Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Hillgrove, Isle of Wight
Chimney surveys in Hillgrove, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photographs.
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Cracked or missing flaunching
Your questions about chimney surveys in Hillgrove
How do I find out if my home in Hillgrove is listed?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
Can a landlord with a rental near Smallbrook Junction station book a roof survey?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. You can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and what you need.
Our stack is shared. Can you still survey it?
Yes. We inspect everything that’s safely in view and what you give us access to. If a defect seems to be on your neighbour’s side, the report records it and you can raise it with them.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We carry out surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To find a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs such as sagging are noted, but we don’t provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. If one is needed, the report says so.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it’s applicable. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning. Mention it when you contact us and we will plan the survey around it.
About our chimney survey in Hillgrove
Our survey covers the structure of the stack and its weathering details. It’s not a flue inspection, a chimney sweep or a gas safety inspection. If you use a fire or a gas appliance, the flue should be checked by a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer as appropriate. We’ll tell you if we see anything that suggests they should take a look. We survey chimney pots and cowls, brick chimney stacks and chimney breasts, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are pots or cowls that look unsafe and damp on a chimney breast inside.
In a small place like Hillgrove, 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 written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
Most points in the report come with a picture, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Place
- Hillgrove (PO33)
- Region
- Isle of Wight
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near Hillgrove
Also in Hillgrove
What a chimney survey looks like in Hillgrove
The coast is about 4 miles or less from Hillgrove, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, and strong wind lifts anything already loose on a roof. Arreton Manor, about 2.4 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Hillgrove. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Living close to Seaclose Park is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. If you own a rental within reach of Smallbrook Junction station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Hillgrove is about 2 miles north-east of Newport, in the Isle of Wight. We provide chimney surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Hillgrove and nearby. Across the Isle of Wight, we cover Hillgrove and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Portsmouth page.
Here we cover the PO33 postcode area for chimney surveys. Other places close to Hillgrove include Staplers (1 mile south-west), Wootton (1 mile north-east), Fairlee (1 mile west), Cross Lane (1 mile south-west) and Barton (2 miles south-west). We also work in nearby towns like Ryde (4 miles east), Cowes (4 miles north-west), Sandown (6 miles south-east), Shanklin (6 miles south-east), Ventnor (8 miles south) and East Cowes (3 miles north-west). If you are somewhere remote, a little more planning is needed, so mention it when you book.
Local landmarks in Hillgrove
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Woodmans Arms, Seaclose Park and Medina College. The nearest railway station is Smallbrook Junction station, about 4.3 miles east of the centre. Nearby you will also find Carisbrooke Castle (3.2 miles south-west) and Isle of Wight Bus & Coach Museum (1.7 miles west). Open spaces near Hillgrove include Briddlesford Nature Reserve and Mill Hill.
What you can safely check yourself
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Cracked flaunching and worn pointing are frequently modest repairs when they’re caught early. Leave it, and frost can work the stack loose and the job gets bigger. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Hillgrove, driving rain gets into any weakness, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Why book us in Hillgrove
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Every finding written up with photos
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
See how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
Honest limits
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we check
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
The survey, step by step
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the roof space if there is safe access. All told, expect between one and two hours at a typical home, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Somewhere as small as Hillgrove, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before we arrive
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
Booking a survey
Getting a price is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email, let us know about the property and we’ll suggest the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Read more
Useful tips for Hillgrove property owners
Getting the most from a chimney survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Make sure unused flues are capped with ventilation
If the stack is shared, you can pass the report to your neighbour. The photos show the problem and which side it is on, as far as we could see.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. Early signs are easier to trace.
Signs you need a chimney survey in Hillgrove
Flashings seal the gap where a stack passes through the roof. With age they can lift, split or come away from the joints. Failed flashings are one of the most common causes of damp around chimneys. Lead is also a target for theft.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Flaunching that has broken away
- A stack that appears to lean
- Lifted or split lead flashings
The streets around a church such as St. Mark's Church are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Before booking anyone
- When you will get the report
- What happens after the report arrives
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance