West Sussex · London and the South East
Roof survey in Copthorne, West Sussex
We carry out roof surveys in Copthorne and the rest of West Sussex. We survey on weekdays and at weekends.
- Flashings that have come away from the wall
- Cracked mortar along the ridge
- Leaking gutter joints and downpipes
Roof survey in Copthorne: what you get
Roofs vary a lot across London and South East England. If your home is a Victorian terrace, it may have Welsh slate, a butterfly roof and parapet gutters, and many post-war homes have concrete interlocking tiles instead. 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. Each part is checked in the way that suits it. We survey ridges, hips and valleys, the roof space and flat roofs, and people most often book us about worn or blocked valleys and lifted, split or missing lead flashings.
In a smaller place like Copthorne, homes range from older cottages to bungalows and newer houses. Coverings range from slate and clay tiles on older homes to concrete tiles on many later ones. Chimneys, valleys and gutters on older homes often need the most attention. Nails and battens under older coverings often give out before the slates or tiles themselves.
Where we can’t see part of the roof, the report says so. That way, it is clear what was covered and what wasn’t.
- Location
- Copthorne (RH10, RH6)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
DIY checks: what’s safe
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Copthorne questions
Will you come out to Copthorne?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
How do I find out if my home in Copthorne is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Do you use drones?
Where it helps and it’s safe, yes. Flights depend on the weather on the day and airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
How soon is the report ready?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Photos are included.
Do you give a life expectancy for the roof?
We do not give a number of years. We describe the condition of each part of the roof and how it is wearing, and we say what needs attention and how urgently.
Is a roof survey the same as a structural survey?
No. If we see signs that need an engineer, such as serious sagging, we will say so. We do not provide structural calculations.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
Tips that help
Getting the most from a roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Tips:
- Don’t climb onto the roof yourself
- Tell us about any leaks or stains you’ve seen
- Hold on to the report for future surveys
- Watch for slipped slates after bad weather
With the Standard Survey you get a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. You can ask us about anything that isn’t clear.
Plan a roof survey every few years, or sooner after severe weather. Routine surveys pick up wear before it leaks. Each report gives a record to compare against.
What this survey cannot tell you
Every survey has limits, and we’d rather be clear about that before you book. Bear these in mind:
- A promise that the roof won’t leak in future
- The condition of the rest of the building (that’s a RICS home survey)
- Whether the roof structure meets design loads
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll recommend the right survey. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Copthorne
- Lead flashings
- Natural slate
- Flat roofs
- Ridges, hips and valleys
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
Roof surveys around Copthorne
Gravetye Manor, about 4.5 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Copthorne. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. The flight restriction zone around Gatwick Airport covers Copthorne, or comes right up to its edge. Where the drone is part of the survey, permission from the airport is needed first, and the flight only goes ahead if it is given.
If you own a rental within reach of Gatwick Airport station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. Living close to Worth Park Gardens is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls.
Copthorne is about 3 miles north-east of Crawley, in West Sussex. We provide roof surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Copthorne. Copthorne is one of the places in West Sussex we cover for roof surveys.
Every address in RH10 and RH6 is within our area for roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Streets in the area include Church Road, Brookside and Bridgelands, and we cover them all. You will find Copthorne on the A264, so it’s easy for us to get to. Close by, we survey roofs in Shipley Bridge (1 mile north-west), Forge Wood (1 mile west), Tinsley Green (1 mile west), Burstow (1 mile north) and Keeper's Corner (1 mile north-east). Larger places within reach include Crawley (3 miles south-west), Horsham (10 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (10 miles south), Burgess Hill (12 miles south), East Grinstead (5 miles east) and Broadfield (4 miles south-west).
Local landmarks in Copthorne
Around Copthorne, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Worth Park Gardens, The Cherry Tree pub and Hazelwick School, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Gatwick Airport station, about 2 miles north-west. Nearby you’ll also find Effingham Park Motor Museum (1.6 miles east) and County Mall (3 miles south-west). Open spaces near Copthorne include Hedgecourt Lake.
Nearby places to Copthorne
More services for Copthorne
For landlords and managing agents
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the addresses.
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Copthorne. For a price for a let property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
When to book a survey in Copthorne
The underlay under the coverings matters too. Breathable roofing membranes came into use in the UK in the late 1990s, so many older roofs have bitumen felt underlay, and some very old roofs have no underlay at all. Torn or sagging felt lets water through.
Most people get in touch after spotting something like this:
- Valley linings that have cracked or split
- Water stains on rafters and ceiling joists
- Cracked or blistered flat roof coverings
- Loose ridge or hip tiles
Anyone responsible for a site like Fairway Infant School will know that its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
What to check before booking
- What the survey won’t cover
- How long the report takes to arrive
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Their track record with similar roofs
How the survey works
The visit normally starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the roof space if there’s safe access. All told, expect roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, depending on how many separate roofs there are. In a smaller place like Copthorne, as anywhere, the forecast plays a part: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from the ground and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- You let us know the address, the type of roof and what’s worrying you.
- We agree a date, including weekends if that suits you.
- We look at the roof from each safe vantage point outside.
- Inside, we check the roof space where there is safe access.
- We email a photo-illustrated written report and recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
How to book
To book a survey, call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.