Brighton and Hove · London and the South East
Roof survey Brighton
Independent roof surveys across Brighton and Hove, from Regency terraces on the seafront to hillside Victorian streets and flat-roofed blocks.
- Reports from £150 including VAT
- Drones and thermal imaging
- 20+ years’ experience
Roof surveys in Brighton
We survey roofs across Brighton and Hove, for buyers, owners, landlords and managing agents. A roof by the sea works harder than one inland, and many homes here are old, tall or tucked behind parapets where you can’t see the roof from the street. That is exactly where an independent look helps. Our roof survey covers the coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys, gutters and the roof space where it can be reached safely.
If you’re buying, book a pre-purchase roof survey after your offer is accepted and before exchange, so you have time to ask questions. If water is already coming in, a roof leak investigation traces where it is getting past the roof, which is often some distance from the stain on the ceiling.
Regency stucco, Victorian terraces and steep streets
Brighton is known for its Regency architecture: cream-painted stucco terraces, squares and crescents, many with bow fronts, especially along the seafront and in areas such as Kemp Town and Brunswick Town in Hove. Their roofs are often hidden behind parapets, with slate slopes, valley and parapet gutters, lead-lined details and chimney stacks shared along the row. Many have been divided into flats, so one roof can cover several homes, and a fault above the top floor can soon become a shared problem.
Behind the seafront, rows of Victorian and Edwardian terraces climb the hills, mostly with slate or clay tile roofs, rear additions, and dormers or loft conversions added over the years. On steep streets, one side of a roof can be close to the pavement while the other is high above a back garden, which affects where we can see from. Further out are interwar houses, post-war council housing and newer estates, with concrete tiles and plenty of flat-roofed garages and extensions.
Sea air, wind and conservation areas
Brighton faces the sea, so homes near the coast get more wind and more salt in the air than towns inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts slates, tiles and ridge pieces that are already loose. Our guide to coastal roofs explains what to check more often. After a gale, a storm damage roof report gives you an independent record to send to your insurer.
The city has many conservation areas and listed buildings, including much of its Regency stock. Changes to a listed building need listed building consent, and re-roofing in a different material may need permission; check with Brighton and Hove City Council first. When we use a drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions, including around airfields such as Shoreham, and the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead.
Survey visits in Brighton often need some planning. Parking can be tight in central streets, and on tall terraces the best view of a roof is sometimes from the back garden or a nearby vantage point. Tell us about parking, access and any known leaks when you book, and we’ll plan the visit around them.
Flats, hotels, shops and offices
Converted houses, purpose-built blocks, guest houses, hotels, shops with flats above and office buildings all have roofs that someone has to keep watertight. Many commercial buildings and blocks have flat roofs, and our flat roof survey looks at the membrane, upstands, outlets, rooflights and signs of ponding or blistering.
For landlords, letting agents and residents’ management companies, a landlord roof survey sets out the condition of a shared roof in plain terms, which helps when planning maintenance or agreeing work between leaseholders.
How it works
- Get in touch. Call 07833 053749 or email us with the address, the type of roof and what you’re worried about.
- Choose a survey. We’ll suggest the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the roof, with the price including VAT.
- The visit. We inspect what can be seen safely: from the ground and vantage points, inside the roof space, and by drone where applicable.
- Your report. A written report with photographs and recommendations: within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard, same day for Premium.
- Next steps. Use the report to brief roofers, ask the seller questions or plan maintenance.
Our services in Brighton
- Pre-purchase roof survey (from £150): Before you exchange: the roof’s condition, defects and what to raise with the seller, in a written report with photos.
- Roof survey (from £150): A full look at coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys, gutters and the roof space, with written recommendations.
- Roof leak investigation (from £150): Tracing where water is getting in, using moisture detection and thermal imaging where they help.
- Drone roof survey (from £400): Close-up photos of roofs that are tall, steep or hard to reach, flown by a CAA-registered operator with airspace checked first.
- Flat roof survey (from £150): Felt, asphalt, EPDM, GRP and single-ply roofs on extensions, garages, flats, offices and units.
