Coverage across East Sussex
From the High Weald and Crowborough down to Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings and the Rye marshes.
Service Areas · East Sussex
Roofing Specialists
in East Sussex
Regency parapets in Brighton, Victorian slate in Hastings, Wealden clay tiles inland — East Sussex roofs punish generic repairs. We survey properly and guarantee the work.
Free homeowner surveys · 15 & 25 year guarantees · 24/7 cover
Leaking in East Sussex right now?
We run 24/7 emergency cover. A £150 call-out gets a roofer to the property to make it safe and stop the water, with the repair priced before any further work.
Call 07808 839833Emergency line answered day and night
60+ years of family roofing knowledge
£1,000,000 public liability cover
24/7 emergency call-out available
Rated by homeowners on Google
- 3
- Generations of roofers
- 60+
- Years combined experience
- 25 yr
- Pitched roof guarantee
- 15 yr
- Flat roof guarantee
- £1m
- Public liability
Local Coverage
East Sussex roofs, surveyed by people who know them
We work down through East Sussex on the A22 and A26 corridors — Crowborough, Uckfield and the High Weald in the north, Lewes and the Downs in the middle, and the coastal towns of Brighton, Hove, Seaford, Eastbourne, Bexhill, Hastings and Rye.
East Sussex has three roofing worlds in one county. The seafront towns carry Regency and Victorian terraces with parapet gutters, mansards, bay roofs and Welsh slate. The Downs and the coast bring severe wind exposure and salt. The High Weald has old clay-tiled, tile-hung and timber-framed property with steep pitches and complicated junctions.
A family firm of nine roofers with over 60 years of combined experience is exactly the right size for that mix — small enough that Mark and the team see every job, big enough to take on a full renewal with scaffolding. Whatever you have, we will tell you what it is and what it needs.
Areas referenced on this page include Brighton, Hove, Lewes, Eastbourne, Hastings, Bexhill, Uckfield, Crowborough, Seaford, Rye. Not listed? Call 07808 839833 and we will tell you straight away, or see everywhere we work.
Response times
Same-day response to most enquiries in opening hours; survey visits typically within days. 24/7 emergency line for active leaks and storm damage.
Property types we handle
Regency and Victorian seafront terraces, mansards and parapet roofs, Wealden tiled cottages, interwar semis and post-war coastal housing.
What East Sussex calls about
Parapet and valley gutter leaks, slipped Welsh slate, storm-lifted ridges on the coast, flat roofs on rear additions and heavy moss inland.
Services
Roofing services available
in East Sussex
All of our services run across East Sussex, from a single storm repair in Bexhill to a full slate renewal in Lewes.
New Roof Installations in East Sussex
Slate and clay tile renewals on East Sussex period property and post-war housing, installed to a 25-year standard.
More on New Roof Installations
Roof Repairs & Maintenance in East Sussex
Nail-sick slate, cracked flashings and stubborn seafront leaks tracked back to the actual entry point before anything is replaced.
More on Roof Repairs & Maintenance
24/7 Emergency Repairs in East Sussex
24/7 cover for the coastal gales that regularly strip ridges and slates from Brighton to Hastings.
More on 24/7 Emergency Repairs
Flat Roofing Systems in East Sussex
Rear additions, mansard flats and dormer roofs in felt, EPDM, single ply and GRP with 15-year plus manufacturer guarantees.
More on Flat Roofing Systems
Spray Foam Removals in East Sussex
Complete removal and deck reinstatement so an East Sussex property can be surveyed, sold and mortgaged again.
More on Spray Foam Removals
Roof Inspections & Surveys in East Sussex
Free for existing homeowners; £150 pre-purchase surveys on seafront period property, deducted from your quote if you proceed.
More on Roof Inspections & Surveys
Leadwork & Lead Welding in East Sussex
Parapet gutters, valley linings, mansard junctions and chimney work hand-dressed and welded — the core of period seafront roofing.
More on Leadwork & Lead Welding
Chimney Removals in East Sussex
Redundant stacks on terraces and cottages removed safely, the structure supported and the roof properly made good.
More on Chimney Removals
Moss Removal in East Sussex
Hand-scraping and biocide on damp High Weald roofs, keeping valleys clear without damaging old clay tiles.
More on Moss RemovalSee the full list of roofing services or go back to the homepage.
Why Us
Why choose Harding & Co. in East Sussex
Period seafront roofing rewards experience and punishes shortcuts. We bring three generations of it and put written guarantees behind the result.
Leadwork done by hand
Parapet gutters and mansard junctions are the defining detail of East Sussex seafront property, and we weld and dress lead properly rather than sealing joints with mastic.
Three generations of the trade
Mark Harding learned from his grandad at thirteen; the nine-strong team carries over 60 years of combined experience.
25 and 15 year guarantees
25 years on new pitched roofs and 15 years on flat roofs, with the manufacturer-backed guarantee on flat systems included.
£1,000,000 public liability
In place for every East Sussex job, with details provided alongside your written quote.
Free survey, plain verdict
You get a proper look at the roof and an honest answer at no cost. Pre-purchase surveys are £150 and refunded against your quote.
Staged payments in writing
Typically 30% on a new pitched roof once the scaffolding is up, then staged. No large sums handed over before work starts.
Local Conditions
The problems East Sussex roofs share
Salt, wind, age and unusual construction all land at once in this county. These are the failures we see repeatedly.
