East Sussex · London and the South East
Roof survey in Alciston, East Sussex
Find out the condition of the roof at your property in Alciston from an independent roof surveyor. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Crumbling chimney pointing or cracked flaunching
- Water stains on rafters and ceiling joists
- Ridge tiles that have lifted or moved
What this survey can’t tell you
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- A promise that the roof will not leak in future
- The condition of the rest of the building (that’s a RICS home survey)
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat roofs
- Natural slate
- Ridges, hips and valleys
- The roof space
Roof survey in Alciston
Across London and South East England, roofs differ widely. If your home is a Victorian terrace, it may have Welsh slate, a butterfly roof and parapet gutters, while many post-war homes have concrete interlocking tiles. We adapt the survey to the roof in front of us. Some older homes have clay tiles, and many have a flat-roofed extension as well. Every part gets the attention it needs. We survey chimney stacks, clay and concrete tiles and ridges, hips and valleys, and people most often book us about cracked mortar along the ridge and condensation or damp timbers in the loft.
In a village or hamlet like Alciston, older cottages and farmhouses often sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are often old. We report on what can safely be seen, and thatch is a specialist material. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs often need the most attention.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Where
- Alciston (BN26)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Alciston
Alciston lies within about 5 miles of the sea, where wind off the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour. In Sussex, older roofs are often handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs, and the county’s older buildings include oast houses and Wealden hall houses. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
The streets around a church like The Parish Church are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. If you let a flat or house near Berwick (Sussex) station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Alciston is about 4 miles north of Seaford, in East Sussex. We survey roofs in Alciston across London and South East England. We cover towns and villages across East Sussex, large and small. We also survey roofs in Brighton.
We cover every part of the BN26 postcode area for roof surveys. Close by, we survey roofs in Selmeston (1 mile north), Berwick (1 mile north-east), Winton (1 mile south-east), Alfriston (2 miles south-east) and Milton Street (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Eastbourne (7 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (14 miles east), Seaford (4 miles south), Lewes (7 miles north-west), Hailsham (6 miles north-east) and Crowborough (15 miles north).
What’s near Alciston
Around Alciston, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Rose Cottage Inn, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Berwick (Sussex) station, roughly 1.3 miles north-east. A little further out are Arlington Castle (1.7 miles south-east) and Chailey Heritage Marine Hospital (4.6 miles south-west). For a walk, there is Firle Beacon.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Alciston
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed in advance. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which helps when tenants work during the week.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, with the report sent to whoever needs it. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.
What we’re asked to look at in Alciston
Every roof takes years of rain, wind, sun and frost. Strong gusts work at anything that is not firmly fixed, and rain finds any gap it can. What starts as one slipped slate can become a leak.
Problems we come across often include:
- Leaning or weathered chimney stacks
- Loose ridge or hip tiles
- Worn lead at chimneys and abutments
- Blocked, sagging or leaking gutters
Charleston Farmhouse, about 1.3 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Alciston. On a period home nearby, the survey separates sound original work from tired later repairs.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Their insurance cover
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
Towns and villages near Alciston
More services for Alciston
Different roofs, different checks
Concrete interlocking tiles
Interlocking tiles on shallow roofs depend on their laps and fixings. Lifted or cracked tiles are noted, especially at the verges and ridge.
Natural slate
From the loft, we check the underside of a slate roof. Older roofs may have bitumen felt underlay, and very old roofs none.
Alciston: your questions answered
Is my home in Alciston listed or in a conservation area?
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. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Alciston, take more of a battering?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there’s more wind, and more salt in the air. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch, and Alciston is within about 5 miles of the coast.
How do I book a survey in Alciston?
The quickest way is to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Let us know the address and a little about the roof. Surveys run seven days a week.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, including flight restriction zones near airports. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator.
Can you inspect a terraced or semi-detached roof?
Yes, we inspect your part of the roof. Next door’s roof is only inspected as far as we can see it. Shared chimneys and party-wall upstands are checked from your side.
Do you carry out asbestos surveys?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. Where materials might contain it, we say so in the report and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
The survey, step by step
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 one to two hours for an ordinary house roof, and longer if there are extensions, dormers or several chimneys. In a small place like Alciston, access is normally the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- You pick the package that suits your roof.
- On the day, we start by hearing what you’ve noticed.
- Coverings, ridges, hips, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Extra checks are carried out where your package includes them.
- The report is emailed with findings and recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
How to book
Not sure which survey you need? It’s easiest to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Advice
How we price roof surveys
To price your survey, we look at:
- How big the roof is
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
What we need to know
We’ll normally ask about:
- When you need the report by
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.