West Sussex · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Saddlescombe, West Sussex
Wondering about the leaking roof at a property in Saddlescombe? You can book a roof leak investigation in Saddlescombe and across West Sussex, with plain-English findings.
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
- Water that shows only in certain storms
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
Landlords, agents and block managers in Saddlescombe
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.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work around your tenants.
About our roof leak investigation in Saddlescombe
Some ‘leaks’ aren’t leaks at all. In a badly ventilated roof space, condensation can form under the roof and drip, and the stains look much like a leak. Knowing which it is means the right fix can be done, since the cure for one will not solve the other. We look at the pattern of damp, the weather and the ventilation before reaching a view. We survey the roof space, rooflights and dormers and chimney stacks, and common reasons people get in touch are wet patches on loft insulation and stains around a skylight.
Somewhere as small as Saddlescombe, older roofs have frequently been repaired many times. A new leak may be fresh damage or the latest sign of long-term wear, and the difference matters, particularly to an insurer. We look at what can be seen safely and set out what we find. Older walls and timbers hold water for a long time, so it is worth finding the cause soon.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Saddlescombe (BN45)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Wind, rain and roofs in Saddlescombe
The coast is about 4 miles or less from Saddlescombe, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. In a coastal gale, rain is driven sideways into laps, verges and flashings, while salt slowly corrodes metal fixings and flashings. With Portslade Manor about 3.3 miles south, Saddlescombe sits in an area with a long building history. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters.
Homes near green spaces such as Waterhall can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls. For landlords with property near Hassocks station, a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer right away.
Saddlescombe is about 4 miles north of Brighton and Hove, in West Sussex. We carry out roof leak investigations in Saddlescombe for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex, large and small.
Surveys in BN45 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We also cover Pyecombe (1 mile north-east), Waterhall (2 miles south-east), Westdene (2 miles south-east), Patcham (3 miles south-east) and West Blatchington (3 miles south). We also work in nearby towns such as Crawley (15 miles north), Horsham (13 miles north-west), Worthing (10 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (9 miles north-east), Burgess Hill (6 miles north-east) and Shoreham-by-Sea (5 miles south-west).
Local landmarks in Saddlescombe
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Waterhall and Royal Oak pub. The nearest railway station is Hassocks station, about 3.2 miles north-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Montefiore Hospital (4.3 miles south-east) and Clayton Castle (2.5 miles north-east). For a walk, there is Wolstonbury Hill and Ladies Mile.
Saddlescombe: your questions answered
Is my home in Saddlescombe listed or in a conservation area?
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 Saddlescombe within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
How experienced are you?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
How long will you be at the property?
Allow about 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.
What should I do before you arrive?
Keep a note of when it leaks. Move stored items away from the loft hatch. Keep away from any light or socket that water is reaching.
Why isn’t the leak directly above the stain?
Water follows the easiest path, not the shortest. On a flat roof it can travel under the covering before it shows. Following that route is what our investigation does.
How much is a survey?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before you book, based on the roof’s size, access and package. For a price, call 07833 053749 or email us.
What a survey costs
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- The roof’s overall size
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
To find out what your survey will cost, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a few details. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Getting in touch
Here’s what helps us most when you contact us:
- Anything about access we should know
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- Where the property is, with the postcode
We survey roofs on any day of the week. To arrange a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and the days you’d prefer.
What happens on the day
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes about one to two hours for most homes, though a hard-to-trace leak can take longer. If you have questions on the day, just ask. Somewhere like Saddlescombe needs a little journey planning: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect everything that’s safely in view, inside and out.
- 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.
- Outside, we check flashings, valleys, chimneys, gutters and flat roof details from each safe vantage point.
- We email a written report showing where the water most likely gets in.
How to prepare
- Find any records of previous roof work
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Arrange a survey
When you’re ready to go ahead, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
Related advice
Towns and villages near Saddlescombe
Also in Saddlescombe
Leave it or get it looked at?
If a leak has been ‘fixed’ before and has come back, the cause was probably missed. A careful investigation looks at every likely route, not just the obvious one. It gives the next repair a far better chance. Older cottages and farmhouses around Saddlescombe 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.
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. Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Saddlescombe
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Package prices that include VAT
- Drones and thermal imaging where applicable
See what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
Signs you need a roof leak investigation in Saddlescombe
A roof valley collects the rain from two slopes. 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.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Damp on a chimney breast
- Stains around a skylight
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near The Church of the Holy Trinity, old mortar, worn lead and slipped slates are the usual suspects when water gets in.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- What exactly goes into their report
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- What follow-up you get after the report
What this survey cannot tell you
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- What’s under the covering or behind the plaster
- Leaks that only appear in weather we can’t recreate
- Leaks from plumbing, tanks or pipework rather than the roof
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Saddlescombe
- Flat roof details
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Slate and tile slopes
- Rooflights and dormers
- The roof space