East Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Brede
We carry out chimney surveys in Brede and the rest of East Sussex. We survey seven days a week.
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- A chimney out of line
Different roofs, different checks
Brick stacks
Most chimney stacks are built of brick, with mortar joints that wear over time. We check the bricks for spalling and the joints for erosion.
Flaunching
Cracked flaunching is one of the most common chimney defects we record. It is typically a modest repair when it is caught early.
Chimney survey in Brede
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. You get photographs and findings you can take back to the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. Common reasons to book are a stack that appears to lean and frost-damaged brickwork on the stack, across brick chimney stacks, lead flashings and flaunching.
Village roofs frequently face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. 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.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Brede (TN31)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Prices for chimney surveys in Brede
Not every roof costs the same to survey, and it comes down to:
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- House, block, shop or office
- The shape of the roof and its details
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, including VAT, and we can help you choose.
Helping us price your survey
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Anything about access we should know
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
To book a survey, call 07833 053749 or email us and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price before you book.
Questions from Brede
Is my home in Brede listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Doleham station?
Yes, that is a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
We are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
How much does a chimney survey cost in Brede?
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Our Basic Survey starts from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all including VAT.
How experienced are you?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, across 20+ years of surveying roofs.
Why is my chimney breast 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. We check each one and note the most likely cause.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, so it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
Chimney surveys in Brede: local notes
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, and the county’s older buildings include oast houses and Wealden hall houses. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. Historic houses like Durhamford Manor, about 3.3 miles west, show how far back building in the area around Brede goes. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
Take a building like Brede Primary School: its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. For an older house near a landmark like The Parish Church of St George, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Brede is about 5 miles north of Hastings, in East Sussex. We carry out chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Brede and nearby. Brede is one of the places in East Sussex we cover. We also survey roofs in Maidstone.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: TN31. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Brede Hill and Stubb Lane or anywhere close by, we can help. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Cackle Street (1 mile north), Westfield (2 miles south-west), Kent Street (3 miles south-west), Sedlescombe (3 miles west) and Mill Corner (3 miles north). Further out, we also cover Hastings (5 miles south), Bexhill-on-Sea (8 miles south-west), St Leonards (6 miles south), Hastings Old Town (5 miles south), Belmont (5 miles south) and Heathfield (15 miles west).
Local landmarks in Brede
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Red Lion Public House and the streets around them. Brede’s nearest station is Doleham station, about 1.2 miles south-east. Other landmarks nearby include Barn Theatre and Museum (2.5 miles south) and Conquest Hospital (3.5 miles south). The countryside around Brede includes Flatropers Wood and Senlac Hill.
The survey, step by step
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that is worrying you. We then inspect everything that can be seen safely, from ground level, from windows, in the roof space and by drone where it applies. Most surveys take about one to two hours for most houses, and longer for a large or complex roof. Rural addresses near Brede can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there’s access.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Preparing for the visit
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Tell us where we can park nearby
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
How to book
Once you know what you need, call 07833 053749 or send us an email. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
Advice
Before and after the survey
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Do not use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
Questions about the findings are always welcome. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. Small repairs now can save bigger work later.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Do not go up yourself.
Nearby places to Brede
Other services in Brede
When to book a survey in Brede
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Mortar can deteriorate unevenly from flue gases and moisture, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Flaunching that has broken away
- A chimney out of line
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Lifted or split lead flashings
For landlords with property near Doleham station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Before booking anyone
- Will the report include photos?
- What the survey won’t cover
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Is VAT included in the price?