West Sussex · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in Portfield
Find out what’s going on with the leaking roof before you decide what to do next. Roof leak investigations in Portfield, with photos and a clear written report.
- Staining around the chimney inside
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
Roof leak investigation in Portfield
On older houses, leaks often 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 frequently turns out to be the source in heavy rain. We check parapets, valleys and flashings from every safe vantage point. The findings are recorded with photos. If you are worried about staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall and leaks below a flat extension roof, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Around Portfield, chimneys on older homes are a common source of leaks, through worn flaunching, failed pointing or lifted flashings. Damp on a chimney breast isn’t always rain from above, which is why it is worth tracing properly. It is worth looking at the stack from outside and at the timbers beside it in the loft.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, emailed to you. It explains the condition of the leaking roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Where
- Portfield (PO19, PO20, PO18)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Why act early in Portfield
Damp in a ceiling or loft can lead to mould. Once mould takes hold, it is harder to clear. Finding the leak comes first. In a smaller place like Portfield, wherever a roof is exposed, a loose ridge or flashing does not stay loose for long. Each storm lifts it a little further.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, which starts from £400, inc. VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Why book with us
- An independent look at the roof
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Photographs and a written report every time
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
FAQs for Portfield
Is my home in Portfield listed or in a conservation area?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Is the coastal weather around Portfield hard on roofs?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there is more wind, and more salt in the air. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch, and Portfield is within about 5 miles of the coast.
What do I do with the report?
We email you the written report with photos and recommendations. You can use it to talk to a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent, whichever applies.
Is thermal imaging part of a leak investigation?
Where conditions suit, it can. It works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof surface and 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.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is frequently shared, so we need permission from whoever owns or manages the building. We can only inspect what we are given access to.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
Will you definitely find the leak?
We cannot promise to find every leak on one visit. Many leave clear signs, but intermittent leaks that need particular weather can be harder. We report what we found and the likeliest sources.
Before and after the survey
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Catch drips in a bucket and protect the floor
- Don’t climb onto the roof to look
- Clear the loft hatch so we can get in
- Take dated photos of the leak
Your report arrives by email, with photos of what we found. It sets out where we believe the water is getting in, how it’s travelling and what needs attention. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Plan a roof survey every few years. They’re where most leaks start, and wear is easier to deal with before water gets in.
What we do, step by step
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. That way we can focus on what matters to you. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, and more on a big or complicated roof. A visit to Portfield is planned like any other: the time, the access and where to park are agreed beforehand. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. Tell us about any garages, outbuildings or extensions you want included.
- You pick a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey.
- We agree a date, including weekends.
- The investigation works from the stain back to the roof.
- Moisture detection and thermal imaging are used where your package includes them and they help.
- You get photos, the likely cause and clear recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Getting a price
We confirm the price for your roof before booking, so you know the cost up front. Prices start from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Signs you need a roof leak investigation in Portfield
Chimneys can let water in by several routes. Eroded pointing, cracked flaunching, failed flashings and open pots can all be responsible. The damp may appear on a chimney breast, a ceiling or in the loft.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
- Staining around the chimney inside
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
- Damp underlay across a wide area
If you run a hotel or guest house in or near Portfield, a roof problem can mean rooms out of use.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Are they insured for the work?
- Their track record with similar roofs
- What exactly goes into their report
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
What affects the price in Portfield
When we price a survey, we consider:
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- How big the roof is
- House, block, shop or office
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. The price is confirmed before booking.
Booking your survey
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- The property’s address and postcode
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
Not sure which survey you need? It is easiest to ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Nearby places to Portfield
What else we do in Portfield
Checking the roof from the ground
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That’s where a survey comes in.
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Leaks and storm damage in Portfield
The coast is about 5 miles or less from Portfield, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. In a coastal gale, rain is driven sideways into laps, verges and flashings. Historic houses like Goodwood House, about 2.5 miles north, show how far back building in the area around Portfield goes. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If you look after a building such as Portfield Primary Academy, tracing a leak on a big roof starts with where the water appears and works back. Landlords with a home close to Chichester station may find that tracing a leak quickly matters when a tenant is living with it.
Portfield is about 1 mile east of Chichester, in West Sussex. We survey roofs in Portfield and the surrounding area across London and South East England. Portfield is one of the places in West Sussex we cover for roof leak investigations. Our Portsmouth page covers surveys nearby.
We cover every part of the PO19, PO20 and PO18 postcode area for roof leak investigations. You’ll find streets like Kent Road, York Road and Spur Road, all of which we cover. Portfield is on the A259 and A285, which makes it simple to reach. We also cover Chichester (1 mile west), Westhampnett (1 mile north-east), Shopwyke (1 mile east), Maudlin (1 mile north-east) and North Mundham (2 miles south). Further out, we also cover Bognor Regis (5 miles south-east), Selsey (7 miles south), Littlehampton (10 miles east), Emsworth (8 miles west), Rustington (11 miles east) and Storrington (15 miles north-east).
Landmarks near Portfield
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Prebendal School, The East Gate Public House and Chichester High School For Girls and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Chichester station, about 0.9 miles west. A little further out are The Chichester City Museum (0.6 miles west) and Chichester Castle (0.6 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve and Stoke Down.