East Sussex · London and the South East
Storm Damage Roof Report in Lower Dicker
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in Lower Dicker, with photographs and a written report.
- Water coming in after the storm
- Gaps where slates or tiles have gone
- Torn or lifted flat roof coverings
Storm damage roof report in Lower Dicker: what you get
High winds normally affect the parts of a roof that are already exposed or loose. Slates and tiles slip or blow off, ridge and hip tiles lift, flashings pull away and flat roof coverings can tear. Trees and branches can also hit roofs in a storm. Our report records what has happened to your roof, with photos. Where we also see signs of older wear, the report records that too. If you’ve noticed slates and tiles blown off the roof and gutters pulled loose in the wind, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Roofs in small places like Lower Dicker often stand in the open, so storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hard. Damp in old stone, brick or timber walls is slow to dry out, so it pays to find the cause quickly. A written record also helps if you need to explain it to anyone else.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Location
- Lower Dicker (BN27)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Storm damage roof reports in Lower Dicker: local notes
Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. 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 roof type helps narrow down where water may be getting in. Historic houses such as Horselunges Manor, about 1.2 miles east, show how far back building in the area around Lower Dicker goes. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If you look after a building such as Hellingly Community Primary School, on a building that size, finding the source of a drip means looking well beyond the stain. If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Zoar Strict Baptist Chapel, water on an older roof tends to find its way in at the lead, the valleys or the chimney.
Lower Dicker is about 2 miles north-west of Hailsham, in East Sussex. Lower Dicker is one of many places we visit across East Sussex, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Our East Sussex coverage includes Lower Dicker and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Brighton page.
All of BN27 is within our area for storm damage roof reports, from the main roads to the quietest streets. That includes homes and businesses on Hackhurst Lane, Diamond Drive and Court Lodge Close. Nearby, we also carry out storm damage roof reports in Lower Horsebridge (1 mile east), Nash Street (1 mile north-west), Tile Hurst (1 mile south-east), Upper Dicker (1 mile south-west) and Upper Horsebridge (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Eastbourne (7 miles south-east), Hastings (15 miles east), Bexhill-on-Sea (11 miles east), Seaford (9 miles south-west), Lewes (9 miles west) and Crowborough (12 miles north).
Local landmarks in Lower Dicker
Around Lower Dicker, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Hailsham Community College and Bede's Prep School, among other places. The closest station to Lower Dicker is Berwick (Sussex) station, about 3.9 miles south-west of the centre. A little further out are Sussex Farm Museum (3.5 miles north) and Hellingly Hospital Railway (1.8 miles east).
Lower Dicker: your questions answered
Do you cover smaller places like Lower Dicker?
Yes, Lower Dicker is covered. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
Is my home in Lower Dicker listed or in a conservation area?
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.
What does a storm damage report cost?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Bigger roofs are quoted on size and access. It doesn’t include repair costs, so you will need a roofer’s quote for those.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof, not the whole building. For the rest of the building, a RICS home survey is a separate job.
How strong does the wind have to be for a storm claim?
Each policy has its own definition. About 55 mph is a common figure in many policies, but check your own wording.
What do I do if water is coming in?
Call a roofer for emergency temporary protection. Take photos from ground level first if it is safe. Keep receipts in case your insurer asks for them.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We carry out surveys on weekdays and at weekends. To find a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
For landlords and managing agents
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.
We survey roofs for letting agents and landlords as well as householders. A written report with photos gives you a clear record of the roof.
Before and after the survey
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Hold on to fallen pieces of the roof where you can
- Take photos of stains and damp inside
- Check how your policy defines a storm
- Check your policy for how to report damage
If you’re unhappy with how your insurer handles the claim, you can complain to them first. If that doesn’t resolve it, the Financial Ombudsman Service may be able to help.
Ask a tree specialist about branches over the roof. They can damage the roof in high winds.
Roof by roof
Lead flashings
Flashings can lift or pull away from walls and chimneys in strong winds. We record which are loose or damaged.
Slate roofs
Broken slates and slates that have slid out of place are common after a storm. Each area is photographed and described.
Places near Lower Dicker
More services for Lower Dicker
Can I check my roof myself?
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Signs you need a storm damage roof report in Lower Dicker
Others book after an insurer has queried a claim. An independent report gives you another view of the roof. What happens next is up to the insurer.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed one of these:
- Slates and tiles blown off the roof
- Cowls or aerials dislodged in the wind
- Roofs hit by falling trees
- Broken or displaced guttering
Landlords with a home close to Berwick (Sussex) station may find that finding the cause of a leak fast keeps a tenant’s home dry and the work focused.
What to check before booking
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- Whether the price includes VAT
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- What happens after the report arrives
How it works
It’s useful to start with what’s prompted the survey: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit normally takes about one to two hours for most homes, depending on how much of the roof was hit. In a hamlet or village like Lower Dicker, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- You tell us what happened and whether a roofer has made the roof safe.
- Inside, we look for signs of water in the loft and rooms below.
- We view the roof from safe positions.
- Storm damage and older wear are recorded separately where we can.
- You receive the written report with photographs.
Preparing for the visit
- Keep pets in another room
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Book a survey
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and give us some details about the property and we’ll recommend the right survey. The price is agreed up front.