West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Cocking
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Cocking, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photos.
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Lifted or split lead flashings
What we do, step by step
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the chimney stack as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photographs go into the written report. It usually takes about 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In a small place like Cocking, 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.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
How to prepare
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Note where any stains or damp appear
How to book
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine, and please do not climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
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Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Cocking
Redundant chimneys are common, particularly where fires have been replaced by central heating. A disused stack still needs looking after. 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’re often asked to look into damp on a chimney breast inside and signs that a stack is leaning, across lead flashings, flaunching and chimney breasts.
Somewhere as small as Cocking, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. We report on everything that’s safely in view, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it’s normally the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Place
- Cocking (GU29)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Cocking homes and their roofs
Older houses across Sussex frequently have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging on their upper walls. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. The wider area around Cocking has a long history of building, with Cowdray House about 2.6 miles north. 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.
Cocking is about 8 miles north of Chichester, in West Sussex. We survey roofs in Cocking across London and South East England. Cocking is one of the places in West Sussex where we work. There is also a page for Portsmouth.
Here we cover the GU29 postcode area for chimney surveys. Local streets include Bell Lane, The Croft and Cherry Close. If you’re just outside Cocking, we cover Bepton (1 mile north-west), Heyshott Green (1 mile north-east), Cocking Causeway (1 mile north), Heyshott (1 mile east) and Bepton Common (2 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Bognor Regis (12 miles south), Chichester (8 miles south), Selsey (15 miles south), Littlehampton (14 miles south-east), Emsworth (11 miles south-west) and Rustington (14 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Cocking
Nearby you’ll also find Midhurst Community Hospital (3 miles north) and Midhurst Museum (2.5 miles north). The countryside around Cocking includes Levin Down and Iping and Stedham Commons.
What this survey cannot tell you
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
DIY checks: what’s safe
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.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Your questions about chimney surveys in Cocking
Is Cocking in the area you cover?
Yes, Cocking is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Cocking as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Do you cover smaller places like Cocking?
Yes, we do. We work right across London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
What should I do with a chimney I do not use?
An unused stack still needs to stay weathertight and ventilated. Capping without airflow can lead to damp. Our survey records its condition and how it’s capped, so you can decide with a builder what to do.
Is a leaning chimney dangerous?
A leaning stack should be looked at. We record the lean, the brickwork and the pointing, and if it may be a structural issue, we recommend a structural engineer.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Typically, if there’s one and it can be reached safely. The loft space can show things the outside can’t, like damp timbers, staining or daylight.
What’s the best way to book?
To book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price and agree a day with you.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, across 20+ years of surveying roofs, and 98% of customers are satisfied.
What we’re asked to look at in Cocking
A stack takes the weather from every direction. Frost works into cracks in the flaunching and pointing, and rain soaks into worn brickwork. Most people book after spotting damp or a loose pot, or before buying.
It’s worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
If you live in an older home near St Catherine of Siena Church, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- What insurance they carry
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Nearby places to Cocking
What else we do in Cocking
Roof by roof
Brick stacks
Frost can damage bricks that have soaked up water, making the faces flake away. We record any we can see.
Chimney pots and cowls
Pots sit in the flaunching on top of the stack, and cowls or caps sit on the pots. The survey looks for cracked, loose or missing pots and cowls.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Cocking
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Cocking. To discuss a property or a block, call 07833 053749 or email us.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan.