West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Henfield, West Sussex
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Henfield and the rest of West Sussex. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Cracked or missing flaunching
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Henfield
If you are buying a home with chimneys, it’s worth knowing their condition before you exchange. Cracked flaunching, failed flashings and worn pointing are common findings on older stacks. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. Common reasons to book are redundant stacks capped without ventilation and lifted or split lead flashings, across lead flashings, chimney breasts and shared and party-wall stacks.
Trees around homes in smaller places like Henfield drop leaves, twigs and moss onto roofs and into gutters. Once gutters and outlets block, water spills over and soaks the walls, and moss holds water against tiles. A report spots that kind of slow problem before it becomes damp inside. Moss on the roof and weeds in the gutter are both easy to spot from ground level.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, with a note and a photo for each point. You will see the good as well as the bad.
- Where
- Henfield (BN5)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Cost
- 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
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Landlord and commercial surveys in Henfield
Landlords, agents and building managers in Henfield and across West Sussex can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Letting agents frequently book on a landlord’s behalf. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Before and after the survey
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Do not use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
If anything in the report isn’t clear, just ask us. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Have aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked, and moved if they’re working it loose. Removing unused fixings takes strain off the brickwork.
How we price chimney surveys
All our prices include VAT. What changes the price is:
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- Basic, Standard or Premium
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What we need to know
We’ll normally ask about:
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- The property’s address and postcode
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Dates you are working to, like exchange
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from ground level or a window, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To get started, call 07833 053749 or email us.
The survey, step by step
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a photo-illustrated written report, emailed to you. On timing, it usually takes between one and two hours at a typical home, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. A visit to a smaller place like Henfield is no different on the day: we look from ground level, from windows, from the loft and from the roof where it is safe. It is useful to show us anything you’ve already noticed.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft space.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
How to prepare
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- Check we can get to the back of the property
Getting a price
If you are buying, it helps 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 phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email when you are ready.
Advice
Your questions about chimney surveys in Henfield
How do I find out if my home in Henfield is listed?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Is Henfield in the area you cover?
Yes, Henfield is within the area we cover. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the property.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. Shared stacks are common on terraced and semi-detached houses. We record the stack as far as we can see it and flag anything on the neighbour’s side.
What causes damp on a chimney breast?
Damp on a chimney breast typically means water is getting into the stack, or moisture is trapped inside it. We check the stack, the flashings and how unused flues are capped and records the likely cause.
Is a leaning chimney dangerous?
A leaning stack should be looked at. We record the lean, the brickwork and the pointing, and if it may be a structural issue, we recommend a structural engineer.
How experienced are you?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
Places near Henfield
More services for Henfield
Why it is worth a survey now in Henfield
Loose pots and bricks on a stack are a safety concern. Finding them early means they can be dealt with before they come down by a suitable contractor. In an older home around Henfield, water from a roof defect can get into timber and plaster, which is far harder to put right than the roof fault itself.
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on the size and height of the roof, how it can safely be seen and which survey you book.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Henfield
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Clear package prices, with VAT included
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Every finding written up with photos
Read how roof surveys are priced and our case studies.
Local roofs in Henfield
In Sussex, older roofs are often handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. What can be done to an older roof may depend on listing or a conservation area. The council is the place to check, along with Historic England’s list, before anyone quotes for re-roofing.
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near St Peter's Church, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Henfield is about 7 miles north of Shoreham-by-Sea, in West Sussex. Wherever you are in Henfield, we can carry out chimney surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Our West Sussex coverage includes Henfield. For surveys nearby, see our Brighton page.
Every address in BN5 is covered for chimney surveys. We cover properties on Upper Station Road, High Street and Lower Station Road and the roads around them. We also cover the places around Henfield: Woodmancote (2 miles south-east), Blackstone (2 miles east), Small Dole (2 miles south), Shermanbury (2 miles north) and High Cross (3 miles east). Further out, we also cover Crawley (13 miles north), Horsham (9 miles north), Worthing (9 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (9 miles north-east), Burgess Hill (7 miles east) and Littlehampton (14 miles south-west).
Around Henfield
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Bell Inn. Other landmarks nearby include The Dene Hospital (5.4 miles north-east) and Steyning Museum (3.7 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Woods Mill and Truleigh Hill.
What we’re asked to look at in Henfield
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.
Problems we come across often include:
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
If you look after a building such as St Peter's CofE Primary School, large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Their insurance cover
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- Whether you get a written report with photos