East Sussex · London and the South East
Southover Roof Leak Investigation
A careful look at the leaking roof at your property in Southover, with photos and a written report.
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
- Wet patches on loft insulation
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
How the survey works
We work from the outside in: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the loft space where it can be reached. In total, it takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Homes around Southover often have gardens on more than one side, which gives us room to step back and see the roof. Mention any side of the property we can’t get to. The loft, where there is safe access, completes the picture.
- We help you choose the package that suits the leak.
- We agree a date, including weekends.
- We inspect inside and out, starting from the stain.
- Where it’s useful and included, we take moisture readings and use thermal imaging.
- You get photos, the likely cause and clear recommendations.
Before the survey
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Book a survey
Getting a price is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email, let us know about the property and we’ll point you to the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Related advice
Roof leak investigation in Southover: what you get
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. If your home has a butterfly roof, the central valley gutter is a common culprit. Parapet walls and their gutters are checked from wherever it’s safe. Our report shows what we found, with photos. We are often asked to look into water that shows only in certain storms and leaks below a flat extension roof, across rooflights and dormers, slate and tile slopes and chimney stacks.
Around Southover, chimneys on older homes are a common source of leaks, through worn flaunching, failed pointing or lifted flashings. Damp in a chimney breast can have more than one cause, so it is not always obvious where it starts. The stack, its flashings and the loft space beside it are all worth checking.
The report is written in plain words, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Photographs show what each point refers to, with the urgent items made clear.
- Place
- Southover (BN7, BN8)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to Southover
More services for Southover
How the survey changes by roof type
Valleys
Leaves and moss build up in valleys and hold water back. In heavy rain, it can spill under the edges of the slates or tiles.
Slate and tile slopes
On slate roofs, corroded nails let slates slip. Even a single gap can let water in, especially in driving rain.
Why it is worth a survey now in Southover
Damp loft insulation loses much of its value. Insulation can soak up water quietly before anything shows below. Catching it early limits what has to be replaced. In an older home around Southover, water from a roof defect can get into timber and plaster, and that’s a much bigger job than the original defect.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What you get with us
- Packages from £150, inc. VAT
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Plain-English reports with photos
- An independent view of the roof
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or two real surveys.
Wind, rain and roofs in Southover
Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs, and the county’s older buildings include oast houses and Wealden hall houses. Different coverings let water in at different points, which shapes where the search starts. Anne of Cleves House, about 0.2 miles south-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Southover. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If you own a rental within reach of Lewes station, a tenant living with a leak needs the cause found, not just the stain painted over. Hotels and guest houses near Southover cannot easily close rooms for a leak, so it pays to find faults before guests do. Anyone responsible for a site like Western Road Community Primary School will know that on a building that size, finding the source of a drip means looking well beyond the stain.
Southover is about 1 mile south-east of Lewes, in East Sussex. We cover Southover and the rest of East Sussex, as part of our work across London and the South East. Across East Sussex, we cover Southover. For surveys nearby, see our Brighton page.
Every address in BN7 and BN8 is covered for roof leak investigations, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Local streets include Ham Lane, New Road and Bell Lane. With the A277 and A2029 close by, Southover is easy for us to reach for roof leak investigations. Nearby, we also carry out roof leak investigations in Cliffe (1 mile north-east), Lewes (1 mile north-west), South Malling (1 mile north), Iford (2 miles south-west) and Offham (2 miles north-west). Further out, we also cover Eastbourne (13 miles south-east), Seaford (8 miles south-east), Hailsham (11 miles east), Crowborough (14 miles north-east), Uckfield (8 miles north-east) and Newhaven (6 miles south).
What’s near Southover
In Southover, that means homes and buildings near Kings Head pub, Priory School and Railway Land and the streets around them. Southover has its own railway station: Lewes station. Well-known places in the area include Lewes Castle (under half a mile north-west) and Museum of Agricultural Bygones (3.9 miles north-east). The countryside around Southover includes Cliffe Hill and Southerham Farm.
Prices for roof leak investigations in Southover
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- The roof’s overall size
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- Which survey package you book
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Booking your survey
You do not need to know any roofing terms. Just tell us:
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email to find out.
Honest limits
We only report everything that’s safely in view on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- An intermittent leak that shows no trace on the day
- Leaks from plumbing, tanks or pipework rather than the roof
- Putting the leak right
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll suggest the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Southover
- Chimney stacks
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Rooflights and dormers
- Flat roof details
- The roof space
- Slate and tile slopes
- Lead flashings
What you can safely check yourself
It helps to keep a record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us as you book, as it helps us focus the survey.
A lot can be seen from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Southover questions
Is Southover in the area you cover?
Yes, Southover is within the area we cover. Our area covers London and South East England. Just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us about the property, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Is my home in Southover 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 is worth checking before planning any.
Does the report include photographs?
Yes. The report includes photos of what we found, so you can see each point for yourself.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we’re allowed to reach, and the report makes that clear.
Does the investigation include the repair?
The investigation is about finding the cause. The repair itself is a separate job. You get a report with photos showing where the water is getting in and what needs attention.
How should I prepare for the leak investigation?
Clear the loft hatch so we can get into the roof space. Gather any photos and notes about when it leaks, and let us know about past repairs. Keep catching drips and keep water away from electrics.
Why does not the damp patch line up with the hole?
Water rarely drops straight down. It can follow a timber or the underlay a long way first, so the stain may be some distance from where it gets in. We follow the route back instead of guessing.