East Sussex · London and the South East
Five Ash Down Roof Leak Investigation
Wondering about the leaking roof at a property in Five Ash Down? You can book a roof leak investigation in Five Ash Down and across East Sussex, with plain-English findings.
- Staining around the chimney inside
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
What we look for on each type of roof
Flat roof upstands and outlets
The upturned edge of a flat roof covering keeps water out at walls. If it’s too low, cracked or poorly dressed, water gets behind it.
Slate and tile slopes
‘Nail fatigue’ is a common cause of slipped slates. Even a single gap can let water in.
Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in Five Ash Down
On older houses, leaks frequently start at lead work and hidden gutters. Lead flashings crack or lift, valley linings wear and parapet gutters overflow when outlets block. A central valley gutter on a butterfly roof often turns out to be the source. Parapet walls and their gutters are looked at from wherever it is safe. The findings are recorded with photos. If you’re worried about water that shows only in certain storms and damp underlay across a wide area, we can find out what’s behind it.
In a village or hamlet like Five Ash Down, 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, and the difference matters, especially to an insurer. The report says what was seen and what it points to. Damp in old walls and timbers is slow to dry, so the sooner the cause is found the better.
After the visit, you get a photo-illustrated written report, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the leaking roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- Five Ash Down (TN22)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
We will ask a few questions first, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes an hour or two on an ordinary house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. In a hamlet or village like Five Ash Down, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We start with your notes and photos of the leak.
- We examine the damp area and the rooms near it.
- In the loft, we follow any signs of water back towards the roof.
- We inspect the likely entry points outside, from the ground, windows and the roof where safe.
- We email a written report showing where the water most likely gets in.
Preparing for the visit
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Tell us where we can park nearby
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
How to book
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email to find out.
Advice
Tips from our surveys
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Check whether pipes or tanks run near the stain
- Let us know what has already been tried
- Write down the wind direction and rain when it leaks
- Have an electrician check any wet fittings
If condensation is the cause, we explain it, with recommendations on ventilation. That avoids roof work that wouldn’t help.
Have leaves and moss cleared from gutters, valleys and outlets, ideally once the leaves have fallen. Many leaks start with a blocked outlet. Leave the clearing to someone with the right equipment.
Questions from Five Ash Down
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Five Ash Down?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Is Five Ash Down within the area you cover?
Yes, Five Ash Down is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning. Let us know about it when booking and we will plan the survey around it.
Will you definitely find the leak?
Not always, and we’ll be honest about that. Water can travel a long way, and some leaks only show in particular storms. If we can’t be sure, the report ranks the possible sources.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes, every report has them. Each finding is shown in a picture where possible, so you can see what we mean.
What should I do before you arrive?
Keep a note of when it leaks. Clear access to the loft. If water is near any fittings, have an electrician check them.
What does the report include?
Written findings with photos, explaining the condition of the leaking roof, any defects and our recommendations, in order of urgency where relevant. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check, and the Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies and structural analysis.
Roof leak investigations in Five Ash Down: local notes
There are about 500,000 buildings on England’s list of listed buildings, and around 10,000 conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, so check with the council. Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings, alongside oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. Each of these roof types has its own typical places for water to get in.
Take an older house close to Five Ash Down Independent Chapel: lead flashings, valleys and old chimneys are typical places for water to get in. If you look after a building such as Buxted 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.
Five Ash Down is about 2 miles north of Uckfield, in East Sussex. Surveys in Five Ash Down work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photos and a written report. Five Ash Down is one of the towns and villages in East Sussex where we work. For surveys nearby, see our Crawley page.
Roof leak investigations in TN22 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Local streets include Ashengate Way, Flaxen Fields and Olives Pit Lane, and we cover them all. We also cover the places around Five Ash Down: High Hurstwood (1 mile north-east), Fairwarp (1 mile north), Sweethaws (3 miles north-east), Crowborough (4 miles north-east) and Jarvis Brook (5 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Seaford (15 miles south), Lewes (10 miles south-west), Hailsham (11 miles south-east), Newhaven (14 miles south), Peacehaven (15 miles south) and Telscombe (15 miles south).
Landmarks near Five Ash Down
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Uckfield College, among other places. The closest station to Five Ash Down is Buxted station, roughly 1.2 miles south-east. A little further out are Tickerage Castle (2.8 miles south-east) and Uckfield Community Hospital (2.4 miles south). For a walk, there is Brickfield Meadow.
Also near Five Ash Down
Also in Five Ash Down
Signs you need a roof leak investigation in Five Ash Down
Flashings are one of the commonest sources of roof leaks. Lead or mortar closes the gap wherever a roof meets a wall, chimney or dormer. Once that seal cracks or lifts, water gets behind it, often well away from where it shows.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Leaks below a flat extension roof
- Staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall
- Leaks that appear only in driving rain
- Staining around the chimney inside
For landlords with property near Buxted station, finding the cause of a leak fast keeps a tenant’s home dry and the work focused.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- What happens after the report arrives
- Their track record with similar roofs
What a survey costs
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Roof area
We offer three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you need to know.
Booking your survey
When you call or email, these details help:
- What’s prompted the survey
- Anything about access we should know
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
If you’re buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply ring 07833 053749 or send us an email whenever suits you.
Why act early in Five Ash Down
Water damage grows the longer it is left. Wet timbers start to decay, plaster softens and insulation stops working. Tracing it now means less to put right later. Older cottages and farmhouses around Five Ash Down can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
Prices start from £150, including VAT, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, both including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before booking.
What you get with us
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- Every finding written up with photos
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Visits on any day of the week
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or our case studies.