West Sussex · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Tortington, West Sussex
Find out what’s going on with the leaking roof before you decide what to do next. Roof leak investigations in Tortington.
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
- Damp ceilings under a flat roof
- Damp on a chimney breast
Wind, rain and roofs in Tortington
Tortington is within about 3 miles of the coast, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Driving rain off the sea can be pushed into gaps that stay dry in calmer weather, while salt slowly corrodes metal fixings and flashings. Historic houses like Ecclesden Manor, about 4.7 miles east, show how far back building in the area around Tortington goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Anyone responsible for a site like Arundel CofE Primary School will know that water through a big roof can travel a long way before it drips, so the search covers more than the obvious spot. Take an older house close to St Mary Magdalene's Church: leaks on older roofs often start at lead flashings, valleys or around old chimney stacks. If you let a flat or house near Ford station, a tenant living with a leak needs the cause found, not just the stain painted over.
Tortington is about 3 miles north-west of Littlehampton, in West Sussex. Wherever you are in Tortington, we can carry out roof leak investigations at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Tortington is one of the places in West Sussex where we work. Brighton is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for roof leak investigations: BN18. We cover properties on Ford Road and Gaugemaster Way. Neighbouring places we cover for roof leak investigations include Ford (1 mile south), Lyminster (1 mile east), Arundel (1 mile north-east), Wick (2 miles south-east) and Climping (2 miles south). We also work in nearby towns like Worthing (8 miles east), Bognor Regis (6 miles south-west), Chichester (9 miles west), Selsey (12 miles south-west), Littlehampton (3 miles south-east) and Shoreham-by-Sea (13 miles east).
Around Tortington
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Arundel Arms Public House At Ford Station and The Littlehampton Academy and the streets around them. Tortington has its own railway station: Ford station. Well-known places in the area include Arundel Castle (1.8 miles north-east) and Arundel and District Hospital (1.4 miles north). Not far away are WWT Arundel.
Roof leak investigation in Tortington: what you get
Roof leaks rarely show up where you’d expect. Water often travels along timbers or underlay before it finds a way down, so a ceiling stain is rarely directly below the cause. 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. Common reasons to book are damp walls below an overflowing gutter and water that shows only in certain storms, across chimney stacks, lead flashings and the roof space.
Somewhere as small as Tortington, older roofs have often been repaired many times. A new leak may be fresh damage or the latest sign of long-term wear, and the difference matters, especially to an insurer. The report says what was seen and what it points to. Older walls and timbers hold water for a long time, so it’s worth finding the cause soon.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Where
- Tortington (BN18)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey changes by roof type
Flat roof upstands and outlets
Each flat roof relies on its outlets to drain. A blocked outlet leaves water standing, which tests every joint. We check outlets and the covering around them.
Lead flashings
Water from a failed flashing can travel down the wall or along a rafter. That is why we check the flashings near a stain, not just the one directly above.
Before and after the survey
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Have an electrician check any wet fittings
- Protect furniture and flooring under the leak
- Take dated photos of the leak
- Stay off ladders and the roof
Once the work is done, hold on to the report. If the leak returns, it’s a useful record of what was found.
Have leaves and moss cleared from gutters, valleys and outlets, particularly in autumn. Blocked outlets on parapet and flat roofs cause many leaks. Use a professional rather than climbing up yourself.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
You can learn a lot from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Also near Tortington
Other services in Tortington
Leave it or get it looked at?
Water and electrics don’t mix. Keep away from any fitting that water is reaching and have an electrician check it. Finding where the water is getting in should follow right away. Outbuildings and barns around Tortington are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, how it can be seen safely and the package you choose.
Why book with us
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Surveys on any day of the week
- 20+ years’ experience
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
Your questions about roof leak investigations in Tortington
Do you cover smaller places like Tortington?
Yes, Tortington is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Tortington, take more of a battering?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there’s more wind, and more salt in the air. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it typically shows, and Tortington is within about 3 miles of the coast.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof, not the whole building. If you need a full building survey, you’ll need a RICS survey as well.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only when it’s safe. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. We use safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where applicable.
Is thermal imaging part of a leak investigation?
We use thermal imaging where it helps, and it’s part of the Premium Survey. It shows temperature differences, not water itself, so we confirm its findings with moisture readings.
When does the report arrive?
That depends on the survey you book: the Basic Survey report arrives within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey the same day. Reports are sent by email.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
How it works
Before we start, tell us why you’ve booked: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. That way we can focus on what matters to you. Most visits take about one to two hours at a typical home, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. For a village or hamlet like Tortington, the journey is planned ahead of time: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- We help you choose the package that suits the leak.
- A visit is booked for a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The investigation works from the stain back to the roof.
- Where it is useful and included, we take moisture readings and use thermal imaging.
- You get photos, the likely cause and clear recommendations.
Before the survey
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
Book a survey
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We will confirm the price before booking.
Advice
Honest limits
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Faults hidden behind ceilings or boarding
- The repair itself (the investigation finds and reports the cause)
- A structural engineer’s report
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will tell you before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Rooflights and dormers
- Flat roof details
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Lead flashings
- Slate and tile slopes