East Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Holywell, East Sussex
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Holywell and the rest of East Sussex. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Cracked or missing flaunching
Questions from Holywell
How do I find out if my home in Holywell is listed?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Holywell?
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.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We note visible signs such as sagging or deflection, but we are not structural engineers and do not carry out calculations. If we think you need an engineer, the report says so.
Do you need to get into the loft?
If it is needed and safe to reach, yes. We look for staining, damp, daylight and signs of movement.
What’s in the survey report?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, backed by photos. It also says if any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely.
Do you need to go on the roof to check the chimney?
We inspect from wherever is safe: from the ground, windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there’s access. Our Premium Survey includes a drone inspection where it applies. If part of a stack can’t be seen, the report says so.
How do I arrange a chimney survey in Holywell?
It’s easiest to call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Give us the address and a few details about the roof, and we will recommend the right survey. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Holywell
For buyers, a chimney survey before exchange can flag work you may want to raise. On older stacks, we often find cracked flaunching, loose flashings and worn pointing. You get photographs and findings you can take back to the seller or agent. It works alongside a RICS home survey, not instead of one. We survey flaunching, lead flashings and shared and party-wall stacks, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are frost-damaged brickwork on the stack and loose, cracked or missing pots.
In a smaller place like Holywell, some roofs stand more exposed to wind and rain than in a built-up town. That weather tells first on ridges, verges, chimneys and flashings. A close look shows whether anything has started to loosen. A loose ridge tile or slate gives the wind something to catch, and others soon follow.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Holywell (BN20, BN21)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Signs you need a chimney survey in Holywell
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. Most people book after spotting damp or a loose pot, or before buying.
We’re often asked to look at:
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Signs that a stack is leaning
If you live in an older home near St John the Evangelist, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- What follow-up you get after the report
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
What happens on the day
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the chimney stack as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photographs go into the written report. It usually takes between one and two hours for most houses, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Being in a smaller place like Holywell does not change how the visit works: outside, inside and from any safe vantage point, in that order. It helps to show us anything you’ve already noticed.
- First you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- Every part we can see is looked at: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
How to prepare
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Check we can get to the back of the property
Getting a price
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know where you stand. Our price is from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
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Chimney surveys in Holywell: local notes
The coast is about 1 mile or less from Holywell, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more 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. Listing and conservation areas can both shape what roof work is allowed on an older home. Your council and Historic England’s list will tell you where you stand, before anyone quotes for re-roofing.
For site and facilities teams at buildings like St John's Meads Church of England Primary School, large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. For landlords with property near Eastbourne station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Holywell is about 2 miles south of Eastbourne, in East Sussex. Anywhere in Holywell, we can come and survey your property. Our East Sussex coverage includes Holywell and the places around it. You can also see our page for Brighton.
Surveys in BN20 and BN21 are booked the same way as anywhere else. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Mount Road, Cliff Road and Denton Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Meads (1 mile north-west), Old Town (1 mile north), Upperton (1 mile north), Eastbourne (2 miles north) and Ratton Village (3 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Hastings (15 miles north-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (11 miles north-east), Seaford (7 miles west), Lewes (14 miles north-west), Hailsham (8 miles north) and St Leonards (14 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Holywell
In Holywell, that means homes and buildings near Gildredge House, Roedean Moira House and Gildrege Park and the streets around them. Holywell’s nearest station is Eastbourne station, roughly 1.2 miles north. Nearby you will also find Eastbourne District General Hospital (2.3 miles north) and Rnli Eastbourne Lifeboat Museum (0.8 miles north-east). The countryside around Holywell includes Combe Hill.
Towns and villages near Holywell
More services for Holywell
What this survey cannot tell you
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, so a survey has limits:
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Areas we cannot view from safe positions
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
Before and after the survey
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. Our suggestions:
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
If anything in the report is not clear, just ask us. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
Leave it or get it looked at?
A damp chimney breast seldom dries out until the cause is found. It can spoil decoration and plaster. Finding the cause means the right work can be planned. On a bungalow or cottage around Holywell, the roof sits close to the rooms below, so a small leak can mark a ceiling within a few storms. Finding the cause first saves a second job inside.
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, with VAT included, and we can help you choose.
What you get with us
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- A written report with photos
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or two real surveys.