West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Gay Street
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching around Gay Street, with a written report you can act on. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- A chimney out of line
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
Chimney surveys in Gay Street: local notes
Older houses across Sussex often have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging on their upper walls. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters. Historic houses such as Old Place Manor, about 2.4 miles south-west, show how far back building in the area around Gay Street goes. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Gay Street is about 9 miles south-west of Horsham, in West Sussex. Roofs in Gay Street get the same thorough look as anywhere else in West Sussex. Gay Street is one of the places in West Sussex where we work for chimney surveys. We also survey roofs in Crawley.
Surveys in RH20 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. We also cover the places around Gay Street: North Heath (1 mile north-west), Nutbourne (1 mile south), Broomershill (1 mile south-west), West Chiltington (2 miles south) and Codmore Hill (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Crawley (15 miles north-east), Horsham (9 miles north-east), Worthing (11 miles south), Burgess Hill (15 miles east), Littlehampton (12 miles south) and Shoreham-by-Sea (13 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Gay Street
For rail, the closest station is Pulborough station, roughly 2.7 miles south-west. For a walk, there is The Mens.
How a chimney survey works in Gay Street
A damp patch on a chimney breast doesn’t always come from the same place. It might come in at the top, through worn pointing or porous bricks, or where the flashings meet the roof. Moisture trapped inside a stack with no ventilation can also cause damp. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause. You then know where to start. We’re often asked to look into gaps in the mortar around the pots and unused flues sealed without airflow, on chimney pots and cowls, lead flashings and flaunching.
In a small place like Gay Street, many roofs stand in the open, 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. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are frequently where weather gets in first.
Most points in the report come with a picture, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Location
- Gay Street (RH20)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Can I check my roof myself?
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level.
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Roof area
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What to let us know when you contact us
A little information up front helps. It is useful to include:
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- The address and postcode of the property
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email to find out.
FAQs for Gay Street
Will you come out to Gay Street?
Yes, we do. We work right across London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Can a landlord with a rental near Pulborough station book a roof survey?
Yes, that is a common request. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Our three packages are Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, including VAT.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, if the building owner or managing agent agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we are allowed to reach.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We point out what can be seen, such as sagging or deflection, but we don’t carry out calculations or give an engineer’s opinion. If we think you need an engineer, the report says so.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
Yes. Many houses share stacks with a neighbour. We record the stack as far as we can see it and flag anything on the neighbour’s side.
How fast do I get the report?
Report times are set by the package. Basic is within 48 hours, Standard is 24–48 hours and Premium is the same day. If you have a deadline, like an exchange date, tell us when booking.
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings
Lead flashings seal the joint between the stack and the roof. We check for lifting, splits and gaps in the joints.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Damp patches on chimney breasts often point to a problem above. We check the breasts and the stack in the roof space where we can reach.
Places near Gay Street
More services for Gay Street
How the survey works
You do not need to do much on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we’ll take it from there. A typical survey takes roughly 1–2 hours for a house, and more on a big or complicated roof. Older roofs in small places like Gay Street can have low, tight loft spaces, so it helps to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- 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.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Preparing for the visit
- Check pets are kept safely away
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Getting a price
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know where you stand. Prices start from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Related advice
Do you need a chimney survey in Gay Street?
A stack takes the weather from every direction. Frost opens up cracks in the mortar, and rain gets into worn bricks and joints. People usually call us when they notice damp or a problem with the stack, or before a purchase.
Typical things we are asked to look at include:
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
Landlords with a home close to Pulborough station may find that knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Before booking anyone
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- What happens after the report arrives
- When you’ll get the report
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
What we can’t see
It helps to know what a survey won’t do before booking:
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Areas we can’t view from safe positions
- Hidden damage within the stack
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will tell you before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts