London and the South East

Chimney Survey in West Sussex

Wherever you are in West Sussex, we can carry out chimney surveys. Written reports with photos, and surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Need a chimney survey in West Sussex?

Call 07833 053749

Book a survey

Towns we cover in West Sussex

Across West Sussex, that means a survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching. Pick your town below to see the details for your area, or call 07833 053749 to book.

Largest places

Also in West Sussex

Postcodes in West Sussex

Chimney surveys across West Sussex: what to expect

Redundant chimneys are common, particularly where fires have been replaced by central heating. Even when it isn’t used, a stack has to stay weathertight. If it has been capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside it. We check how redundant stacks have been capped and look for damp in the chimney breasts. You get photos of each stack and our recommendations. We are often asked to look into eroded joints in the brickwork and bricks with flaking faces, on flaunching, chimney pots and cowls and brick chimney stacks.

It is 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. Most visits take between one and two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks.

You let us know how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
The stacks are looked at from ground level, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access.
We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.

What affects the price in West Sussex

Price depends partly on the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.

What you get with us

An independent view of the roof
Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
Surveys seven days a week
Plain-English reports with photos

How to book

We confirm the price for your roof before booking, so you know where you stand. Our price is from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.

Around Crawley

Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Friary Church of St Francis and St Anthony, St Wilfrid's Catholic School and Tilgate Park and the streets around them. Nearby too are The George Hotel (within half a mile north), Three Bridges Junior School (less than half a mile south-east) and St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School (less than half a mile south-east). There is a railway station in Crawley itself: Crawley station. Other landmarks nearby include Crawley Hospital (0.5 miles north-west) and County Mall (within half a mile north-east). Green spaces nearby include Tilgate Lake.

Roofs, chimneys and gutters across West Sussex

In West Sussex, our chimney surveys work takes in owners, landlords and managing agents, in Crawley, Horsham and Worthing and well beyond. Every report comes with photographs and written recommendations.

We survey roofs across London and South East England, and West Sussex is part of that. London and the South East have homes from every era, from period terraces to post-war new towns and new estates. Near the coast in West Sussex, wind can be strong, which matters for drone flights, as a small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind. Driving rain and salt air are hard on roofs there too.

Crawley: If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for example near County Mall, a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions. Living close to Tilgate Park is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn.

Landlords, agents and block managers in West Sussex

A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work around your tenants.

Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll plan the survey around it.

Practical tips

These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:

Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
Photograph damp patches with the date
Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
Check your stacks from the ground after strong winds

You get the report by email and can pass it to whoever does the work. Each defect is described in plain words and shown in a photo, so it’s easy to follow.

Look at your chimneys from ground level now and then, especially after strong winds. With binoculars, you can frequently see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.

Signs you need a chimney survey

Stacks that were used for open fires for many years can weaken from the inside. Flue gases and damp can break down the mortar, sometimes more on one side than the other, which can make a stack lean.

Problems we come across often include:

Flashings pulling away from the stack
Signs that a stack is leaning
Unused flues sealed without airflow
Gaps in the mortar around the pots

Why act early?

Cracked flaunching and worn pointing are often modest repairs when they’re caught early. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks and the job gets bigger.

What to check before booking

Whether the price includes VAT
Whether the inside of the roof is included
Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
Their drone registration, if they fly one

Can I check my roof myself?

Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.

The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That’s where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.

Questions from West Sussex

What if it rains on the day?

It depends on the weather and the survey. Strong wind or heavy rain can make access unsafe and ground a drone, and we’d agree another day.

How long will you be at the property?

That depends on the size and shape of the roof; most visits take roughly 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. The written report follows by email.

Are you insured?

Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.

Our stack is shared. Can you still survey it?

Yes. Shared stacks are common on terraced and semi-detached houses. We survey what we can see safely, and note anything that seems to involve next door.

Do you test for asbestos?

No. Asbestos surveys and sampling aren’t something we do. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000.