West Sussex · London and the South East
Cowfold Chimney Survey
Know where you stand with the chimney stack before you spend money on it. Chimney surveys in Cowfold, with photos and a clear written report.
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Flaunching that has broken away
Chimney survey in Cowfold: what you get
A chimney survey is about the outside of the stack and the roof around it. It isn’t a flue inspection, a sweep or a gas safety check. For the flue itself, you will need a sweep or, for gas appliances, a Gas Safe registered engineer. We will tell you if we see anything that suggests they should take a look. We survey chimney breasts, flaunching and chimney pots and cowls, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are gaps where the stack meets the roof and damp patches on chimney breasts.
Some older homes in villages like Cowfold are listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are frequently matched when work is done.
What you get is a clear record of the chimney stack on the day we saw it. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, for example when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Place
- Cowfold (RH13)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Signs you need a chimney survey in Cowfold
TV aerials, satellite dishes and their brackets are often fixed to chimneys. The extra load in wind can work bricks and joints loose. We check fixings on the stack as part of the survey.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
If you look after a building such as St Peter's CofE (Aided) Primary School, large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
What to check before booking
- What the survey won’t cover
- Whether VAT is added on top
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- What experience they bring
Questions from Cowfold
Do you cover smaller places like Cowfold?
Yes, Cowfold is covered. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
Is Cowfold in the area you cover?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Cowfold as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning, with the building owner or managing agent. Mention it when you contact us and we will explain what’s needed.
Can you find out why my chimney breast is damp?
There are a few common causes: water getting in at the top, through the brickwork or at the flashings, or moisture trapped in a stack with no ventilation. We check each one and note the most likely cause.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, so it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
How soon will I get the report?
Each package has its own report time. Basic is within 48 hours, Standard is 24–48 hours and Premium is the same day. If you have a deadline, like an exchange date, let us know when booking.
What happens after the survey?
You’ll receive the report by email, and you decide the next step: raise it with a seller, send it to an insurer, brief a roofer or share it with a managing agent.
Checking the roof from ground level
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, which helps when we check the roof.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Most people never get a proper look at their chimney stacks. Problems often go unnoticed until damp appears inside. A survey gives you a clear picture before that happens. In a small place like Cowfold, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
Why book us in Cowfold
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Package prices that include VAT
- Weekday and weekend surveys
Read how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
Also near Cowfold
Other services in Cowfold
What happens on the day
We’ll ask a few questions first, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. The inspection then takes about one to two hours for a house, and more on a big or complicated roof. In a hamlet or village like Cowfold, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- 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.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
How to prepare
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Getting a price
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. For a price or to book, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
Local roofs in Cowfold
England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. If your home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission, so check with the council. Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St Peter, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Cowfold is about 6 miles south of Horsham, in West Sussex. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Cowfold can all book chimney surveys, with a written report and photographs every time. Cowfold is one of the towns and villages in West Sussex we cover. There is also a page for Crawley.
Here we cover the RH13 postcode area for chimney surveys. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Oakfield Road, Acorn Avenue and Holm Oaks or a nearby road, we can survey it. Other places close to Cowfold include Kent Street (1 mile south-east), Wineham (2 miles south-east), Shermanbury (2 miles south), Crosspost (3 miles east) and Twineham Green (3 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Crawley (9 miles north-east), Horsham (6 miles north), Worthing (13 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (8 miles east), Burgess Hill (7 miles east) and East Grinstead (15 miles north-east).
Landmarks near Cowfold
Well-known places in the area include The Dene Hospital (4.9 miles east). The countryside around Cowfold includes Knepp Wildland.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Cowfold
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, with the most urgent items set out first.
We survey roofs for landlords and letting agents as well as householders. A report with photographs gives you a clear record of the chimney stack, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
What affects the price in Cowfold
Our packages start from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- Height and safe access
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
For a price for your roof in Cowfold, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
What to let us know when you contact us
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It helps to include:
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- What’s prompted the survey
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
Getting a price is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and give us some details about the property and we will explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.