West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Fittleworth, West Sussex
We carry out chimney surveys in Fittleworth and the rest of West Sussex. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends.
- Worn or missing pointing
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
Chimney survey in Fittleworth
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 photo-illustrated written report and our recommendations. It suits a single stack on a house as well as several on a larger building. Common reasons to book are unused flues sealed without airflow and bricks with flaking faces, on shared and party-wall stacks, chimney pots and cowls and flaunching.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A roof report shows what needs attention first. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are frequently the first to give way.
We keep jargon out of it: where something needs attention, it says so plainly, and where it can wait, that is said too.
- Location
- Fittleworth (RH20)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
We check the roof from outside and, where it’s relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the roof space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. All in, the survey normally takes an hour or two at most homes, and more on a big or complicated roof. Rural addresses near Fittleworth can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- You tell us how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can be seen safely.
- Every part we can see is checked: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access.
- The findings are written up with photographs and recommendations and emailed to you.
Preparing for the visit
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
How to book
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from the ground or a window, and please do not climb up for a closer look. To get started, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
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Places near Fittleworth
Other services in Fittleworth
Fittleworth: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Fittleworth?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Pulborough station?
Yes, landlords and agents book with us as well as owners. Just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us about the building.
Should a redundant chimney be removed?
An unused stack still needs to stay weathertight and ventilated. 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.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs such as sagging are noted, but we do not provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. If one is needed, the report says so.
Do you need to get into the loft?
If the survey needs it and the loft space can be reached safely, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps, and if the loft can’t be reached safely, the report says so.
Are you insured?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and details are available on request.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
Yes. We inspect what can be seen safely and what you give us access to. Where a problem appears to be on next door’s side, we note it, so you can discuss it with them.
Useful tips for Fittleworth property owners
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
The report is emailed to you, ready to share with a roofer or builder. We use plain English and a photo for each defect so anyone reading it can see what we saw.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. With binoculars, you can often see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
Why it’s worth a survey now in Fittleworth
Chimneys are easy to forget because you rarely see the top of them. Defects tend to go unseen until there is a stain. Surveying the stack now can catch problems first. Older cottages and farmhouses around Fittleworth can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
Every price we give includes VAT. Prices start from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for your survey before you book.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Fittleworth
- Surveys seven days a week
- An independent look at the roof
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
Read our cost guide or our case studies.
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney pots and cowls
Each pot is bedded into the flaunching, often with a cowl or cap on top. We check that they look secure and undamaged.
Lead flashings
Some older stacks have mortar fillets instead of lead. They tend to crack, so we check them closely.
What affects the price in Fittleworth
Our packages start from £150, inc. VAT. The price for your roof depends on:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- How big the roof is
A Basic Survey starts from £150, with VAT included. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400. We confirm the price for your survey before you book.
What we need to know
You don’t need to know any roofing terms. Just tell us:
- What made you get in touch
- Dates you are working to, like exchange
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: call 07833 053749 or email us. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Chimney surveys around Fittleworth
The wider area around Fittleworth has a long history of building, with Old Place Manor about 2.1 miles east. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
Take a building like Fittleworth CofE Village School: a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. If you let a flat or house near Pulborough station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak. The streets around a church such as The Parish Church of St Mary are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Fittleworth is about 11 miles north of Littlehampton, in West Sussex. We cover Fittleworth and the rest of West Sussex. Fittleworth is one of the places in West Sussex we cover for chimney surveys. We also survey roofs in Crawley.
We work across RH20 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. We cover properties on Fairmead Close, School Lane and Greatpin Croft. Other places close to Fittleworth include Bedham (1 mile north), Lower Horncroft (1 mile south), Coates (1 mile south-west), Hardham (2 miles south-east) and Coldwaltham (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Horsham (13 miles north-east), Worthing (12 miles south-east), Bognor Regis (13 miles south-west), Chichester (13 miles south-west), Littlehampton (11 miles south) and Shoreham-by-Sea (15 miles south-east).
What’s near Fittleworth
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Swan Hotel, among other places. The closest station to Fittleworth is Pulborough station, about 1.9 miles east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Coates Castle (1.5 miles south-west) and Coultershaw Heritage Site (2.5 miles west). Open spaces near Fittleworth include Bignor Hill and The Mens.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Fittleworth
We survey roofs for landlords and agents as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the chimney stack, with photos, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. We survey on any day of the week, which can make access easier.