West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Chichester, West Sussex
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Chichester and the rest of West Sussex. Surveys run on any day of the week.
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Cracked or missing flaunching
How a chimney survey works in Chichester
For buyers, a chimney survey before exchange can flag work you may want to raise. Cracked flaunching, failed flashings and worn pointing are common findings on older stacks. You get photos and findings you can take back to the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. We’re frequently asked to look into gaps where the stack meets the roof and cracked or missing flaunching, across chimney pots and cowls, chimney breasts and shared and party-wall stacks.
Chichester mixes older houses, frequently slate or clay tiled, with newer estates, many of them with concrete tiles. Older homes often keep chimney stacks long after the fireplaces went, and their flashings and pointing still matter. Newer homes have fewer chimneys but their own weak points at ridges, verges and gutters.
After the visit, you get a report with photographs, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Location
- Chichester (PO19, PO20, PO18, PO10)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Chimney surveys in Chichester: local notes
The coast is about 5 miles or less from Chichester, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
If you live in an older home near Church of St Paul, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. For landlords with property near Chichester station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Chichester is about 27 miles east of Southampton, in West Sussex. Chichester is one of many places we visit across West Sussex, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Chichester is one of the towns and villages in West Sussex we cover for chimney surveys. For surveys nearby, see our Portsmouth page.
We work across the PO19, PO20, PO18 and PO10 postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. You will find streets such as St Martin's Square, Market Road and Old Market Avenue, and we cover them all. With the A27 and A259 close by, Chichester is easy for us to reach for chimney surveys. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Portfield (1 mile east), Westhampnett (1 mile north-east), Shopwyke (2 miles east), Maudlin (2 miles north-east) and East Lavant (2 miles north). Further out, we also cover Bognor Regis (5 miles south-east), Selsey (7 miles south), Littlehampton (11 miles east), Emsworth (7 miles west), Rustington (12 miles east) and Storrington (15 miles east). Chichester is among the bigger towns we cover in West Sussex.
Landmarks near Chichester
We work in homes and buildings around Chichester High School For Girls, George and Dragon Inn and Central C of E Junior School. The closest station to Chichester is Chichester station, about 0.6 miles south. Nearby you’ll also find Novium Museum (under half a mile south) and Chichester Castle (within half a mile east). Green spaces nearby include Stoke Down and Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve.
Tips that help
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out:
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
After the visit, we write up the report with photos of each stack. It covers the pots, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings, and any damp we found inside. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24 to 48 hours and Premium reports the same day.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. Early signs are easier to trace.
Your questions about chimney surveys in Chichester
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Chichester station?
Yes, landlords and agents book with us as well as owners. You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and a few details, including who will give access on the day.
How do I find out if my home in Chichester is listed?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
What do I do with the report?
You’ll get the report by email, with photos and clear recommendations. With Standard there is a follow-up consultation; with Premium, an in-person consultation.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. We check the roof, not the whole building, so it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
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.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We are roof surveyors, not structural engineers, and it does not include calculations. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we’ll recommend one.
What should I do with a chimney I don’t use?
There is no single answer. The survey shows its condition and how it’s been capped. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need consent.
Places near Chichester
Also in Chichester
What a chimney survey does not cover
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Hidden damage within the stack
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will point you to the right survey. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Brick chimney stacks
When to book a survey in Chichester
Aerials and dishes are often fixed to stacks. Their weight and the wind on them can loosen bricks and pointing. Any fixings on the stack are checked and recorded.
Look out for signs like these:
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
If you look after a building such as Lancastrian Infant School, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Questions to ask before booking
- Are they insured for the work?
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
What we do, step by step
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. That way we can focus on what matters to you. The visit usually takes about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. In Chichester, many roofs join a neighbour’s, so shared parts are looked at as far as they can be seen from your property. Let us know about any known leaks, past repairs or building work as you book.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before we arrive
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
Arrange a survey
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know the cost up front. Prices start from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Read more
What a survey costs
All our prices include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Roof area
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Helping us price your survey
We’ll normally ask about:
- What’s prompted the survey
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and give us a few details about the property and we will explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings
Mortar fillets are sometimes used where lead would typically be. They crack with age, and we check them too.
Chimney pots and cowls
A loose or cracked pot can fall from height. We record their condition with photographs.