West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Elmer
Chimney surveys in Elmer, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photographs.
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Signs that a stack is leaning
Chimney surveys in Elmer: local notes
The coast is about 1 mile or less from Elmer, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Near the sea, metal fixings wear faster and loose pieces on a roof are more likely to lift, while driving rain finds any gap. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
If you own a rental within reach of Ford station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Bishop Tufnell CofE Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Elmer is about 3 miles east of Bognor Regis, in West Sussex. In Elmer, as across West Sussex, every roof gets the same careful survey. We cover towns and villages across West Sussex. Portsmouth is in our area too.
We cover every part of PO22 for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on Elmer Road, Ancton Lane and East Avenue or a nearby road, we can help. Other places close to Elmer include Middleton-on-Sea (1 mile west), Bilsham (1 mile north), Atherington (1 mile north-east), Flansham (2 miles north-west) and Horsemere Green (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Worthing (9 miles east), Bognor Regis (3 miles west), Chichester (8 miles north-west), Selsey (9 miles south-west), Littlehampton (4 miles east) and Shoreham-by-Sea (15 miles east).
Local landmarks in Elmer
Around Elmer, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Felpham Community College, among other places. The closest station to Elmer is Ford station, about 2.9 miles north-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Bognor Regis Museum (3.1 miles west) and Bognor Regis War Memorial Hospital (2.9 miles west).
Chimney survey in Elmer
A leaning chimney stack is worth having looked at. A stack may lean because the mortar on one side has weakened, which can happen over many years of use. We record the lean and the condition of the brickwork and pointing. Where it may be a structural concern, we’ll recommend a structural engineer. If you are worried about redundant stacks capped without ventilation and damaged chimney pots and cowls, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Trees around homes in smaller places like Elmer drop leaves, twigs and moss onto roofs and into gutters. Once gutters and outlets block, water spills over and soaks the walls, and moss holds water against tiles. It is the kind of slow problem a roof report picks up early. Moss on the roof and weeds in the gutter are both easy to spot from ground level.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Place
- Elmer (PO22)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Other services in Elmer
Surveys for landlords and agents in Elmer
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, putting the urgent items at the top.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
How we price chimney surveys
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Roof area
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
What to tell us when you contact us
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- What’s prompted the survey
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- The property’s address and postcode
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll explain the options and the price.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
It helps to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
A lot can be seen from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
When to book a survey in Elmer
Removing a chimney breast inside can leave questions about how the stack is supported. We record what we can see in the loft and outside, and recommend a structural engineer where support is in question.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Worn or missing pointing
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
For an older house near a landmark such as St Nicholas Church, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Whether VAT is added on top
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
How it works
You don’t need to do much on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we’ll take it from there. A typical survey takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, and more on a big or complicated roof. Being in a smaller place like Elmer does not change how the visit works: we look from the ground, from windows, from the loft and from the roof where it is safe. Point out any stains, cracks or loose pieces you’ve spotted.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- The stacks are looked at from ground level, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- 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 photo-illustrated written report and our recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Keep pets in another room
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Book a survey
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or email us to find out.
Advice
Elmer: your questions answered
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Ford station?
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, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Elmer, take more of a battering?
It can do. Elmer is within about 1 mile of the sea, and coastal roofs tend to see faster wear on metal parts and more wind lifting loose pieces.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs like sagging are noted, but we do not provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. The report will say if you need an engineer.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only when it’s safe. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. We use safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where applicable, and the report records anything we couldn’t see.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey seven days a week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Just let us know the days that suit you.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We are a CAA-registered drone operator.
My chimney looks like it is leaning. What should I do?
It’s worth having a leaning stack checked. We record the lean, the brickwork and the pointing, and if it may be a structural issue, we recommend a structural engineer.
Different roofs, different checks
Brick stacks
Most chimney stacks are built of brick, with mortar joints that wear over time. We check the bricks for spalling and the joints for erosion.
Chimney pots and cowls
For unused flues, we check whether caps or cowls allow ventilation. Poor capping can lead to damp inside the stack.