East Sussex · London and the South East
Down Street Chimney Survey
Know where you stand with the chimney stack before you decide what to do next. Chimney surveys in Down Street, with photographs and a clear written report.
- Flaunching that has broken away
- A chimney out of line
- Bricks with flaking faces
About our chimney survey in Down Street
We inspect chimneys from wherever they can safely be seen: from ground level, 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. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. If you are worried about a stack that appears to lean and mortar washing out of the joints, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In a village or hamlet like Down Street, 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. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs frequently need the most attention.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Where
- Down Street (TN22)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from the ground
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: 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.
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That is where a survey comes in.
Local roofs in Down Street
England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, so check with the council. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs, and the county’s older buildings include oast houses and Wealden hall houses. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
For an older house near a landmark like The Parish Church of St Andrew and St Mary, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. For site and facilities teams at buildings like Fletching Church of England Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Down Street is about 3 miles north-west of Uckfield, in East Sussex. Anywhere in Down Street, we can come and survey your property. Across East Sussex, we cover Down Street and the places around it. Crawley is in our area too.
Surveys in TN22 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Close by, we survey roofs in Maresfield (1 mile east), Budlett's Common (2 miles east), Newick (3 miles south-west), Founthill (3 miles south-west) and Ridgewood (3 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Seaford (15 miles south), Lewes (9 miles south), Hailsham (13 miles south-east), Crowborough (6 miles north-east), Uckfield (3 miles south-east) and Newhaven (14 miles south).
Landmarks near Down Street
In Down Street, that means homes and buildings near West Park. Down Street’s nearest station is Uckfield station, roughly 2.6 miles south-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Uckfield Community Hospital (3 miles south-east) and Heaven Farm Museum (2.8 miles north-west). Not far away are Brickfield Meadow.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Down Street
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Do you need a chimney survey in Down Street?
Many chimneys are no longer used. If a stack is capped or blocked without ventilation, moisture can build up inside. Damp patches can appear on chimney breasts even when nothing is leaking.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Flaunching that has broken away
Homes near green spaces such as West Park can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls.
Before you book anyone
- Is VAT included in the price?
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- How soon the report will arrive
Questions from Down Street
Can a landlord with a rental near Uckfield station book a roof survey?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. You can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you need.
Is my home in Down Street listed or in a conservation area?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
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.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only if it’s safe. We look at everything that can be seen safely: from ground level, from windows, from inside the roof space, from the roof where it is safe and by drone where applicable. Anything we cannot see is noted in the report.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing are not part of what we do. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, like cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before any work.
What do you check on a chimney?
The whole stack, as far as it can be seen safely: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings. Leaning, unused stacks and damp on chimney breasts are recorded too.
Is a leaning chimney dangerous?
Have it checked rather than leaving it. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down. We record its condition with photos, and a structural engineer can confirm whether it’s stable.
What happens on the day
We look at the roof from outside and, where it’s relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the roof space too. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging, as far as the space allows. All in, the survey normally takes roughly 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Somewhere as small as Down Street, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- First you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access.
- You get a written report with photos and our recommendations.
Before the survey
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Book a survey
Getting a price is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or email us, let us know about the property and we’ll suggest the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Read more
Useful tips for Down Street property owners
A little preparation and a few simple habits help, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Our tips:
- Make sure unused flues are capped with ventilation
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Don’t use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
If anything in the report is not clear, just ask us. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Look at your chimneys from the ground now and then, particularly after strong winds. With binoculars, you can often see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
Places near Down Street
Other services in Down Street
What affects the price in Down Street
We confirm the exact price before booking. These are the things that affect it:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. The price is confirmed before you book.
Booking your survey
When you call or email, these details help:
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Anything about access we should know
- When you need the report by
- What’s prompted the survey
To get a price for chimney surveys in Down Street, ring 07833 053749 or email us. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us give you an accurate price.