Brighton and Hove · London and the South East
Hollingdean Chimney Survey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Hollingdean, from an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- A stack that appears to lean
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
When to book a survey in Hollingdean
Aerials and dishes are often fixed to stacks. Their weight and the wind on them can loosen bricks and pointing. We check fixings on the stack as part of the survey.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- A stack that appears to lean
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
The streets around a church such as St Richard's are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Before booking anyone
- What insurance they carry
- Which limits apply to the survey
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
Chimney survey in Hollingdean
A damp patch on a chimney breast does not 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. Condensation inside an unventilated stack is another common cause. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause. You then know where to start. We survey chimney breasts, chimney pots and cowls and lead flashings, and common reasons people get in touch are worn or missing pointing and unused flues sealed without airflow.
Houses in smaller places like Hollingdean can face open ground, where wind and driving rain hit the roof harder. That weather tells first on ridges, verges, chimneys and flashings. Checking those edges shows whether anything has begun to work loose before it lets water in. A loose ridge tile or slate gives the wind something to catch, and others soon follow.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photographs, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Location
- Hollingdean (BN1, BN2)
- Wider area
- Brighton and Hove
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney breasts and the loft
If a chimney breast has been removed below, we note what we can see of the support above. A structural engineer should confirm whether it’s adequate.
Brick stacks
Older brick stacks often have soft lime mortar. We note where repairs should match the original mortar.
Chimney surveys in Hollingdean: local notes
Hollingdean lies within about 2 miles of the sea, 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, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. The wider area around Hollingdean has a long history of building, with Preston Manor & Gardens about 0.9 miles west. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs.
Homes near green spaces such as William Clarke Park can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn. If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for instance near Churchill Square, knowing the roof’s condition lets you budget for work rather than pay for emergencies.
Hollingdean is about 1 mile north of Brighton, in Brighton and Hove. Whether the building in Hollingdean is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, we can survey the roof. Hollingdean is one of the places in Brighton and Hove where we work for chimney surveys.
Chimney surveys in BN1 and BN2 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on Mayo Road, Dewe Road and Rugby Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. We also cover Brighton (1 mile south), Preston (1 mile west), Moulsecoomb (1 mile east), Prestonville (1 mile south-west) and Hanover (1 mile south). Larger places within reach include Brighton and Hove (3 miles west), Aldrington (3 miles west), Hangleton (3 miles west), Saltdean (5 miles south-east), East Saltdean (5 miles south-east) and Roedean (3 miles south-east). Hollingdean is one of the larger places we cover in Brighton and Hove.
Near you in Hollingdean
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Varndean School, William Clarke Park and The Pub at Fiveways and the streets around them. Hollingdean’s nearest station is Moulsecoomb station, roughly 0.5 miles east. A little further out are Brighton General Hospital (1.1 miles south-east) and Clayton Castle (4.6 miles north). Open spaces near Hollingdean include Newmarket Hill and Bevendean Down.
For landlords and managing agents
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out in order of urgency where relevant.
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Common questions in Hollingdean
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Hollingdean, take more of a battering?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
Do you cover smaller places like Hollingdean?
Yes, we do. We survey roofs across London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
How many surveys have you done?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. It’s a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
How do I book a survey in Hollingdean?
It is easiest to phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Tell us the address and a little about the roof, and we will point you to the right survey. We survey on any day of the week.
Do I need to be at home?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. We’ll talk about access when you book.
What should I do with a chimney I do not use?
There’s no single answer. The survey shows its condition and how it’s been capped. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need consent.
What happens on the day
On the day, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you need to know. We then inspect everything that can be seen safely, from ground level, from windows, in the loft space and by drone where it applies. The survey normally takes an hour or two at most homes, and longer for a large or complex roof. In a smaller place like Hollingdean, as anywhere, the forecast plays a part: the parts that need calm, dry weather are planned around it.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Preparing for the visit
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
How to book
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from the ground or a window, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
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About chimney survey
What we can’t see
It’s a careful look at the chimney stack, not the whole story. Its limits include:
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
Checking the roof from ground level
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us as you book, as it helps us focus the survey.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.