East Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Brownbread Street, East Sussex
We take a careful look at the chimney stack at your property in Brownbread Street, and put it all in a photo-illustrated written report.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Mortar washing out of the joints
Local roofs in Brownbread Street
Older houses across Sussex often have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging on their upper 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. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters. Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the council can say whether a street is in a conservation area. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent.
Homes near green spaces like Ashburnham Park can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall. If you own a rental within reach of Battle station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Brownbread Street is about 6 miles north-west of Bexhill-on-Sea, in East Sussex. We cover Brownbread Street and the rest of East Sussex. Across East Sussex, we cover Brownbread Street and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Brighton page.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: TN33. If you are just outside Brownbread Street, we cover Ashburnham (1 mile east), The Pound (1 mile south-east), Bodle Street Green (2 miles west), Wood's Corner (3 miles north) and Dallington (3 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Eastbourne (10 miles south-west), Hastings (8 miles east), Bexhill-on-Sea (6 miles south-east), Seaford (15 miles south-west), Hailsham (6 miles south-west) and Crowborough (13 miles north-west).
Near you in Brownbread Street
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Ash Tree Inn and Ashburnham Park and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Battle station, roughly 4.9 miles east. Nearby you will also find Amberstone Hospital (5.2 miles south-west) and Old Castle (2.8 miles north-west). Not far away are Senlac Hill.
Chimney survey in Brownbread Street: what you get
If you’re buying a home with chimneys, it is worth knowing their condition before you exchange. 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 chimney pots and cowls, and common reasons people get in touch are cracked or missing flaunching and spalled or crumbling bricks.
In a small place like Brownbread Street, many roofs stand in the open, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
The report records the chimney stack as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, like when you want to compare after future work.
- Where
- Brownbread Street (TN33)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What this survey cannot tell you
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, so a survey has limits:
- Areas we can’t view from safe positions
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
Your questions about chimney surveys in Brownbread Street
Can a landlord with a rental near Battle station book a roof survey?
Of course. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Do you cover smaller places like Brownbread Street?
Yes, Brownbread Street is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
How can you see the top of the stack?
We look from the ground, from windows and from the loft where it is safe. Where it applies, our Premium Survey adds a drone inspection for a closer view. The report is clear about anything that couldn’t be seen.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes. The report includes photos of what we found.
My chimney looks like it is leaning. What should I do?
Don’t ignore it. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down. The survey records what we can see, and a structural engineer can assess whether it needs work.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey seven days a week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Tell us which days suit you when booking.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Light rain is normally fine; heavy rain and wind are different. In strong wind or a downpour, a drone can’t fly and access may not be safe, and we’d agree another day.
Before and after the survey
Getting the most from a chimney survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Tips:
- Check your stacks from the ground after strong winds
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
You can send the report to roofers or builders for quotes. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Make sure redundant flues are capped with ventilation. Ventilation helps keep the stack dry.
What happens on the day
The visit has one job: to see as much of the chimney stack as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Notes and photos go into the written report. The visit normally takes between one and two hours at a typical home, and longer for a large or complex roof. In a small place like Brownbread Street, access is normally the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- 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 photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
How to book
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
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Places near Brownbread Street
More services for Brownbread Street
Common roof problems in Brownbread Street
Flaunching is the mortar bed that holds the pots and throws water off the top. Once it cracks, water gets in and frost makes the cracks bigger. Loose pots can follow.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Mortar washing out of the joints
If you live in an older home near Parish Church of St Peter, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Are they insured for the work?
- Which limits apply to the survey
- What exactly goes into their report
- Whether the price includes VAT
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed in advance. Surveys run seven days a week, which can make access easier.
Landlords and agents in Brownbread Street book surveys as well as homeowners. A written report with photos gives you a clear record of the chimney stack, useful for planning maintenance.
How we price chimney surveys
Our packages start from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
What to tell us when you get in touch
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.