West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Ford, West Sussex
An experienced roof surveyor for chimney surveys in Ford. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and South East England.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- A chimney out of line
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
Chimney survey in Ford: what you get
Damp on a chimney breast can have several causes. It might come in at the top, through worn pointing or porous bricks, or where the flashings meet the roof. Condensation inside an unventilated stack is another common cause. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause. That points the work in the right direction. Common reasons to book are loose, cracked or missing pots and spalled or crumbling bricks, across brick chimney stacks, flaunching and lead flashings.
Older buildings in small places like Ford may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Older materials like clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
The report is written in plain words, so you do not need to be a roofer to follow it. Photos show what each point refers to, with the urgent items made clear.
- Location
- Ford (BN18)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
To price your survey, we look at:
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- Height and safe access
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Roof area
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, all with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Getting in touch
Before you get in touch, it helps to have:
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
To book a survey, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Ford
Ford lies within about 2 miles of the sea, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, and strong wind lifts anything already loose on a roof, while driving rain finds any gap. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as The Littlehampton Academy, large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. Landlords with a home close to Ford station may find that a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Ford is about 2 miles north-west of Littlehampton, in West Sussex. Wherever you are in Ford, we can carry out chimney surveys at your property. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex. We also survey roofs in Brighton.
Surveys in BN18 are booked the same way as anywhere else. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Station Road, Ford Road and Rodney Crescent or a nearby road, we can survey it. If you’re just outside Ford, we cover Tortington (1 mile north), Horsemere Green (1 mile south), Climping (1 mile south), Wick (1 mile east) and Lyminster (1 mile east). Larger places within reach include Worthing (8 miles east), Bognor Regis (5 miles south-west), Chichester (9 miles west), Selsey (11 miles south-west), Shoreham-by-Sea (14 miles east) and Lancing (11 miles east).
Local landmarks in Ford
In Ford, that means homes and buildings near The Arundel Arms Public House At Ford Station and the streets around them. Ford has its own railway station: Ford station. Other landmarks nearby include Arundel and District Hospital (2.1 miles north) and Rustington Museum (3.5 miles east). Green spaces nearby include WWT Arundel.
What we do, step by step
We will ask a few questions first, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. The inspection then takes about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Cottages and farmhouses around Ford frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Preparing for the visit
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
How to book
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so call 07833 053749 or email us with the details.
Read more
Tips from our surveys
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Do not use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
Where another specialist is needed, such as a structural engineer or sweep, we explain why. That helps you brief them.
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.
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney pots and cowls
Pots sit in the flaunching on top of the stack, and cowls or caps sit on the pots. The survey looks for cracked, loose or missing pots and cowls.
Brick stacks
Spalled bricks, where the face has flaked off, are a sign of water and frost. Any spalling is noted with photos.
Honest limits
It is useful to know what a survey will not do before booking:
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
Common questions in Ford
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Ford?
Frequently, yes. Within about 2 miles of the sea, as Ford is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
How do I find out if my home in Ford is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. 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 on Saturdays and Sundays?
Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To find a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
No. A flue inspection, sweep or gas safety check is a separate job. We check the stack, pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings, and damp inside, and we’ll say if anything suggests the flue needs checking.
How do I book a survey in Ford?
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price and agree a day with you.
How long will you be at the property?
Most surveys take about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. We’ll confirm the timing when booking.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll plan the survey around it.
Common roof problems in Ford
Chimney stacks stand above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. Frost works into cracks in the flaunching and pointing, and rain soaks into worn brickwork. People typically call us when they notice damp or a problem with the stack, or before a purchase.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
Historic houses like Ecclesden Manor, about 4.8 miles east, show how far back building around Ford goes. Older homes in the area may have roofs that need matching materials when work is done.
Before you book anyone
- How long the report takes to arrive
- What exactly goes into their report
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA