West Sussex · London and the South East
Copthorne Chimney Survey
Find out what’s going on with the chimney stack before you spend money on it. We carry out chimney surveys in Copthorne.
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Mortar washing out of the joints
How the survey works
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes about one to two hours at a typical home, and more on a big or complicated roof. A visit to a smaller place like Copthorne is no different on the day: we look from ground level, from windows, from the loft and from the roof where it’s safe. It’s useful to show us anything you’ve already noticed.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can safely be seen.
- Every part we can see is looked at: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Where there is safe access, we look at the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- You get a written report with photos and our recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
Arrange a survey
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or send us an email to find out.
Advice
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Copthorne
Each stack is looked at from the safest viewpoints available: from the ground, from windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there is access. With our Premium Survey, a drone inspection is included where applicable. Where part of a stack can’t be seen, the report says so. Every defect we find is photographed and described in plain words. We’re often asked to look into damp on a chimney breast inside and spalled or crumbling bricks, across chimney pots and cowls, lead flashings and brick chimney stacks.
Houses in smaller places like Copthorne can face open ground, where wind and driving rain hit the roof harder. Ridge tiles, verges, chimney stacks and flashings take the worst of it. Checking those edges shows whether anything has begun to work loose. A loose ridge tile or slate gives the wind something to catch, and others soon follow.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Place
- Copthorne (RH10, RH6)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What affects the price in Copthorne
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. The main factors are:
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- The size of the roof
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included.
Booking your survey
A little information up front helps. Please include:
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- The kind of building and roof involved
- When you need the report by
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll explain the options and the price.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Copthorne
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work around your tenants.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed ahead of time. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Copthorne: your questions answered
Is Copthorne within the area you cover?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Copthorne?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
My chimney looks like it’s leaning. What should I do?
Have it checked rather than leaving it. Leaning often comes from mortar breaking down unevenly. We record its condition with photographs, and a structural engineer can confirm whether it is stable.
What’s in the survey report?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos, finishing with recommendations. Points are put by urgency where it matters.
How fast do I get the report?
Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24–48 hours and Premium reports on the same day. All of them come by email, ready to forward.
Does the weather affect the survey?
It depends on the weather and the survey. In high wind or heavy rain, a drone cannot fly and access may not be safe, and we’d agree another day.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first, with the freeholder or managing agent. Let us know about it as you book and we’ll plan the survey around it.
Nearby places to Copthorne
Also in Copthorne
What this survey can’t tell you
It helps to know what a survey won’t do before booking:
- 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 in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll suggest the right survey. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Copthorne
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
Useful tips for Copthorne property owners
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Check unused flues are capped with ventilation
If the report recommends a structural engineer, a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer, it will say why. It gives them a clear starting point.
Look at your chimneys from the ground now and then, especially after strong winds. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
Common roof problems in Copthorne
Lots of homes have redundant stacks. A stack sealed without ventilation can trap damp. Damp patches can appear on chimney breasts even when nothing is leaking.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- A stack that appears to lean
For landlords with property near Gatwick Airport station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What insurance they carry
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Whether the price includes VAT
Local roofs in Copthorne
The wider area around Copthorne has a long history of building, with Gravetye Manor about 4.5 miles south-east. If yours is one of the older homes, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. In Sussex, older roofs are frequently handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
Anyone responsible for a site like Fairway Infant School will know that a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for example near County Mall, a written record of the roof’s condition helps you plan maintenance rather than react to leaks.
Copthorne is about 3 miles north-east of Crawley, in West Sussex. Copthorne is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and South East England. Across West Sussex, we cover Copthorne and the places around it.
We work across the RH10 and RH6 postcode area for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on Church Road, Brookside and Bridgelands or a nearby road, we can survey it. Main roads around Copthorne include the A264, so getting to you is simple. We also cover Shipley Bridge (1 mile north-west), Forge Wood (1 mile west), Tinsley Green (1 mile west), Burstow (1 mile north) and Keeper's Corner (1 mile north-east). Larger places within reach include Crawley (3 miles south-west), Horsham (10 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (10 miles south), Burgess Hill (12 miles south), East Grinstead (5 miles east) and Broadfield (4 miles south-west).
Near you in Copthorne
In Copthorne, that means homes and buildings near Worth Park Gardens, The Cherry Tree pub and Hazelwick School, among other places. The nearest railway station is Gatwick Airport station, roughly 2 miles north-west. Well-known places in the area include Effingham Park Motor Museum (1.6 miles east) and County Mall (3 miles south-west). Not far away are Hedgecourt Lake.