Parapet gutters on seafront terraces
Brighton, Hove, Hastings and Eastbourne are full of Regency and Victorian terraces where the roof drains into a lead-lined parapet gutter hidden behind the facade. When that lead splits or the outlet blocks, water goes straight into the building.
These gutters need correctly sized lead in properly lapped drops with expansion allowance, and outlets that can actually be cleared. It is skilled work, and it is one of the most common causes of serious damage in East Sussex period property.
Nail sickness in Welsh slate
Victorian East Sussex roofs are largely Welsh slate on iron nails. After 100+ years the nails corrode and slates begin to slip in ones and twos, usually on the weather side first.
Tingles hold individual slates back on and buy time. Once slippage is regular, the roof needs stripping and relaying with the sound slates reused where possible — a repair schedule chosen by evidence, not by sales pressure.
Salt-laden coastal wind
The East Sussex coast takes some of the strongest onshore wind in the South East. Salt corrodes fixings, and gusts lift ridge tiles, verges and slates that have already lost their nails.
We use mechanical dry-fix details on renewals in these locations. It is also why our 24/7 emergency service exists — a stripped ridge on a Bexhill terrace at midnight cannot wait until Monday.
Mansards, bays and rear additions
The seafront housing pattern produces mansard upper storeys, bay roofs and long rear additions with small flat roofs, all with multiple junctions to the main structure.
Leaks live at those junctions. On survey we follow the water back rather than replacing the covering under the stain, which is often several metres from the defect.
High Weald damp and old clay tiles
Inland around Crowborough, Uckfield and the High Weald the building stock is older, the tree cover heavier and the slopes damper. Clay peg and plain tiles slip as battens and fixings decay.
Moss compounds it, damming valleys and holding moisture through freeze-thaw. We remove moss by hand with biocide treatment rather than pressure washing, which destroys the fired surface of old clay tiles.
Spray foam in coastal and rural lofts
Spray foam was widely sold across East Sussex, and it now stops sales because surveyors cannot inspect the roof timbers and lenders will not lend against it.
We remove it entirely and reinstate the roof so it can be inspected. Every removal we have carried out has been signed off by building control and surveyors without issue.
How It Works
From first call to
a guaranteed finish
- 01
Call or request an estimate
Tell us what the roof is doing and where the property is. Most enquiries get a same-day response during opening hours, and the emergency line is answered day and night.
- 02
Free survey and written quote
We inspect properly and photograph the problem. Surveys are free for existing homeowners; pre-purchase surveys are £150, deducted from your quote if you proceed.
- 03
Scheduled works, staged payments
Dates agreed up front, scaffolding arranged, and payments staged in writing — on a new pitched roof, typically a 30% deposit once the scaffolding is up.
- 04
Signed off and guaranteed
We walk the finished work with you, clear the site, and hand over your guarantee — 25 years on new pitched roofs, 15 years on flat roofs plus the manufacturer-backed cover.
Nearby Coverage
We also cover the areas
around East Sussex
Our yard is at 48 Buckfast Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5NB, which keeps London and the South East within a practical working distance.
Questions
East Sussex roofing
questions answered
If your question is not here, call 07808 839833 and speak to a roofer rather than a call centre.
Do you cover East Sussex?
Yes. We work throughout East Sussex from our Morden base — Brighton, Hove, Lewes, Seaford, Eastbourne, Bexhill, Hastings, Rye and inland around Uckfield and Crowborough.
How fast can you reach East Sussex?
Most enquiries get a same-day response during opening hours (Mon–Sun, 9am–5pm), with survey visits usually within a few days. For active leaks and storm damage, the emergency line is answered 24/7.
How much does roofing cost in East Sussex?
It depends on the roof and the access — a Regency parapet gutter renewal and a post-war tiled semi are completely different jobs. Fixed costs you can check now: free surveys for existing homeowners, £150 pre-purchase surveys (refunded against your quote if you proceed) and a £150 emergency call-out fee.
Is emergency roofing available in East Sussex at night?
Yes, 24/7. We attend for £150, make the roof safe and stop the water, then quote the permanent repair for your approval.
Do you do parapet gutter and lead work on seafront property?
Yes. Hand-dressed and welded leadwork to parapets, valleys, mansard junctions and chimneys is core work for us and one of the main reasons East Sussex homeowners call.
Can you re-slate a Victorian roof?
Yes. Where nail sickness has set in, we strip and relay, reusing sound slates where possible. New pitched roof installations carry our 25-year guarantee.
Do you work on flats and converted terraces in Brighton and Hove?
Yes. Where a roof is shared, the freeholder or managing agent needs to agree the scope before work is booked, and we will set out exactly what is required in the quote.
Are you insured to work in East Sussex?
Yes — £1,000,000 public liability cover, with details supplied alongside every quote.
Can you remove spray foam in East Sussex?
Yes. The foam is removed and the roof reinstated so it can be surveyed and mortgaged again. Every removal we have carried out has passed building control and surveyor inspection.
How are payments handled?
Staged and agreed in writing before work starts — typically a 30% deposit on a new pitched roof once the scaffolding is up, with the balance staged through the job.
Free Estimate
Get a free roof survey in East Sussex
From a leaking parapet in Hove to slipped slates in Hastings, tell us the address and what you are seeing. We will survey it properly and put a written price in front of you.