West Sussex · London and the South East
Southwater Roof Leak Investigation
Roof leak investigations in Southwater from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and South East England.
- Damp walls below an overflowing gutter
- Damp underlay across a wide area
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
Roof by roof
Lead flashings
Water from a failed flashing can travel down the wall or along a rafter. We check every flashing that could feed the stain.
Slate and tile slopes
Cracked mortar lets ridge and hip tiles move. Water then gets in along the top of the roof.
Roof leak investigation in Southwater: what you get
Roof leaks rarely show up where you’d expect. It can run along a rafter, a batten or the underlay before it drips, so the stain on your ceiling is seldom right under the hole. We follow it back towards where it starts. Patching the spot above the stain often misses the real cause. Finding the route first lets the repair go where it’s needed. We survey rooflights and dormers, valleys and parapet gutters and lead flashings, and common reasons people get in touch are staining around the chimney inside and drips in the loft during heavy rain.
Older cottages and houses around Southwater may have roofs with little or no underlay. Once the slates or tiles let water past, there is little to stop it reaching the ceiling. Whether it is long-term wear or recent damage makes a difference to what happens next. In the loft, damp battens or wet insulation are often the first clues.
The report records the leaking roof as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, like when you want to compare after future work.
- Location
- Southwater (RH13)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Roof leak investigations in Southwater: local notes
In Sussex, older roofs are often handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. 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. Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. To find out, check Historic England’s list and ask the council about conservation areas. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent.
If you own a rental within reach of Christs Hospital station, a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer right away. If you live in an older home near Holy Innocents Church, old mortar, worn lead and slipped slates are the usual suspects when water gets in.
Southwater is about 3 miles south of Horsham, in West Sussex. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Southwater can all book roof leak investigations. Our West Sussex coverage includes Southwater and the places around it. You can also see our page for Crawley.
Surveys in RH13 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on Station Road, Walmer Close and Pevensey Road or a nearby road, we can help. We also cover the places around Southwater: Tower Hill (2 miles north), Nuthurst (2 miles east), Brooks Green (2 miles west), Barns Green (2 miles west) and Maplehurst (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Crawley (9 miles north-east), Horsham (3 miles north), Worthing (14 miles south), Haywards Heath (11 miles east), Burgess Hill (11 miles south-east) and Shoreham-by-Sea (13 miles south).
Local landmarks in Southwater
Around Southwater, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Lintot pub and The Doyle School of Design and Technology, among other places. The closest station to Southwater is Christs Hospital station, about 1.9 miles north-west. Well-known places in the area include Christs Hospital School Museum (1.5 miles north-west) and Horsham Hospital (3.2 miles north). Open spaces near Southwater include Knepp Wildland.
When you need someone else
Before you book, it is worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- A promise to find every leak on a single visit
- Leaks from plumbing, tanks or pipework rather than the roof
- Faults hidden behind ceilings or boarding
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll point you to the right survey. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in Southwater
- The roof space
- Flat roof details
- Rooflights and dormers
- Lead flashings
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Chimney stacks
- Slate and tile slopes
Your questions about roof leak investigations in Southwater
Do you cover Southwater?
Yes, Southwater is within the area we cover. We survey roofs across London and South East England. You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and some details.
How do I find out if my home in Southwater is listed?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
How many surveys have you done?
We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys, across 20+ years of surveying roofs, and 98% of clients are satisfied.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. We check everything that can be seen safely: from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the roof space, from the roof itself where safe and by drone where applicable. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
How do I arrange a roof leak investigation in Southwater?
The quickest way is to phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. Let us know the address and a little about the roof. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
What’s in the report?
It explains what we saw, what it means and what we’d suggest, backed by photos. It also says if any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, so you know exactly what was covered.
How long does the visit take?
The visit typically takes between one and two hours for a house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. We’ll confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Towns and villages near Southwater
What else we do in Southwater
Signs you need a roof leak investigation in Southwater
Many leaks begin at a flashing. Where a roof meets a chimney, a wall or a dormer, lead or mortar seals the joint. Once that seal cracks or lifts, water gets behind it.
It’s worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
- Water that shows only in certain storms
- Staining around the chimney inside
Anyone responsible for a site like Southwater Infant Academy will know that tracing a leak on a big roof starts with where the water appears and works back.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What happens after the report arrives
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- What experience they bring
- Their report turnaround times
Tips that help
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Catch drips in a bucket and protect the floor
- Record whether it leaks in every downpour or only some
- Move stored items away from the hatch
- Keep water away from lights and sockets
If there are several possible sources, we list them in order of likelihood. Recommendations are prioritised by urgency where relevant, so you know what to deal with first.
Look at the roof from ground level after strong winds. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Prompt repairs stop gaps turning into leaks.
The survey, step by step
When we arrive, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. After that, we check everything we can see safely. The survey typically takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. A visit to Southwater is planned like any other: the time, the access and where to park are agreed ahead of time. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. Let us know about any garages, outbuildings or extensions you want included.
- You tell us where the water appears, when, and what the weather was doing.
- Inside, we look at the stain and the ceiling around it.
- In the loft, we follow any signs of water back towards the roof.
- We inspect the likely entry points outside, from the ground, windows and the roof where safe.
- You receive a report with the likely source, photos and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Tell us where we can park nearby
How to book
To book a survey, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price before you book.
Read more
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.