West Sussex · London and the South East
Streat Roof Leak Investigation
A careful look at the leaking roof at your property in Streat, and put it all in a photo-illustrated written report.
- Wet patches on loft insulation
- Water coming in around a roof light or dormer
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
About our roof leak investigation in Streat
Leaks tend to begin where one part of a roof meets another. Common entry points include chimney and wall flashings, valleys, parapet and box gutters, and the upstands and outlets on flat roofs. Each of these is checked in turn and we follow where the evidence leads. Chimneys, dormers and roof lights each add joints of their own. Each one is looked at from wherever it is safe to see it. If you’ve noticed brown rings on upstairs ceilings and water coming in around a roof light or dormer, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Many homes in small places like Streat face open ground, where storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hardest. Damp in old stone, brick or timber walls is slow to dry out, so it pays to find the cause quickly. A written record also helps if you need to explain it to anyone else.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Where
- Streat (BN6, BN7)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Streat
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Streat?
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.
Do you cover smaller places like Streat?
Yes, Streat is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only if it’s safe. We check everything that can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the roof space, from the roof itself where safe and by drone where it applies. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
How long does a roof leak investigation take?
Allow about one to two hours on an ordinary house, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. We will give you an idea of timing when you book.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, like cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them, and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
What will the report tell me?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos, and ends with what we recommend. Points are put by urgency where it matters.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. It is a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
A lot can be seen from ground level. 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.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, which helps when we check the roof.
What we do, step by step
We do not take risks to get a closer look. We inspect what can safely be seen, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. The survey normally takes roughly 1–2 hours, more where the leak is intermittent or the roof is large. Older rural homes like those around Streat can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- 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.
- The report explains the likely entry point and what needs attention.
Before the survey
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Let us know about parking near the property
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Booking a survey
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 will explain the options and the price.
Advice
Honest limits
A survey is a close look at the leaking roof, but it can’t do everything. The main limits are:
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
- Putting the leak right
- A promise to find every leak on a single visit
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
What we check
- Flat roof details
- Slate and tile slopes
- Lead flashings
- Chimney stacks
- Rooflights and dormers
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- The roof space
Towns and villages near Streat
Other services in Streat
What happens if roof problems are left?
Wet insulation does not insulate well. A slow leak can soak it for months before a stain appears. The sooner the cause is found, the less needs replacing. For older village homes like those around Streat, the right replacement materials are not always easy to find quickly. That is one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
We offer three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, all inc. VAT. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Streat
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Prices that include VAT
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Every finding written up with photos
Read our cost guide and our case studies.
Roof by roof
Flat roof upstands and outlets
Flat roof water can travel under the covering before it shows. Where conditions allow, moisture readings and thermal imaging help narrow it down.
Valleys
Valleys collect water from two roof slopes. Worn or split linings and slipped valley tiles let it under the coverings.
Signs you need a roof leak investigation in Streat
Some water in the loft is not rain at all. Warm, moist air from the house rises into a cold roof space and condenses, particularly in lofts with blocked eaves. Drips from nails and damp underlay are typical signs.
Here are some of the things we see frequently:
- Stains around a skylight
- Staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall
- Damp underlay across a wide area
- Damp on a chimney breast
Landlords with a home close to Plumpton station may find that tracing a leak quickly matters when a tenant is living with it.
Before booking anyone
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Is VAT included in the price?
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
What a roof leak investigation looks like in Streat
In Sussex, older roofs are frequently handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. Knowing the roof type helps narrow down where water may be getting in. Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it’s listed or in a conservation area. Listed building consent covers changes to a listed building’s special interest, and an Article 4 direction can bring extra controls in a conservation area.
For an older house near a landmark such as Streat Church, the leak may come from a chimney, a valley or tired lead rather than the covering itself. Take a building like Plumpton Primary School: a leak through a large roof is often found some distance from where the water shows inside.
Streat is about 3 miles south-east of Burgess Hill, in West Sussex. Surveys in Streat work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful look at what can be seen safely, photographs and a clear written report. Across West Sussex, we cover Streat. Brighton is in our area too.
Surveys in BN6 and BN7 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Nearby, we also carry out roof leak investigations in Plumpton (1 mile south-east), Plumpton Green (1 mile north-east), East Chiltington (1 mile east), Ditchling Common (2 miles north) and Chiltington (2 miles east). Further out, we also cover Crawley (14 miles north), Horsham (15 miles north-west), Worthing (15 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (6 miles north), Burgess Hill (3 miles north-west) and East Grinstead (15 miles north).
Around Streat
For rail, the closest station is Plumpton station, roughly 1.1 miles north-east. Well-known places in the area include Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft (1.6 miles west) and Lewes Victoria Hospital (4.5 miles south-east). For a walk, there is Ditchling Beacon and Bedelands Farm Nature Reserve.