Hampshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Downton, Hampshire
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Downton, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
For landlords and managing agents
We survey roofs for landlords and letting agents as well as homeowners. A photo-illustrated written report gives you a clear record of the chimney stack.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
How a chimney survey works in Downton
Each stack is looked at from the safest viewpoints available: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the roof space where it is safe. A drone inspection is part of our Premium Survey where it applies. Where part of a stack cannot be seen, the report says so. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. We’re often asked to look into damp on a chimney breast inside and bricks with flaking faces, across chimney pots and cowls, lead flashings and flaunching.
Older buildings in small places like Downton may be 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. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is frequently expected.
We keep jargon out of it: where something needs attention, it says so plainly.
- Location
- Downton (SO41)
- Region
- Hampshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Also near Downton
Other services in Downton
Why it’s worth a survey now in Downton
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. For older village homes like those around Downton, the right replacement materials aren’t always easy to find quickly. That is one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how it can be reached and seen safely. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
Why book with us
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Plain-English reports with photos
- An independent look at the roof
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or our case studies.
The survey, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. It normally takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Older roofs in small places like Downton can have low, tight loft spaces, so it’s useful to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it is safe.
- 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.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access.
- The findings are written up with photographs and recommendations and emailed to you.
Preparing for the visit
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
Booking a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? It’s easiest to call 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Related advice
Common questions in Downton
Is the coastal weather around Downton hard on roofs?
Places near the sea get more wind and more salt in the air than inland, and both are hard on roofs. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
Do you cover smaller places like Downton?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only when it is safe. Safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where it applies cover most of what’s needed, and the report notes anything we couldn’t see.
What insurance do you have?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Surveys run on any day of the week. To find a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Do you look in the roof space?
Usually, if there’s one and it can be reached safely. The loft space can show things the outside cannot, such as damp timbers, staining or daylight.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Mention it when you get in touch and we will plan the survey around it.
Prices for chimney surveys in Downton
All our prices include VAT. What changes the price is:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Roof area
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where it applies, from £400 including VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you need to know.
What to tell us when you get in touch
There is no need for technical words. It is enough to let us know:
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- The address and postcode of the property
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- What made you get in touch
Getting a price is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email, tell us about the property and we’ll suggest the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Downton
The coast is about 1 mile or less from Downton, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. With Highcliffe Castle about 4.2 miles west, Downton sits in an area with a long building history. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters.
For landlords with property near New Milton station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant. For site and facilities teams at buildings like Hordle CofE (VA) Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Church of All Saints, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Downton is about 3 miles west of Lymington, in Hampshire. We carry out chimney surveys in Downton for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings. Downton is one of the places in Hampshire we cover for chimney surveys. For surveys nearby, see our Southampton page.
Here we cover the SO41 postcode area for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on Hordle Lane and Shorefield Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. We also cover the places around Downton: Leagreen (1 mile east), Hordle (1 mile north), Ashley (2 miles north-west), Barton on Sea (2 miles west) and New Milton (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Totton (13 miles north), Lymington (3 miles east), Hythe (13 miles north-east), Ringwood (10 miles north-west), Dibden Purlieu (12 miles north-east) and Marchwood (13 miles north-east).
What’s near Downton
In Downton, that means homes and buildings near The Arnewood School and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is New Milton station, roughly 2 miles north-west. Other landmarks nearby include Lymington New Forest Hospital (3.7 miles north-east) and Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum (2.9 miles north-west). For a walk, there is Milford on Sea LNR.
Roof by roof
Chimney pots and cowls
Each pot is bedded into the flaunching, often with a cowl or cap on top. The survey looks for cracked, loose or missing pots and cowls.
Flaunching
We often find flaunching that has cracked or broken away. It’s usually a modest repair when it is caught early.
When you need someone else
In fairness, a roof survey has limits:
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will tell you before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Downton
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls