West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Horsted Keynes, West Sussex
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching around Horsted Keynes, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
Tips that help
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
If the report recommends a structural engineer, a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer, it will say why. It gives them a clear starting point.
Look at your chimneys from the ground now and then, particularly after strong winds. With binoculars, you can frequently see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
How a chimney survey works in Horsted Keynes
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. Moisture trapped inside a stack with no ventilation can also cause damp. We look at each possibility and record what we find. That points the work in the right direction. Typical surveys look at flaunching that has broken away and spalled or crumbling bricks, across lead flashings, chimney breasts and brick chimney stacks.
Some older homes in villages like Horsted Keynes are listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is often expected.
We write the report in plain English, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photograph where possible, with the urgent items made clear.
- Place
- Horsted Keynes (RH17)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What a chimney survey looks like in Horsted Keynes
About 3 miles north-west lies Priest House, a reminder of how long the area around Horsted Keynes has been built on. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. 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. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
Anyone responsible for a site like St Giles CofE Primary School will know that long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. If you own a rental within reach of Haywards Heath station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at. Take an older house close to St Giles' Church: the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Horsted Keynes is about 4 miles north-east of Haywards Heath, in West Sussex. We survey roofs in Horsted Keynes across London and South East England. Across West Sussex, we cover Horsted Keynes. Our Crawley page covers surveys nearby.
Here we cover the RH17 postcode area for chimney surveys. Local streets include Station Road, Rixons Orchard and Leighton Road, all of which we cover. Close by, we survey roofs in Danehill (1 mile east), Birchgrove (2 miles north-east), Highbrook (2 miles north-west), Chelwood Common (2 miles east) and Furner's Green (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Crawley (9 miles north-west), Horsham (13 miles west), Haywards Heath (4 miles south-west), Burgess Hill (7 miles south-west), East Grinstead (6 miles north) and Broadfield (9 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Horsted Keynes
We work in homes and buildings around The Green Man pub, among other places. The nearest railway station is Haywards Heath station, about 4 miles south-west. A little further out are Waterbury Castle (within half a mile north-west) and Princess Royal Hospital (4.1 miles south-west). Not far away are Blunts Wood and Paiges Meadow.
What a survey costs
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. That comes down to:
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- How big the roof is
Prices start from £150, including VAT, for a Basic Survey. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400, both with VAT included. We confirm the price for the job before booking.
What to tell us when you contact us
You don’t need to know any roofing terms. It is enough to tell us:
- When you need the report by
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- The address and postcode of the property
To get a price for chimney surveys in Horsted Keynes, call 07833 053749 or email us. The address, the type of property and what you want to find out help us price the survey accurately.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Horsted Keynes
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Let us know about it when you book and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait.
Common questions in Horsted Keynes
Will you come out to Horsted Keynes?
Yes. Horsted Keynes is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Horsted Keynes?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Should I worry about a leaning stack?
Do not ignore it. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down. We record its condition with photos, and a structural engineer can assess whether it needs work.
Why is my chimney breast damp?
Usually it’s water getting in from outside, or condensation in a sealed stack. We check the stack, the flashings and how unused flues are capped and records the likely cause.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Our Basic Survey starts from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT.
How experienced are you?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
What if it rains on the day?
It depends on the weather and the survey. Strong wind or a downpour can make access unsafe and ground a drone, and we’d agree another day.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Loose pots and bricks on a stack are a safety concern. A survey picks them out so they can be made safe by a suitable contractor. Older cottages and farmhouses around Horsted Keynes can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Why book with us
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Drones and thermal imaging where applicable
- Package prices that include VAT
Read how roof surveys are priced and our case studies.
Towns and villages near Horsted Keynes
What else we do in Horsted Keynes
What you can safely check yourself
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date, which helps when we check the roof.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
The survey, step by step
We do not take risks to get a closer look. We inspect everything that’s safely in view, and anything we can’t see is noted in the report. The survey typically takes about one to two hours for a house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Older roofs in small places like Horsted Keynes can have low, tight loft spaces, so it is useful to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it is safe.
- 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.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Preparing for the visit
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
Book a survey
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You will know the price before anything is booked.