West Sussex · London and the South East
Sidlesham Roof Leak Investigation
Tracing where water is getting into your roof around Sidlesham, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Water marks that spread in wet weather
- Wet patches on loft insulation
- Stains around a skylight
How a roof leak investigation works in Sidlesham
The aim is to find where the water is getting in and explain it. You get a photo-illustrated written report showing the likely entry point and the route the water is taking, plus recommendations on what needs attention. Whoever does the work then has a clear starting point. The investigation finds and explains the cause, and the repair itself is a separate job. If you’ve noticed water dripping from rafters or underlay and ceiling stains that grow after rain, we can find out what’s behind it.
Many homes in small places like Sidlesham face open ground, so storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hard. Once water gets into older walls, it takes a long time to dry, which makes finding the cause quickly worthwhile. A record with photos is useful if you need to show the damage to anyone else.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Location
- Sidlesham (PO20)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Do you need a roof leak investigation in Sidlesham?
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.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
- Damp underlay across a wide area
- Water coming in around a roof light or dormer
- Drips in the loft during heavy rain
If you own a rental within reach of Chichester station, tracing a leak quickly matters when a tenant is living with it.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- Are they insured for the work?
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Leaks and storm damage in Sidlesham
The coast is about 1 mile or less from Sidlesham, 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, while salt slowly corrodes metal fixings and flashings. Older houses across Sussex often have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging on their upper walls. 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.
The streets around a church like St Mary Our Lady Sidlesham are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, leaks on older roofs often start at lead flashings, valleys or around old chimney stacks. If you look after a building like Sidlesham Primary School, on a building that size, finding the source of a drip means looking well beyond the stain.
Sidlesham is about 3 miles north of Selsey, in West Sussex. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Sidlesham can all book roof leak investigations. Across West Sussex, we cover Sidlesham. Portsmouth is in our area too.
Surveys in PO20 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Whether your property is on Rookery Lane, Selsey Road and Manhood Lane or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Being close to the B2145, Sidlesham is easy for us to reach. If you’re just outside Sidlesham, we cover Keynor Estate (1 mile south-west), Street End (1 mile north), Sidlesham Common (1 mile north), Fisher (2 miles north-east) and Church Norton (2 miles south). Further out, we also cover Bognor Regis (4 miles east), Chichester (4 miles north), Selsey (3 miles south), Littlehampton (11 miles east), Emsworth (8 miles north-west) and Rustington (12 miles east).
Around Sidlesham
For rail, the closest station is Chichester station, about 3.9 miles north. Well-known places in the area include St Richard's Hospital (4.7 miles north) and Chichester Castle (4.4 miles north).
Sidlesham questions
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Sidlesham?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it usually shows, and Sidlesham is within about 1 mile of the coast.
Will you come out to Sidlesham?
Yes, Sidlesham is covered. Our area covers London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Let us know which days suit you when booking.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
We are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
How do you tell a leak from condensation?
It’s a common question. Leaks tend to follow wet weather and show in one place, while condensation is often spread out and worse in cold weather. We tell you which it is most likely to be.
Will you definitely find the leak?
Not always, and we will 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.
Also near Sidlesham
More services for Sidlesham
The survey, step by step
We photograph the roof as we go, so the report shows exactly what we saw. We take close-ups from wherever is safe. A typical visit takes about 1–2 hours at most homes, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Cottages and farmhouses around Sidlesham often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can be seen safely.
- 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 every safe vantage point.
- You receive a report with the likely source, photos and recommendations.
How to prepare
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
Arrange a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Advice
Useful tips for Sidlesham property owners
Most of what helps is simple and safe from ground level. Our suggestions:
- Check whether pipes or tanks run near the stain
- Don’t climb onto the roof to look
- Catch drips in a bucket and protect the floor
- Keep a photo record of the damp patch
Where we find more than one possible route, we say which is most likely and why. Recommendations are prioritised by urgency where relevant.
Don’t block the vents at the eaves. Air movement keeps condensation down, which is often mistaken for a leak. Make sure insulation does not block airflow at the eaves.
What a survey costs
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. The main factors are:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. The price is always agreed first.
What we need to know
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
What a roof leak investigation doesn’t cover
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- Leaks from plumbing, tanks or pipework rather than the roof
- A structural engineer’s report
- What’s under the covering or behind the plaster
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Slate and tile slopes
- Flat roof details
- Lead flashings
- Rooflights and dormers
What you can safely check yourself
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.