East Sussex · London and the South East
Bodiam Chimney Survey
Independent chimney surveys in Bodiam. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
Chimney surveys around Bodiam
Great Dixter, about 2.5 miles east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Bodiam. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs, and oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of East Sussex’s older buildings. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
Anyone responsible for a site like Bodiam Manor School will know that its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. Landlords with a home close to Robertsbridge station may find that a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant. If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near The Parish Church of St Giles, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Bodiam is about 10 miles north of Hastings, in East Sussex. If you’re in Bodiam, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Our area takes in places right across East Sussex, large and small. There’s also a page for Maidstone.
Surveys in TN32 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. If you’re just outside Bodiam, we cover Sandhurst Cross (1 mile north-east), Sandhurst (2 miles north-east), Little Conghurst (2 miles north), Four Throws (2 miles north) and Linkhill (2 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include Hastings (10 miles south), Bexhill-on-Sea (11 miles south), St Leonards (10 miles south), Hastings Old Town (11 miles south), Belmont (10 miles south) and Heathfield (13 miles west).
Landmarks near Bodiam
Typical jobs here are in homes near Bodiam Church of England Primary School and Castle Inn and the streets around them. Bodiam’s nearest station is Robertsbridge station, about 3.3 miles south-west of the centre.
Chimney survey in Bodiam: what you get
For buyers, a chimney survey before exchange can flag work you may want to raise. On older stacks, we often find cracked flaunching, loose flashings and worn pointing. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. We survey lead flashings, chimney breasts and shared and party-wall stacks, and common reasons people get in touch are signs that a stack is leaning and damp patches on chimney breasts.
Village roofs frequently face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A roof report shows what needs attention first. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are frequently where weather gets in first.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the coverings down to the gutters. You’ll see the good as well as the bad.
- Where
- Bodiam (TN32)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
How it works
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photographs as we go and record our findings for the written report. It normally takes about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Cottages and farmhouses around Bodiam often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can safely be seen.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there is access.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
How to prepare
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
Arrange a survey
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Advice
Common questions in Bodiam
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Robertsbridge station?
Yes, landlords and letting agents book with us as well as owners. Just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us about the building, including who will give access on the day.
Do you cover smaller places like Bodiam?
Yes, Bodiam is covered. We survey roofs across London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. We check the roof, not the whole building, so it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
How much does a chimney survey cost in Bodiam?
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the exact price before booking, based on the roof’s size, access and package. To get a price, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
What will the report tell me?
A report with photos, explaining the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our recommendations, in order of urgency where relevant. Standard adds moisture detection and a structural check; Premium adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies and structural analysis.
How do you inspect a chimney without scaffolding?
We inspect from wherever is safe: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the roof space. A drone inspection is included in our Premium Survey where applicable. If part of a stack can’t be seen, the report says so.
Can you find out why my chimney breast is damp?
There are a few common causes: water getting in at the top, through the brickwork or at the flashings, or moisture trapped in a stack with no ventilation. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause.
Tips from our surveys
Small things make a difference, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Some pointers:
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
Questions about the findings are always welcome. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation.
Make sure redundant flues are capped with ventilation. Ventilation helps keep the stack dry.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Before deciding what to do with a redundant stack, a survey shows how it’s doing. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need permission from the council and the council can advise. For older village homes like those around Bodiam, the right replacement materials are not always easy to find quickly. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
Prices start from £150, with VAT included, for a Basic Survey. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400, both including VAT. You will know the price for the job before booking.
Why us?
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Package prices that include VAT
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Visits on any day of the week
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and our case studies.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Bodiam
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 with less disruption.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Let us know about it when you book and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
What affects the price in Bodiam
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Height and safe access
- The shape of the roof and its details
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and the package you choose.
Booking your survey
We will typically ask about:
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
- What made you get in touch
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- The kind of building and roof involved
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Different roofs, different checks
Rendered stacks
A rendered stack can mask problems in the bricks below. We look for cracks, hollow areas and staining.
Flaunching
Flaunching is the mortar on top of a stack that holds the pots and sheds water. Once it cracks, water can get straight into the brickwork.