Portsmouth · London and the South East
Hilsea Chimney Survey
Chimney surveys across Hilsea, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. You get a clear report with photographs.
- Worn or missing pointing
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Cracked or missing flaunching
What a chimney survey looks like in Hilsea
Hilsea is within about 1 mile of the coast, 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. Thatch survives on some older buildings in Hampshire’s villages. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
For businesses in and around places such as Tricorn Centre, knowing the roof’s condition lets you budget for work rather than pay for emergencies. If you live near a park such as Alexandra Park, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys. Take an older house close to St Francis' Church: corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Hilsea is about 2 miles north of Portsmouth, in Portsmouth. Whether the building in Hilsea is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, we can survey the roof. Hilsea is one of the places in Portsmouth where we work for chimney surveys.
Surveys in PO2, PO3 and PO6 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include Vita Road, Conan Road and Arras Road, and we cover them all. We also cover the places around Hilsea: Cosham (1 mile north), North End (1 mile south-west), Tipner (1 mile south-west), Wymering (1 mile north) and Rudmore (1 mile south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Southsea (3 miles south), Portsea (3 miles south-west) and Portsmouth Point (3 miles south-west).
Landmarks near Hilsea
We work in homes and buildings around Alexandra Park, Trafalgar School and Coach and Horses pub, among other places. The closest station to Hilsea is Hilsea station, roughly 0.5 miles east of the centre. Nearby you will also find World War I Remembrance Centre (0.8 miles east) and Tricorn Centre (2.1 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Milton Locks and Portsdown Hill.
Chimney survey in Hilsea
Many terraced and semi-detached homes share their chimney stacks with a neighbour. We inspect the parts we can see safely and the parts the owner gives us access to. If a defect appears to be on the neighbour’s side, we note it, so you can talk to them. Everything is written up with photos and what we recommend. We survey chimney breasts, shared and party-wall stacks and lead flashings, and common reasons people get in touch are damp patches on chimney breasts and mortar washing out of the joints.
Around Hilsea, gardens, hedges and nearby trees can mean leaves and moss end up on roofs and in gutters. Once gutters and outlets block, water spills over and soaks the walls, and moss holds water against tiles. It’s the kind of slow problem a roof report picks up early. Plants growing from a gutter or moss on the tiles are signs worth noting from ground level.
After the visit, you get a report with photos, emailed to you. It explains the condition of the chimney stack, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Where
- Hilsea (PO2, PO3, PO6)
- Wider area
- Portsmouth
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What we can’t see
Every survey has limits, and we’d rather be clear about that before you book. Keep these in mind:
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Hidden damage within the stack
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before booking. This is what makes a difference:
- How big the roof is
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- Height and safe access
To find out what your survey will cost, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us about the roof. We will confirm the figure before booking.
What we need to know
What helps most when you contact us:
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
You can call us seven days a week. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Hilsea: your questions answered
Is the coastal weather around Hilsea hard on roofs?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch.
Is Hilsea within the area you cover?
Yes. Hilsea is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
What does the report include?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos, finishing with recommendations. Points are put in order of urgency where relevant.
What causes damp on a chimney breast?
There are a few common causes: water getting in at the top, through the brickwork or at the flashings, or moisture trapped in a stack with no ventilation. We check each one and note the most likely cause.
What should I do with a chimney I do not use?
There’s no single answer. We record how the stack is doing and whether it is capped with ventilation. If you’re thinking of removing it, check with the council first in a conservation area or on a listed building.
Are you insured?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
No. We survey the stack and its weathering, not the flue. For the flue, you’ll need a sweep or, for gas, a Gas Safe registered engineer.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Before deciding what to do with a redundant stack, a survey shows how it’s doing. Changes to stacks in conservation areas or on listed buildings may need consent, so check with them first. In a smaller place like Hilsea, wherever a roof is exposed, a loose ridge or flashing doesn’t stay loose for long. Each storm lifts it a little further, and water follows.
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so they’re priced to match. You will know the figure before booking.
Why book with us
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- 98% of customers satisfied
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or two real surveys.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Hilsea
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
What else we do in Hilsea
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney breasts and the loft
Inside, chimney breasts can show damp when water gets into the stack. We check them and at the stack in the loft where there’s safe access.
Flaunching
Flaunching takes the worst of the weather. We look for cracks, gaps around the pots and missing pieces.
How it works
Where it’s relevant and can be reached safely, the loft space is checked as well as the outside. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement. All in, the survey normally takes about one to two hours for most houses, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. For a survey in Hilsea, we agree the time, the access and parking before the day. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. If there are outbuildings or garages you want looked at, mention them.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Before we arrive
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Arrange a survey
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.