Surrey · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in Ockley
An experienced roof surveyor for roof leak investigations in Ockley. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us.
- Leaks that appear only in driving rain
- Staining around the chimney inside
- Wet patches on loft insulation
Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in Ockley
Most roof leaks start at a joint rather than the middle of a slope. Flashings at chimneys and walls, valleys, gutters, parapets and flat roof upstands and outlets are the usual suspects. Each of these is checked in turn and we follow where the evidence leads. Every chimney, dormer and roof light adds more joints to check. We look at all of them, from every safe vantage point. Typical surveys look at water through the ceiling under a flat roof and condensation that looks like a leak, on chimney stacks, the roof space and rooflights and dormers.
Roofs in small places like Ockley often stand in the open, so storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hard. Damp in old stone, brick or timber walls is slow to dry out, so it pays to find the cause quickly. A record with photos is useful if you need to show the damage to anyone else.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, sent by email. It explains the condition of the leaking roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Place
- Ockley (RH5)
- Wider area
- Surrey
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Your questions about roof leak investigations in Ockley
Is Ockley in the area you cover?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Do you cover smaller places like Ockley?
Yes. Ockley is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We work right across London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Will you fix the leak as part of this?
This service finds and reports the cause, and the repair is separate. With the report, a roofer knows exactly where to look.
Do you use thermal imaging to find leaks?
It can, when the conditions are right. The best results come after a sunny day, on a dry roof with little wind. Wet insulation holds heat longer than dry, which can show up on the image. We always check what it shows with moisture readings.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only if it’s safe. We inspect everything that’s safely in view: from the ground, from windows, from inside the roof space, from the roof where it is safe and by drone where applicable. Anything we can’t see is noted in the report.
Do you look in the loft space?
If the survey needs it and the loft space can be reached safely, yes. Please clear anything stored under the hatch.
Why is not the leak directly above the stain?
Water rarely drops straight down. It runs along rafters, battens or underlay before it drips, so the stain may be some distance from where it gets in. We follow the route back instead of guessing.
The survey, step by step
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, and more on a big or complicated roof. If you have questions on the day, just ask. Somewhere like Ockley needs a little journey planning: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there’s safe access and from the roof where it’s safe.
- You pick a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey.
- 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.
How to prepare
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Keep pets in another room
Book a survey
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Advice
Nearby places to Ockley
What else we do in Ockley
What a survey costs
Prices vary from roof to roof, and it comes down to:
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we’ll tell you which fits.
What to let us know when you contact us
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- Access details, like a loft hatch or a shared roof
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- When you need the report by
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT. To book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Tips that help
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Note the weather when the leak shows
- Stay off ladders and the roof
- Keep a photo record of the damp patch
- Mention any plumbing above the damp area
Your report arrives by email, with photos of what we found. It explains the likely entry point, the route the water takes and our recommendations. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Have leaves and moss cleared from gutters, valleys and outlets, particularly in autumn. Many leaks start with a blocked outlet. Leave the clearing to someone with the right equipment.
Signs you need a roof leak investigation in Ockley
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.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Water that shows only in certain storms
- Stains around a skylight
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
- Damp on a chimney breast
Landlords with a home close to Ockley station may find that finding the cause of a leak fast keeps a tenant’s home dry and the work focused.
Before you book anyone
- Which limits apply to the survey
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Roof leak investigations around Ockley
Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it’s listed or in a conservation area. 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. Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls are typical of Surrey’s older houses. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old buildings in Surrey. Different coverings let water in at different points, which shapes where the search starts.
Homes near green spaces such as Wallis Wood can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn. For an older house near a landmark such as St John's Church, old mortar, worn lead and slipped slates are the usual suspects when water gets in.
Ockley is about 6 miles north of Horsham, in Surrey. Wherever you are in Ockley, we can come and survey your property. Ockley is one of the places in Surrey we cover for roof leak investigations. You can also see our page for Crawley.
Surveys in RH5 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Streets in the area include Prideaux Gardens, Stane Street and Friday Street. We also cover the places around Ockley: Paynes Green (1 mile south), Capel (2 miles east), Forest Green (2 miles north-west), Coldharbour (2 miles north) and Kingsfold (3 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Guildford (11 miles north-west), Woking (15 miles north-west), Epsom (14 miles north), Horley (9 miles east), Redhill (10 miles north-east) and Ewell (15 miles north).
Around Ockley
In Ockley, that means homes and buildings near Wallis Wood and The Cricketers Arms Public House and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Ockley station, roughly 1.2 miles east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Horsham Hospital (5.5 miles south) and Abinger Castle (4.3 miles north-west). The countryside around Ockley includes Warnham LNR and Leith Hill.
What a roof leak investigation does not cover
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Plumbing leaks that look like roof leaks
- Whether rotten timbers meet design loads
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- Rooflights and dormers
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Flat roof details
- Lead flashings
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Slate and tile slopes
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney stacks
Water that gets in at the top can show up lower down. Open, unused pots let rain fall down the flue.
Parapet and box gutters
Parapet and box gutters sit behind walls or inside the roof. A blocked outlet sends water over the lining and into the building.