussex frequently have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging on their upper walls. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs, and oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of East Sussex’s older buildings. The covering and its details give the first clues when tracing where water is coming from. About 2.8 miles south-west lies Bateman's, a reminder of how long the area around Etchingham has been built on. 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.
Anyone responsible for a site like Etchingham Church of England Primary School will know that tracing a leak on a big roof starts with where the water appears and works back. If you live in an older home near The Parish Church of St Nicholas and St Mary, old mortar, worn lead and slipped slates are the usual suspects when water gets in.
Etchingham is about 11 miles north-west of Hastings, in East Sussex. If you are in Etchingham, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Across East Sussex, we cover Etchingham. You can also see our page for Maidstone.
Postcode districts we cover here for roof leak investigations: TN19. Whether your property is on High Street, Oxenbridge Lane and Church Hill or anywhere close by, we can survey it. We also cover Burgh Hill (1 mile north-east), Hurst Green (2 miles north-east), Silver Hill (2 miles east), Cooper's Corner (2 miles north-east) and Ticehurst (3 miles north-west). Further out, we also cover Hastings (11 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (11 miles south), Hailsham (13 miles south-west), Crowborough (12 miles west), St Leonards (12 miles south-east) and Uckfield (15 miles west).
Local landmarks in Etchingham
Around Etchingham, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Robertsbridge Community College and the streets around them. Etchingham has its own railway station: Etchingham station. A little further out are Ticehurst House Hospital (3.3 miles north-west). Open spaces near Etchingham include Bewl Water.
What a roof leak investigation does not cover
It helps to know what a survey won’t do before booking:
- Leaks that only appear in weather we cannot recreate
- A structural engineer’s report
- Water from pipes, tanks or heating systems
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Rooflights and dormers
- Lead flashings
- Flat roof details
- Slate and tile slopes
Etchingham: your questions answered
Is Etchingham in the area you cover?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Etchingham as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
How do I find out if my home in Etchingham is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
What happens next?
You will get the report by email. With Standard there’s a follow-up consultation; with Premium, an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
Do I need to be at home?
It depends on what we need to see. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. We are 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.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes. Photographs are taken throughout the survey, and they go into the written report alongside our recommendations.
Could my leak actually be condensation?
Condensation can look very like a leak. Drips from nail tips, damp underlay over a wide area and poor loft ventilation point towards condensation. We check the pattern of damp and the ventilation, then say which is most likely.
Places near Etchingham
Other services in Etchingham
Prices for roof leak investigations in Etchingham
When we price a survey, we consider:
- House, block, shop or office
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- The shape of the roof and its details
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all inc. VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
What to let us know when you contact us
We will usually ask about:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- The address and postcode of the property
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
To get a price for roof leak investigations in Etchingham, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. A few details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.