West Sussex · London and the South East
Ifold Roof Leak Investigation
Roof leak investigations in Ifold from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys.
- Leaks that appear only in driving rain
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
- Water marks that spread in wet weather
About our roof leak investigation in Ifold
Water is good at hiding where it gets in. It can run along a rafter, a batten or the underlay before it drips, so a ceiling stain is rarely directly below the cause. We follow it back towards where it starts. A repair aimed only at the stain can miss the cause entirely. Finding the route first lets the repair go where it’s needed. We’re often asked to look into water dripping from rafters or underlay and drips from nail tips in a cold loft, across chimney stacks, flat roof details and slate and tile slopes.
For a small place like Ifold, the inspection is the same as anywhere: the journey and access are just planned in advance. Tell us where the water shows, when it appears and anything you’ve noticed outside, plus any earlier repairs. Photographs of the stain and of the roof from outside are helpful too.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the coverings down to the gutters, with a note and a photo for each point. You’ll see the good as well as the bad.
- Location
- Ifold (RH14)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Why act early in Ifold
Lingering damp encourages mould on ceilings and walls. It is unpleasant, and it’s harder to deal with once established. Finding the leak comes first. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Ifold
- Visits on any day of the week
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
Take a look at what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
For landlords and managing agents
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, with the most urgent items set out first.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed ahead of time. We survey on weekdays and at weekends, which can make access easier.
Can I check my roof myself?
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
When to book a survey in Ifold
Valleys carry a lot of water. Worn lead, cracked linings or a build-up of leaves and moss can push water under the slates or tiles. The stain may appear well away from the valley itself.
Common reasons to book include:
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
- Wet patches on loft insulation
- Damp walls below an overflowing gutter
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near St John the Baptist, water on an older roof tends to find its way in at the lead, the valleys or the chimney.
Before you book anyone
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- What the survey won’t cover
- Their report turnaround times
- Their insurance cover
What a roof leak investigation looks like in Ifold
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. The covering and its details give the first clues when tracing where water is coming from. If your home is older, it is worth knowing whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before planning roof work. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Loxwood Primary School, a leak through a large roof is often found some distance from where the water shows inside.
Ifold is about 9 miles west of Horsham, in West Sussex. We visit Ifold as part of our work across West Sussex, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Our West Sussex coverage includes Ifold. Our Guildford page covers surveys nearby.
Here we cover the RH14 postcode area for roof leak investigations. Streets in the area include Birchwood Close, The Drive and Wildacre Close, and we cover them all. Nearby, we also carry out roof leak investigations in Loxwood (1 mile north-east), Plaistow (1 mile west), Alfold Bars (2 miles north-east), Mackerel's Common (2 miles south) and Durfold Wood (2 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Crawley (15 miles east), Horsham (9 miles east), Broadfield (14 miles east), Storrington (11 miles south), Billingshurst (5 miles south-east) and Bewbush (14 miles east).
Landmarks near Ifold
The countryside around Ifold includes Shillinglee Lake.
Common questions in Ifold
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Ifold?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Is Ifold within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, if whoever owns or manages the building agrees access. We look at the parts we’re given access to, and the report makes that clear.
How long does the visit take?
Allow roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, though a hard-to-trace leak can take longer. We’ll confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Can you trace a leak in dry weather?
In most cases, yes. Damp materials can be found without rain. For leaks that only happen in certain storms, we report the most likely routes.
What will the report tell me?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos. The most urgent items are made clear.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, so it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
How the survey works
The visit has one job: to look at the leaking roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. It typically takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, though a hard-to-trace leak can take longer. For a village or hamlet like Ifold, the journey is planned in advance: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from the loft where there’s safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- You tell us where the water appears, when, and what the weather was doing.
- Inside, we look at 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 viewpoint.
- You receive a report with the likely source, photos and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Book a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email when you’re ready.
Related advice
Nearby places to Ifold
What else we do in Ifold
Tips that help
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out:
- Keep water away from lights and sockets
- Protect furniture and flooring under the leak
- Clear the loft hatch so we can get in
- Don’t climb onto the roof to look
Standard includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, and Premium includes an in-person consultation. It is a chance to ask about anything in the report.
Look at the roof from ground level after strong winds. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Small faults dealt with quickly rarely become leaks.