West Sussex · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in West Hoathly, West Sussex
Tracing where water is getting into your roof in West Hoathly, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Get in touch for a price.
- Damp walls below an overflowing gutter
- Damp underlay across a wide area
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
Roof leak investigation in West Hoathly: what you get
Leaks tend to begin where one part of a roof meets another. Flashings at chimneys and walls, valleys, gutters, parapets and flat roof upstands and outlets are the usual suspects. Each of these is checked in turn and follow the evidence. Every chimney, dormer and roof light adds more joints to check. We check all of them, from each safe vantage point. We survey chimney stacks, slate and tile slopes and flat roof details, and the problems we are asked to look at most are water through the ceiling under a flat roof and leaks that appear only in driving rain.
In a village or hamlet like West Hoathly, older cottages and farmhouses often have roofs that have been patched over many years. A new leak may be fresh damage or the latest sign of long-term wear, which matters if you’re thinking of an insurance claim. We check whatever is safely visible and set out what we find. Damp in old walls and timbers is slow to dry, so the sooner the cause is found the better.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Place
- West Hoathly (RH19)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Should I look at the roof myself first?
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That part is for a survey.
Common roof problems in West Hoathly
Flat roofs fail with age and wear. A felt roof often lasts around 15 to 20 years, and splits, blisters and lifting laps let water in. Upstands and outlets are common weak points.
It’s worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Wet patches on loft insulation
- Water marks that spread in wet weather
- Water that shows only in certain storms
- Damp on a chimney breast
If you live in an older home near St Margaret's Church, lead flashings, valleys and old chimneys are typical places for water to get in.
Before booking anyone
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
Before and after the survey
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Check the loft is accessible
- Stay off ladders and the roof
- Tell us about any past repairs to the roof
- Take dated photos of the leak
We email the report to you, with photos of what we found. It sets out where we believe the water is getting in, how it’s travelling and what needs attention. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
After a storm, check the roof from the garden and the street. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Prompt repairs stop gaps turning into leaks.
Wind, rain and roofs in West Hoathly
Historic houses such as Priest House, about 0.2 miles south-west, show how far back building in the area around West Hoathly goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. Different coverings let water in at different points, which shapes where the search starts.
If you own a rental within reach of East Grinstead station, a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer right away. Take a building like West Hoathly CofE Primary School: tracing a leak on a big roof starts with where the water appears and works back.
West Hoathly is about 4 miles south-west of East Grinstead, in West Sussex. We survey roofs in West Hoathly and the surrounding area across London and South East England. West Hoathly is one of the towns and villages in West Sussex where we work for roof leak investigations. Crawley is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for roof leak investigations: RH19. Streets in the area include Hilltop Road, Sandy Lane and North Lane. We also cover the places around West Hoathly: Sharpthorne (1 mile east), Selsfield Common (1 mile north-west), Highbrook (2 miles south), Little London (2 miles south-west) and Ardingly (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Crawley (6 miles west), Horsham (12 miles west), Haywards Heath (6 miles south), Burgess Hill (9 miles south), East Grinstead (4 miles north-east) and Broadfield (7 miles west).
Near you in West Hoathly
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Fox pub, among other places. The nearest railway station is East Grinstead station, about 3.7 miles north-east. Nearby you’ll also find East Grinstead Museum (3.8 miles north-east) and Waterbury Castle (2.8 miles south). Not far away are Hedgecourt Lake.
Questions from West Hoathly
Is West Hoathly in the area you cover?
Yes, West Hoathly is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Do you cover smaller places like West Hoathly?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not unless it’s safe. Safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where applicable cover most of what’s needed, and anything out of sight is recorded in the report.
Do you use thermal imaging to find leaks?
Where conditions suit, it can. The best results come after a sunny day, on a dry roof with little wind. Damp areas can hold heat differently from dry ones. We always check what it shows with moisture readings.
How soon will I get the report?
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.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We don’t sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it.
What affects the cost of roof leak investigations
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before booking. This is what makes a difference:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- Roof area
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, how it can safely be seen and which survey you book.
Helping us price your survey
If you can, have these to hand when you contact us:
- Anything about access we should know
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine; never climb up to get a better view. To get started, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
What we do, step by step
Once we have finished looking, we write up our findings as a written report with photos. On timing, most surveys take about one to two hours for most houses, and more on a big or complicated roof. Rural addresses near West Hoathly can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- You get in touch with details of the leak and any photos.
- Inside, we check the damp area and the roof space above it.
- Outside, we check every likely route in.
- Where it helps, we take moisture readings and use thermal imaging.
- We email a report with photos, the likely entry point and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Tell us where we can park nearby
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Book a survey
Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email to find out.
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Landlord and commercial surveys in West Hoathly
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, including offices, shops and units. Larger roofs take longer, so they’re priced to suit.
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or email us.