West Sussex · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Westbourne, West Sussex
Not sure what state the leaking roof is in? We carry out roof leak investigations in Westbourne and across West Sussex, with plain-English findings.
- Wet patches on loft insulation
- Stains around a skylight
- Damp walls below an overflowing gutter
Surveys for landlords and agents in Westbourne
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work around your tenants.
We survey roofs for landlords and agents as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the leaking roof, with photographs.
How a roof leak investigation works in Westbourne
Moisture readings and thermal imaging are used where they’re useful. Moisture readings show which materials are wet. A thermal camera shows patterns of temperature rather than water, so its findings are checked with moisture readings. Moisture detection is included in the Standard Survey, and thermal imaging in Premium. Thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, on a dry roof with little wind. If you’ve noticed stains around a skylight and damp ceilings under a flat roof, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on lead flashings, slate and tile slopes and the roof space alike.
In a village or hamlet like Westbourne, 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 are thinking of an insurance claim. We check whatever is safely visible and set out what we find. Older walls and timbers hold water for a long time, so it’s worth finding the cause soon.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Place
- Westbourne (PO10)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens if roof problems are left?
A small drip today can be a bigger leak after the next storm. Each storm can open a gap a little more. Tracing it now lets you plan the work rather than react to it. Older cottages and farmhouses around Westbourne can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
To find out what your survey will cost, phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a few details. The price is agreed before a date is set.
What you get with us
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- An independent view of the roof
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- 98% customer satisfaction
Common questions in Westbourne
Do you cover smaller places like Westbourne?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
How do I find out if my home in Westbourne is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Can thermal imaging help find my roof leak?
We use thermal imaging where it helps, and it’s part of the Premium Survey. It picks up temperature patterns rather than water, so we confirm its findings with moisture readings.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We note visible signs like sagging or deflection, but we don’t carry out calculations or give an engineer’s opinion. If we think you need an engineer, the report says so.
How long will you be at the property?
On site, it usually takes an hour or two at most homes; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Report times depend on the package.
How much does a roof leak investigation cost in Westbourne?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Our Basic Survey starts from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so whoever owns or manages the building needs to agree access. We can only inspect what we are given access to.
Signs you need a roof leak investigation in Westbourne
A chimney stack has lots of places for rain to get in. Eroded pointing, cracked flaunching, failed flashings and open pots can all be responsible. The damp may appear on a chimney breast, a ceiling or in the loft.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Water that shows only in certain storms
- Drips in the loft during heavy rain
- Water coming in around a roof light or dormer
- Damp patches next to the stack
For landlords with property near Emsworth station, tracing a leak quickly matters when a tenant is living with it.
What to check before booking
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- What insurance they carry
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
Also near Westbourne
More services for Westbourne
What a roof leak investigation looks like in Westbourne
Westbourne is within about 2 miles of the coast, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. In a coastal gale, rain is driven sideways into laps, verges and flashings. 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. Where water gets in depends a good deal on what the roof is made of and how it is detailed.
If you live near a park such as Stansted Park, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. The streets around a church such as St John the Baptist's Church are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, old mortar, worn lead and slipped slates are the usual suspects when water gets in.
Westbourne is about 3 miles east of Havant, in West Sussex. We survey roofs in Westbourne and the rest of West Sussex. Westbourne is one of the towns and villages in West Sussex where we work for roof leak investigations. You can also see our page for Portsmouth.
We work across PO10 for roof leak investigations. We cover properties on The Square, Church Road and Crockford Road. We also cover Lumley (1 mile south), Woodmancote (1 mile east), Emsworth (1 mile south-west), Southbourne (1 mile south-east) and Denvilles (2 miles west). Further out, we also cover Bognor Regis (12 miles south-east), Chichester (7 miles east), Selsey (11 miles south-east), Portfield (7 miles east), Yapton (14 miles east) and East Wittering (7 miles south).
What’s near Westbourne
In Westbourne, that means homes and buildings near Stansted Park, The Good Intent Public House and Bourne Community College and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Emsworth station, roughly 1 mile south-west of the centre. A little further out are Warblington Castle (2.2 miles south-west) and Havant War Memorial Hospital (2.8 miles west). The countryside around Westbourne includes Stoke Down and Brook Meadow (Emsworth).
DIY checks: what’s safe
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
What happens on the day
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. The inspection then takes about 1–2 hours for most houses; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Older rural homes like those around Westbourne 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 can’t see is noted.
- You let us know 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.
- Outside, we check flashings, valleys, chimneys, gutters and flat roof details from every safe vantage point.
- We email a written report showing where the water most likely gets in.
Preparing for the visit
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
Arrange a survey
To get a price for roof leak investigations in Westbourne, ring 07833 053749 or email us. The address, the type of property and what you need to know help us give you an accurate price.
Read more
What we look for on each type of roof
Slate and tile slopes
A gap in the coverings exposes the underlay. Older felt may hold for a while, but it tears with age.
Valleys
Debris in a valley slows the water and pushes it sideways. In heavy rain, it can spill under the edges of the slates or tiles.