Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Fishbourne, Isle of Wight
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Fishbourne. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
Honest limits
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Parts of the stack that cannot be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we can’t access
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
Chimney survey in Fishbourne: what you get
A chimney survey looks at the stack and everything around it: the pots and cowls, the flaunching on top, the pointing, the brickwork and the flashings where it meets the roof. Inside, we check chimney breasts and the stack in the loft where it’s safe to reach. You get a written report with photos and our recommendations. It suits a single stack on a house as well as several on a larger building. We survey chimney pots and cowls, lead flashings and chimney breasts, and people most often book us about damaged chimney pots and cowls and lifted or split lead flashings.
Somewhere as small as Fishbourne, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. We report on what can safely be seen, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it’s usually the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
The report doesn’t just list problems. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend.
- Place
- Fishbourne (PO33)
- Region
- Isle of Wight
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Leave it or get it looked at?
Chimneys are easy to forget because you rarely see the top of them. Defects tend to go unseen until there’s a stain. Surveying the stack now can catch problems first. Older cottages and farmhouses around Fishbourne can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
A Basic Survey starts from £150, with VAT included. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400. You will know the price for your survey before booking.
What you get with us
- Plain-English reports with photos
- Prices that include VAT
- Surveys on any day of the week
- PI and public liability insurance
Take a look at our cost guide and our case studies.
Common roof problems in Fishbourne
Flashings seal the gap where a stack passes through the roof. With age they can lift, split or come away from the joints. When flashings fail, water often shows up in the loft or on the chimney breast. Lead flashings can also be stolen.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near St. Edmund's Church, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Before booking anyone
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- What they will not be able to tell you
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Is VAT included in the price?
Should I look at the roof myself first?
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That part is for a survey.
It helps to keep a record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
Places near Fishbourne
What else we do in Fishbourne
FAQs for Fishbourne
Is the coastal weather around Fishbourne 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.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Fishbourne?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
How can you see the top of the stack?
We look from ground level, from windows and from the loft where it’s safe. A drone inspection is part of the Premium Survey where applicable. Any area we couldn’t view is noted.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. We inspect whatever is safely visible and what you give us access to. Where a problem appears to be on next door’s side, we note it and you can raise it with them.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Chimney surveys in Fishbourne: local notes
Fishbourne 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, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. Thatch survives on some older Isle of Wight buildings, and the whole island is open to sea air and wind. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
Historic houses like Osborne House, about 2.8 miles north-west, show how far back building around Fishbourne goes. If your house is among the older ones, the roof may have been repaired many times, and the survey records how each part is holding up. Take a building like Wootton Community Primary School: large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Fishbourne is about 2 miles west of Ryde, in the Isle of Wight. Wherever you are in Fishbourne, we can carry out chimney surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Our the Isle of Wight coverage includes Fishbourne and the places around it. Our Portsmouth page covers surveys nearby.
All of PO33 is within our area for chimney surveys. Streets in the area include Kite Hill, Ashlake Farm Lane and Ashlake Copse Road, all of which we cover. Fishbourne is on the B3331, which makes it simple to reach. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Wootton (1 mile west), Havenstreet (1 mile south), Hillgrove (2 miles south-west), Whippingham (2 miles west) and Staplers (3 miles south-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Newport (4 miles south-west), Cowes (4 miles north-west), Sandown (6 miles south-east), Shanklin (7 miles south), Ventnor (9 miles south) and East Cowes (3 miles north-west). Remote addresses need a little more planning, so let us know where you are when booking.
Local landmarks in Fishbourne
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Ryde Academy and The Fishbourne pub. Fishbourne’s nearest station is Ryde Esplanade station, about 2.5 miles east of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find St Mary's Hospital (3.9 miles west) and East Cowes Castle (3.8 miles north-west). The countryside around Fishbourne includes Mill Hill and Briddlesford Nature Reserve.
How the survey works
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, like when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes roughly 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Older roofs in small places like Fishbourne can have low, tight loft spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We check the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Before we arrive
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Keep pets in another room
Arrange a survey
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details.
Read more
Tips from our surveys
Getting the most from a chimney survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- Do not use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Check your stacks from ground level after strong winds
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Make sure unused flues are capped with ventilation
Once we’ve been, the findings are written up with photos. It explains the condition of each part of the stack and any damp inside. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.