West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Earnley
Chimney surveys in Earnley and the rest of West Sussex. We survey on any day of the week.
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Earnley
On terraced and semi-detached houses, a chimney stack is frequently shared with next door. We look at what can be seen safely and what the owner gives us access to. Where a problem seems to involve a neighbour’s side, the report records it, so you can talk to them. You get a report with photos and our recommendations. If you are worried about disused chimneys trapping moisture and damp patches on chimney breasts, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A roof report shows what needs attention first. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Where
- Earnley (PO20)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Earnley: your questions answered
How do I find out if my home in Earnley is listed?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Is the coastal weather around Earnley hard on roofs?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there’s more wind, and more salt in the air. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch, and Earnley is within about 2 miles of the coast.
When does the report arrive?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. Each one is emailed, ready to forward.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
A redundant chimney needs looking after like any other. If it is capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside. We check how it’s capped and its condition, so you can plan what to do with it.
Will you check the loft?
Where it is relevant to the survey and there’s safe access, yes. Please clear anything stored under the hatch, and if the loft cannot be reached safely, the report says so.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To find a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
What happens on the day
When we arrive, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you want to find out. We then inspect everything that can be seen safely, using the ground, windows, the loft and a drone where applicable. The survey usually takes about 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Older roofs in small places like Earnley can have low, tight loft spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We check the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before we arrive
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Book a survey
If you are buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.
Advice
Local roofs in Earnley
Earnley is within about 2 miles of the coast, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces, while driving rain finds any gap. Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it is listed or in a conservation area. Listed building consent covers changes to a listed building’s special interest, and an Article 4 direction can bring extra controls in a conservation area.
Take an older house close to Earnley Church: its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look. Take a building like East Wittering Community Primary School: large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Earnley is about 3 miles north-west of Selsey, in West Sussex. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Earnley can all book chimney surveys, with a written report and photographs every time. Earnley is one of the towns and villages in West Sussex where we work for chimney surveys. We also survey roofs in Portsmouth.
We cover every part of the PO20 postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Whether your property is on Earnley Manor Close, Bookers Lane and Drove Lane or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Close by, we survey roofs in East Wittering (1 mile west), Almodington (1 mile north-east), Somerley (1 mile north), Shipton Green (2 miles north) and Birdham (2 miles north). Further out, we also cover Bognor Regis (7 miles east), Chichester (6 miles north-east), Selsey (3 miles south-east), Littlehampton (14 miles east), Emsworth (7 miles north-west) and Rustington (15 miles east).
Local landmarks in Earnley
Other landmarks nearby include Selsey Lifeboat Museum (3.9 miles south-east). Open spaces near Earnley include Pilsey Island.
Also near Earnley
What else we do in Earnley
What you can safely check yourself
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That is where a survey comes in.
What happens if roof problems are left?
A leaning stack should be looked at sooner rather than later. We record its condition and recommend a structural engineer where needed, so you know where you stand. In a place like Earnley, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. It is worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What you get with us
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- 98% of customers satisfied
- Clear package prices, inc. VAT
- Photographs and a written report every time
What we look for on each type of roof
Rendered stacks
A rendered stack can mask problems in the bricks below. We look for cracks, hollow areas and staining.
Chimney breasts and the loft
In the loft, staining around the stack frequently shows where water is getting in. What we find is photographed and described.
What a survey costs
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- The size of the roof
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, all with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Booking your survey
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Earnley
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the building owner or managing agent. Mention it when you contact us and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the addresses.