East Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Filching
A careful look at the chimney stack at your property in Filching, and put it all in a written report with photographs.
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Signs that a stack is leaning
What we do, step by step
The visit has one job: to look at the chimney stack as closely as is safe and record what we find. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. The visit typically takes an hour or two for a house, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Around Filching, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it helps to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it is safe.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We check 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Arrange a survey
When you are ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or email us. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
Advice
Chimney survey in Filching
We inspect chimneys from wherever they can safely be seen: from the ground, from windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there’s access. A drone inspection is part of our Premium Survey where applicable. Where part of a stack cannot be seen, the report says so. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. Typical surveys look at bricks with flaking faces and eroded joints in the brickwork, on shared and party-wall stacks, lead flashings and chimney pots and cowls.
In a small place like Filching, many roofs stand in the open, 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 frequently the first to give way.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, each with a short note and a photo. You’ll see the good as well as the bad.
- Place
- Filching (BN26)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Places near Filching
Also in Filching
Why act early in Filching
If you are thinking of removing or reducing a stack, it helps to know its condition first. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need permission from the council, so check with them first. Around Filching, older homes often have old roof timbers, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
Why book us in Filching
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Prices that include VAT
- An independent look at the roof
Questions from Filching
How do I find out if my home in Filching is listed?
We cannot confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Polegate station?
Yes, landlords and letting agents book with us as well as owners. Just phone 07833 053749 or email us and tell us about the building.
Does the report include photos?
Yes. We photograph the roof as we go, and the report uses them to show each finding alongside our recommendations.
How experienced are you?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have completed over 5,000 surveys.
Is Filching in your area?
Yes. We survey roofs in Filching and the rest of East Sussex, as part of our work across London and the South East. For a price, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
What happens after the survey?
The report comes by email, and you decide the next step: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
What’s in the report?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos, and ends with what we recommend. Points are put in order of urgency where relevant.
What you can safely check yourself
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.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Filching
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, including offices, shops and units. Bigger roofs take more time.
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
What this survey can’t tell you
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Parts of the stack that cannot be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we can’t access
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
What we check
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
Filching homes and their roofs
Filching is within about 4 miles of the coast, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles, while driving rain finds any gap. Alfriston Clergy House, about 2.9 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Filching. If you own one of the older houses, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof.
Take a building like Willingdon Primary School: a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near The Parish Church of Saint Peter, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. If you let a flat or house near Polegate station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Filching is about 3 miles north-west of Eastbourne, in East Sussex. We survey roofs in Filching across London and South East England. Filching is one of the places in East Sussex we cover. Our Brighton page covers surveys nearby.
All of BN26 is within our area for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Other places close to Filching include Wannock (1 mile north-east), Folkington (1 mile north-west), Lower Willingdon (1 mile east), Willingdon (1 mile east) and Polegate (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Eastbourne (3 miles south-east), Hastings (15 miles east), Bexhill-on-Sea (11 miles east), Seaford (5 miles west), Lewes (11 miles north-west) and Hailsham (4 miles north).
Local landmarks in Filching
Around Filching, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Eight Bells Inn and Willingdon Community School. The closest station to Filching is Polegate station, about 1.5 miles north-east. Nearby you will also find Burlough Castle (2.5 miles west) and Eastbourne District General Hospital (2.3 miles south-east). The countryside around Filching includes Combe Hill.
Tips from our surveys
Most of what helps is simple and safe from ground level. A few suggestions:
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Make sure unused flues are capped with ventilation
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Check your stacks from ground level after strong winds
If the stack is shared, you can pass the report to your neighbour. It shows what we found and where, as far as we could see.
Have aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked and taken off if they’re no longer needed. Less load on the stack means less strain in wind.