Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Colwell
Chimney surveys in Colwell, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings
Flashings can lift in wind or pull out of their mortar joints. We photograph any we find that look loose or damaged.
Flaunching
We frequently find flaunching that has cracked or broken away. Caught early, it’s often a small job.
Chimney survey in Colwell
A chimney stands up above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. Over the years, the flaunching cracks, the pointing wears and flashings lift. That lets water into the brickwork, which can show up as damp on a chimney breast or in the roof space. A survey finds these problems and records them with photographs. If you’ve noticed frost-damaged brickwork on the stack and flashings pulling away from the stack, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Somewhere as small as Colwell, homes are frequently 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 whatever is safely visible, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it’s usually the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- Colwell (PO40, PO39)
- Region
- Isle of Wight
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
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About chimney survey
Chimney surveys in Colwell: local notes
The coast is about 1 mile or less from Colwell, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, and strong wind lifts anything already loose on a roof, while driving rain finds any gap. Some villages on the Isle of Wight still have thatched roofs, and the whole island is open to sea air and wind. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
Take a building like All Saints Church of England Primary School: long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. For landlords with property near Lymington Pier station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Colwell is about 5 miles south of Lymington, in the Isle of Wight. Colwell is part of the area we cover across London and South East England. We cover towns and villages across the Isle of Wight, from the larger towns to small villages. We also survey roofs in Southampton.
We work across the PO40 and PO39 postcode area for chimney surveys. Streets in the area include Colwell Chine Road, Heath Lane and Chine Close, and we cover them all. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Totland (1 mile south-west), Freshwater (1 mile south-east), Norton Green (1 mile north-east), Easton (1 mile south-east) and Afton (1 mile south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Newport (10 miles east), Cowes (11 miles north-east), East Cowes (12 miles north-east), Barton (11 miles east), Hunny Hill (10 miles east) and Cross Lane (11 miles east). If you’re somewhere remote, the survey takes a little more planning, so let us know when you get in touch.
Landmarks near Colwell
We work in homes and buildings around Colwell Bay Inn. The closest station to Colwell is Lymington Pier station, roughly 4.9 miles north. A little further out are Lymington New Forest Hospital (5.7 miles north) and Ferguson Family Museum (1.1 miles east). Open spaces near Colwell include Tennyson Down and Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Nature Reserve.
Do you need a chimney survey in Colwell?
Chimney stacks stand above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. Frost opens up cracks in the mortar, and rain gets into worn bricks and joints. Most people book after spotting damp or a loose pot, or before buying.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed one of these:
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
The streets around a church like Christ Church are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
What to check before booking
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- What the survey will not cover
Colwell questions
Is my home in Colwell listed or in a conservation area?
We cannot confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Is the coastal weather around Colwell hard on roofs?
Frequently, yes. Within about 1 mile of the sea, as Colwell is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
What does a chimney survey cover?
Every part of the stack we can see from safe positions: from the pots and flaunching down to the flashings. We also note leaning, redundant stacks and damp inside.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
That depends on the survey. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in, while outside access can be discussed when booking.
How much does a chimney survey cost in Colwell?
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Our three packages are Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, inc. VAT.
How do I book a survey in Colwell?
Just ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address. After a few questions, we confirm the price and fix a day, weekday or weekend.
Do you inspect the flue?
No. It is not a flue, sweep or gas safety inspection. We check the structure and weathering of the stack and any damp, and we’ll say if anything suggests the flue needs checking.
What we cannot see
It is a careful look at the chimney stack, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Hidden damage within the stack
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will point you to the right survey before booking. The full list of what we check.
What we check
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching
How it works
There is not much for you to do on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we’ll take it from there. A typical survey takes about 1–2 hours at most homes, and more on a big or complicated roof. In a hamlet or village like Colwell, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- We check 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 photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Preparing for the visit
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
Booking a survey
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
What happens if roof problems are left?
Before deciding what to do with a redundant stack, a survey shows how it is doing. Changes to stacks in conservation areas or on listed buildings may need consent and the council can advise. In a place like Colwell, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
For a price for your roof in Colwell, call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and some details. We will confirm the figure before booking.
Why us?
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
Take a look at what a roof survey costs and our case studies.
Before and after the survey
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Do not use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
Once we have been, the findings are written up with photos. 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.
Get small mortar repairs done while they’re small. It is far simpler than rebuilding a stack later.