- Thermal imaging roof survey (from £400): Thermal images that can point to trapped moisture or missing insulation, checked against moisture readings.
- Chimney survey (from £150): Stacks, pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings, including leaning and redundant stacks.
- Storm damage roof report (from £150): An independent record of storm damage, with photos, for you to give your insurer.
- Gutter survey (from £150): Gutters, valleys, parapet and box gutters, outlets and downpipes, and why they overflow.
- Landlord roof survey (from £150): Roof condition reports for landlords, managing agents and freeholders, to plan maintenance.
- New roof snagging (from £150): A check of a new or replacement roof for snags before you make the final payment.
- Electronic leak detection (quoted for your roof): Electronic testing to pinpoint holes in flat roof membranes.
Why Independent Roof Survey in Brighton
We bring more than 20 years’ experience and 5,000+ completed surveys, with 98% customer satisfaction. Drones and thermal imaging are part of our kit, and we hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. A Basic Survey report arrives within 48 hours, a Standard Survey report in 24–48 hours and a Premium Survey report the same day.
Around Brighton
From the centre, the nearest railway station is London Road (Brighton) station. Well-known places nearby include Churchill Square (1 mile south-west), Brighton General Hospital (0.7 miles east) and Old Police Cells Museum (1 mile south-west). Around the centre, we survey roofs on homes, rented flats and businesses close to Fairlight Primary School, Brighton Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College, Academy of Creative Training and St Martin's Church. Green spaces within reach include Whitehawk Hill and Newmarket Hill.
Prices
All prices include VAT. Electronic leak detection is quoted for your roof.
Basic Survey
from £150
Including VAT · report within 48 hours
- Visual inspection
- Basic condition report
- Photographs
- Written recommendations
- Report emailed to you
Standard Survey
from £250
Including VAT · report in 24–48 hours
- Comprehensive inspection
- Detailed report with photographs
- Moisture detection
- Structural check
- Report in 24–48 hours
- Follow-up consultation
Premium Survey
from £400
Including VAT · same-day report
- Full inspection
- Thermal imaging
- Drone inspection where applicable
- Structural analysis
- Same-day report
- In-person consultation
- 12-month follow-up review
Areas we cover in Brighton
Pick your area for local details, or call 07833 053749 or email us with the address.
- Aldrington
- Bevendean
- Brighton and Hove
- Brunswick
- Carlton Hill
- East Saltdean
- Hangleton
- Hanover
- Hollingbury
- Hollingdean
- Hove
- Kemptown
- Kingston by Sea
- Kingston near Lewes
- Moulsecoomb
- Ovingdean
- Patcham
- Portslade
- Preston
- Prestonville
- Pyecombe
- Roedean
- Rottingdean
- Saltdean
- Seven Dials
- Southwick
- West Blatchington
- West Hill
- Westdene
- Whitehawk
- Withdean
Towns near Brighton
Questions from Brighton
Do you cover Hove as well as Brighton?
Yes. We survey roofs across Brighton and Hove and the surrounding parts of Sussex.
Can you see a roof hidden behind a Regency parapet?
We use every safe vantage point, the roof space where there is access, and a drone where it is allowed and useful. Some roofs can be seen better than others, and the report says what we could and couldn’t inspect.
Does living near the sea affect my roof?
It can. Salt in the air corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and stronger winds lift loose slates and tiles, so coastal roofs are worth checking more often.
My flat is in a converted house. Who should book the survey?
Anyone can book, but a shared roof is usually the responsibility set out in the lease. Many owners book together or through the managing agent.
Is your survey a RICS survey?
No. It is a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey and not a structural engineer’s report.
Can you help after storm damage?
Yes. Our storm damage roof report records the damage with photographs and our view of the likely cause. Your insurer decides the claim.
How long does a survey take?
Usually about 1–2 hours for a house and about 3–4 hours for a commercial roof. Larger or more complex roofs take longer.
Can thermal imaging find a leak?
It can help. A thermal camera shows temperature differences that can point to trapped moisture, and we check what it shows with moisture readings. It works best in the right conditions.