West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Crabtree
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Crabtree, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Call or email for a price.
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Flaunching that has broken away
How the survey works
The aim of the visit is simple: to see as much of the chimney stack as can be seen safely and record it clearly. Notes and photos go into the written report. It normally takes about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Cottages and farmhouses around Crabtree often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Getting ready for the survey
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
Arrange a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? It is easiest to phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will explain the options and the price.
Advice
Chimney survey in Crabtree: what you get
A chimney stands up above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. In time, flaunching cracks, mortar washes out and flashings come loose. That lets water into the brickwork, which can show up as damp on a chimney breast or in the loft space. A survey finds these problems and records them with photos. We survey chimney breasts, brick chimney stacks and chimney pots and cowls, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are flaunching that has broken away and disused chimneys trapping moisture.
In a village or hamlet like Crabtree, older cottages and farmhouses often sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few 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. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs often need the most attention.
The report doesn’t just list problems. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Location
- Crabtree (RH13)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Places near Crabtree
What else we do in Crabtree
Why act early in Crabtree
Damp in a chimney breast usually gets worse while the cause is left. It can stain walls and damage plaster. Knowing whether it’s the flaunching, flashings, brickwork or ventilation means the right fix can be planned. Older cottages and farmhouses around Crabtree can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
A Basic Survey starts from £150, inc. VAT. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400. You will know the exact price before booking.
What you get with us
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Plain-English reports with photos
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Clear package prices, including VAT
See what a roof survey costs or what we found on two real jobs.
Common roof problems in Crabtree
The flaunching on top of a stack holds the pots in place and sheds water. Once it cracks, water gets in and frost makes the cracks bigger. Loose pots can follow.
Problems we come across often include:
- Worn or missing pointing
- A chimney out of line
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
If you own a rental within reach of Horsham station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Before you book anyone
- What the survey won’t cover
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- What exactly goes into their report
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Crabtree
About 4.3 miles north-east lies Tyes Place, a reminder of how long the area around Crabtree has been built on. If yours is one of the older homes, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. In Sussex, older roofs are frequently handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
For site and facilities teams at buildings like Newells Preparatory School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. For an older house near a landmark such as Old Church House the Glebe, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Crabtree is about 5 miles south-east of Horsham, in West Sussex. In Crabtree, as across West Sussex, every roof gets the same careful survey. Our West Sussex coverage includes Crabtree. There’s also a page for Crawley.
We work across RH13 for chimney surveys. We cover properties on Mill Lane, Peppersgate and Long Hill and the roads around them. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Lower Beeding (1 mile north), Colwood (1 mile south-east), Monk's Gate (2 miles north-west), Plummers Plain (2 miles north-east) and Mannings Heath (2 miles north-west). Further out, we also cover Crawley (7 miles north-east), Horsham (5 miles north-west), Worthing (14 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (7 miles east), Burgess Hill (7 miles south-east) and East Grinstead (13 miles north-east).
Landmarks near Crabtree
In Crabtree, that means homes and buildings near Leonardslee and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Horsham station, roughly 4.6 miles north-west of the centre. A little further out are Horsham Hospital (4.9 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Knepp Wildland.
What a survey costs
When we price a survey, we consider:
- The size of the roof
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- Height and safe access
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we’ll tell you which fits.
Getting in touch
There is no need for technical words. It is enough to tell us:
- What kind of property and roof it is
- What’s prompted the survey
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Checking the roof from the ground
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and falls from height are serious. That is where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
Common questions in Crabtree
I let a flat near Horsham station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that is a common request. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Will you come out to Crabtree?
Yes, Crabtree is covered. We work right across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
How long is the visit?
It typically takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, and more on a big or complicated roof. The written report follows by email, on the timescale of your package.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only if it is safe. We inspect whatever is safely visible: from ground level, from windows, from inside the roof space, from the roof where it’s safe and by drone where applicable. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
What insurance do you have?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing aren’t part of what we do. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before any work.
Tips from our surveys
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Some pointers:
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
If anything in the report isn’t clear, just ask us. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.