Southampton · London and the South East
Freemantle Chimney Survey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching around Freemantle, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
Chimney survey in Freemantle: what you get
Many homes have chimneys that are no longer used. A disused stack still needs looking after. Capping a stack without ventilation can trap moisture and lead to damp inside. Our survey looks at how each unused stack has been capped and checks the breasts for damp. You get photos of each stack and our recommendations. If you are worried about flashings pulling away from the stack and disused chimneys trapping moisture, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Houses in smaller places like Freemantle can face open ground, where wind and driving rain hit the roof harder. Ridge tiles, verges, chimney stacks and flashings take the worst of it. A proper look shows whether anything has started to loosen. A loose ridge tile or slate gives the wind something to catch, and others soon follow.
If any part of the chimney stack couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. That way, it is clear what was covered and what wasn’t.
- Location
- Freemantle (SO15, SO16, SO17)
- Region
- Southampton
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Common roof problems in Freemantle
Flashings seal the gap where a stack passes through the roof. They can lift in wind, crack with age or pull out of the mortar joints. Failed flashings are one of the most common causes of damp around chimneys. Lead flashings can also be stolen.
Common reasons to book include:
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
Historic houses like Southampton Tudor House and Garden, about 1.2 miles south-east, show how far back building around Freemantle goes. Older roofs nearby frequently mix original materials with later repairs, and the survey shows where each one is.
What to check before booking
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- What the survey won’t cover
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
When you need someone else
Some things can’t be seen without opening up the roof, and that sets some limits:
- Hidden damage within the stack
- Parts of the stack that can’t be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we can’t access
- Whether the flue is safe to use
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
Places near Freemantle
Also in Freemantle
FAQs for Freemantle
Is the coastal weather around Freemantle hard on roofs?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there is more wind, and more salt in the air. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch, and Freemantle is within about 1 mile of the coast.
I let a flat near Millbrook (Hants) station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that’s a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing aren’t part of what we do. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them, and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and details are available on request.
What causes damp on a chimney breast?
It can come from several places: cracked flaunching, worn pointing, failed flashings, uncapped pots, or damp trapped in an unventilated stack. We check each one and note the most likely cause.
Will I get photos?
Yes. Photographs are taken throughout the survey, and they go into the written report.
How much does a chimney survey cost in Freemantle?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. You will know the price for the job before booking. To get a price, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
What we look for on each type of roof
Rendered stacks
A rendered stack can mask problems in the bricks below. We look for cracks, hollow areas and staining.
Chimney pots and cowls
On redundant flues, we check how the pots are capped. Capping without ventilation can trap moisture.
How the survey works
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes about one to two hours at most homes, or half a day or so for a commercial building. You are welcome to ask questions while we are there. Homes around Freemantle often have gardens on more than one side, which gives us room to step back and see the roof. Mention any side of the property we cannot get to. The loft, where there is safe access, completes the picture.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We look at 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Keep pets in another room
- Find any records of previous roof work
Getting a price
If you are buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just ring 07833 053749 or email us when you’re ready.
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What a chimney survey looks like in Freemantle
Freemantle lies within about 1 mile of the sea, where sea air brings more salt and stronger 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. A number of Hampshire villages keep thatched roofs on their older buildings. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Whatever the covering, it’s frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for instance near Marlands Shopping Centre, a roof report helps plan work around trading rather than after a leak. The streets around a church such as Christ Church are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Freemantle is about 1 mile west of Southampton, in Southampton. Anywhere in Freemantle, we can come and survey your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Our Southampton coverage includes Freemantle and the places around it.
Here we cover the SO15, SO16 and SO17 postcode area for chimney surveys. That includes homes and businesses on May Road, Park Road and Pitt Road. With the A33 close by, Freemantle is easy for us to reach. Other places close to Freemantle include Shirley (1 mile north), Regents Park (1 mile north-west), Millbrook (1 mile west), Maybush (2 miles north-west) and Coxford (2 miles north-west). Further out, we also cover Townhill Park (3 miles north-east), Midanbury (3 miles east), Thornhill (4 miles east), Chartwell Green (4 miles east), Harefield (4 miles east) and Itchen (3 miles east).
Local landmarks in Freemantle
Around Freemantle, our work takes us to homes and buildings near St Anne's Catholic School, Blechynden Terrace Park and The Brass Monkey pub and the streets around them. There is a railway station in Freemantle itself: Millbrook (Hants) station. Well-known places in the area include Western Community Hospital (1.3 miles north-west) and Foresters Museum & Archive (less than half a mile east). Not far away are Testwood Lakes.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Freemantle
We survey roofs for landlords and letting agents as well as homeowners. A photo-illustrated written report gives you a clear record of the chimney stack.
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the addresses.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That’s where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.