West Sussex · London and the South East
Forge Wood Thermal Roof Survey
Thermal roof surveys in Forge Wood, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Missing or slipped insulation
- Damp that repairs haven’t cured
- Wet areas near outlets and upstands
Thermal roof surveys for homes and businesses in Forge Wood
What a thermal camera can show depends a lot on the weather. It helps to have a sunny day beforehand, a dry surface and calm air. Rain, wind and cloud can all make the patterns weaker. We talk through the forecast when booking, and the report explains how the conditions on the day affected the results. Typical surveys look at water that travels before it shows and ceilings that feel colder in places, across commercial roofs, ceilings below the roof and loft conversions.
Around Forge Wood, older homes can have thin loft insulation and later additions with roofs of their own. A thermal image can show where heat is escaping or where moisture may be trapped, and drone photos show the roof surfaces themselves. Findings are checked with moisture readings where needed. Results depend on the weather, so the visit is planned around the forecast.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Location
- Forge Wood (RH10, RH6)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
FAQs for Forge Wood
Are there drone restrictions around Forge Wood?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. Forge Wood is inside, or right on the edge of, the flight restriction zone around Gatwick Airport. We ask the airport for permission before flying there, and only fly if it’s given. The flight also waits for calm, dry weather, and the rest of the survey doesn’t depend on the drone.
Do you cover Forge Wood?
Yes, Forge Wood is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Forge Wood as anywhere else.
Can a thermal camera see water?
The camera does not see water itself. Because wet insulation holds heat for longer, it can show as a different temperature, but we check each finding with moisture readings.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not always. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. We use safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where it applies.
What does the report include?
Written findings with photos, explaining the condition of the roof, any defects and our recommendations. Standard adds moisture detection and a structural check; Premium adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies and structural analysis.
Does thermal imaging work on slate and tile roofs?
It can show heat loss and some damp, but it has more limits there. We explain what the images can and can’t tell you, and we check them with a visual inspection and moisture readings.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. We check the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
When to book a survey in Forge Wood
People often book a thermal survey when a damp patch has no obvious cause. A leak may start well away from where the stain appears. The camera helps narrow the search.
Look out for signs like these:
- Leaks that are hard to trace
- Wet areas near outlets and upstands
- Possible trapped moisture under a flat roof covering
- Damp patches with no obvious cause
Anyone responsible for a site like Forge Wood Primary School will know that a drone or thermal camera can show a large roof in a single visit.
Questions to ask before you book
- Their insurance cover
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- Whether VAT is added on top
For landlords and managing agents
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.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
What a survey costs
All our prices include VAT. What changes the price is:
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Which survey package you book
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so they’re priced to match. The price is confirmed before you book.
Getting in touch
Here’s what helps us most when you contact us:
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- Anything about access we should know
- What made you get in touch
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
A lot can be seen from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
What a thermal roof survey looks like in Forge Wood
Forge Wood has a number of hotels within about a mile and a half, and like offices and blocks, hotels often sit under flat roofs. If you look after one, a large roof can be surveyed without guests having anyone working above them. 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. Many roofs like these cannot be judged properly from the pavement, and that’s where a view from above or a thermal image earns its place.
Hotels and guest houses near Forge Wood can’t easily close rooms for a leak. Shop and office owners around County Mall may find that large commercial roofs are often easiest to see by drone or thermal camera.
Forge Wood is about 2 miles north-east of Crawley, in West Sussex. We cover Forge Wood and the rest of West Sussex. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex, large and small.
We work across RH10 and RH6 for thermal roof surveys. Whether your property is on Moore Road, Steers Lane and Radford Road or anywhere close by, we can help. If you’re just outside Forge Wood, we cover Tinsley Green (1 mile north), Pound Hill (1 mile south), Shipley Bridge (1 mile north-east), Copthorne (1 mile east) and Three Bridges (1 mile south). Within a short drive, we also cover Horsham (9 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (10 miles south), Burgess Hill (12 miles south), East Grinstead (6 miles east), Broadfield (4 miles south-west) and Billingshurst (15 miles south-west).
Landmarks near Forge Wood
We work in homes and buildings around Worth Park Gardens, The Greyhound pub and The Gatwick School, among other places. The closest station to Forge Wood is Three Bridges station, about 1.4 miles south. Other landmarks nearby include Crawley Museum (2.1 miles south-west) and Langley Green Hospital (1.7 miles west). The countryside around Forge Wood includes Tilgate Lake.
Tips from our surveys
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Clear a path to the loft hatch before we arrive
- Heat the home normally on the days before
- Keep a record of when stains appear
- Keep the report to compare against after any repair
The report explains the conditions on the day and how they affected the images. That way you know how much weight to give each finding.
Keep outlets and gutters clear so water drains off the roof quickly. Less standing water means less chance of it getting under the covering.
The survey, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. Most visits take about one to two hours for a house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Parking around Forge Wood is normally easier than in a town centre, but mention lanes, gates or long drives. Low roofs on bungalows can often be seen well from the ground, and the loft shows the rest, while taller roofs may need other vantage points or the drone where it applies.
- First we discuss the roof, any damp and the forecast for the visit.
- The roof is inspected visually from safe positions.
- Thermal images are taken across the roof and, where there’s safe access, in the loft.
- We take moisture readings where the images suggest a problem.
- Each image is set beside a normal photo and explained in the report.
Getting ready for the survey
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Booking a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.