West Sussex · London and the South East
Thermal Roof Survey in Small Dole
A careful look at the roof at your property in Small Dole, and put it all in a photo-illustrated written report.
- Moisture around outlets and upstands
- Wet insulation beneath the membrane
- Damp around chimneys and parapets
Thermal roof surveys for homes and businesses in Small Dole
Thermal imaging can also show where a roof is losing heat. Missing or slipped insulation and gaps at the eaves frequently show up as temperature differences. The difference shows most clearly when it is warm inside and cold outside. Our report points out what the images suggest and where to look more closely. It isn’t an energy rating or a heat loss calculation. We survey pitched roof slopes, flat roofs and ceilings below the roof, and common reasons people get in touch are damp around roof outlets and upstands and water that travels before it shows.
In a small place like Small Dole, open ground can mean strong wind. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best with little wind. The visit is planned around the forecast, along with the journey and access. A change in the forecast can mean moving the visit to another day.
We write the report in plain English, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Each point is backed by a photograph where possible, with the urgent items made clear.
- Location
- Small Dole (BN5)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
FAQs for Small Dole
Is Small Dole within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Is my home in Small Dole listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Let us know which days suit you when booking.
Is thermal imaging useful on pitched roofs?
It can help, but the results are often less clear than on a flat roof. The air space under slates and tiles can hide patterns, so we also look from the loft where it is safe.
What insurance do you have?
We’re covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Can a thermal camera see water?
Thermal imaging shows temperature rather than water. Because wet insulation holds heat for longer, it can show as a different temperature, and moisture readings are used to check it.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
Drones, thermal imaging and Small Dole roofs
Small Dole is within about 5 miles of the coast. Thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof surface and little wind, so the date is chosen with the forecast in mind. Older houses across Sussex frequently have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging on their upper walls. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. 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.
Around Small Dole, as everywhere, small roof faults are simplest to sort before they let water in.
Small Dole is about 5 miles north of Shoreham-by-Sea, in West Sussex. Whether the building in Small Dole is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, we can survey the roof on a weekday or at the weekend. Across West Sussex, we cover Small Dole and the places around it. You can also see our page for Brighton.
All of BN5 is within our area for thermal roof surveys. We cover properties on Downsview, Tottington Drive and Orchard Close and the roads around them. Nearby, we also carry out thermal roof surveys in Woodmancote (2 miles north-east), Henfield (2 miles north), Blackstone (2 miles north-east), Albourne (3 miles north-east) and High Cross (3 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Crawley (15 miles north), Horsham (11 miles north), Worthing (8 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (10 miles north-east), Burgess Hill (7 miles north-east) and Littlehampton (13 miles south-west).
Landmarks near Small Dole
Around Small Dole, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Tottington Wood. Small Dole’s nearest station is Shoreham-By-Sea station, roughly 4.8 miles south of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Southlands Hospital (4.4 miles south) and Steyning Museum (2.6 miles south-west). For a walk, there’s Woods Mill and Truleigh Hill.
What we look for on each type of roof
Loft insulation
Loft insulation is easily disturbed when people store things or run cables. The camera can show where it no longer covers the ceiling.
Felt and asphalt flat roofs
On felt and asphalt flat roofs, wet insulation can show as a temperature difference across the surface. Moisture readings are used to check them.
Before and after the survey
Getting the most from a thermal roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Tips:
- Keep a record of when stains appear
- Keep the heating on as usual before a heat loss survey
- Move stored items away from the loft hatch
- Check outlets after heavy rain
Once we’ve been, the thermal images, photos and readings go into a single report. Each image is explained in plain words, with our recommendations. Premium reports are sent the same day.
Check that loft insulation is laid evenly and hasn’t been pushed aside. Gaps often appear after work in the loft.
Why it’s worth a survey now in Small Dole
A poorly insulated roof loses heat year after year. The camera can point to gaps and thin areas in the insulation, so improvements can go where they’re needed. In a small place like Small Dole, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
Every price we give includes VAT. Thermal roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. You’ll know the exact price before booking.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Small Dole
- An independent look at the roof
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
- 98% of clients satisfied
Prices for thermal roof surveys in Small Dole
All our prices include VAT. What changes the price is:
- How big the roof is
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
Thermal roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, with VAT included.
What to let us know when you get in touch
If you can, have these to hand when you contact us:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
To get a price for thermal roof surveys in Small Dole, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. Some details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.
Nearby places to Small Dole
Other services in Small Dole
Do you need a thermal roof survey in Small Dole?
Some buyers want extra detail before they commit to a purchase. The Premium Survey brings thermal imaging and a drone inspection where it applies, with a report the same day, which suits a purchase that’s moving quickly.
A survey can pick up problems like:
- Damp patches with no obvious cause
- Thin or uneven insulation in the roof
- Wet insulation beneath the membrane
- Areas losing heat at the eaves and junctions
Portslade Manor, about 4.8 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Small Dole. For older roofs nearby, a look from the air or with a thermal camera is a hands-off way to check condition.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Which limits apply to the survey
How the survey works
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the roof space if there is safe access. All told, expect roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, plus time to check any thermal findings with moisture readings. Rural addresses near Small Dole can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We start by discussing the roof, any signs of damp and how the weather may affect the images.
- We look at the roof from the ground, from windows and from the roof itself where it’s safe.
- We take thermal images of the roof to pick up temperature patterns.
- Areas that look unusual on the camera are checked with moisture readings where possible.
- The report sets out the images, what they suggest and what we recommend.
Getting ready for the survey
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Booking a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from ground level or a window; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.