Hampshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Houghton, Hampshire
Chimney surveys in Houghton and the rest of Hampshire. Surveys run seven days a week.
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Cracked or missing flaunching
Chimney survey in Houghton
Damp on a chimney breast can have several causes. 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. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause. That points the work in the right direction. Typical surveys look at eroded joints in the brickwork and flashings pulling away from the stack, across chimney breasts, chimney pots and cowls and shared and party-wall stacks.
Older buildings in small places like Houghton may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Older materials like clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
It is not only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Place
- Houghton (SO20)
- Region
- Hampshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Chimney surveys in Houghton: local notes
Thatch survives on some older buildings in Hampshire’s villages. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. The wider area around Houghton has a long history of building, with Mottisfont Abbey about 3.2 miles south. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
Anyone responsible for a site like Test Valley School will know that its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. Take an older house close to Church of All Saints: its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Houghton is about 6 miles north of Romsey, in Hampshire. If you’re in Houghton, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Houghton is one of the places in Hampshire we cover for chimney surveys. We also survey roofs in Southampton.
Here we cover the SO20 postcode area for chimney surveys. That includes homes and businesses on Kents Orchard, Houghton Farm Close and Stevens Drove and the roads around them. Other places close to Houghton include Horsebridge (1 mile south-east), Broughton (2 miles west), Stonymarsh (3 miles south), Mottisfont (3 miles south) and Michelmersh (4 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Winchester (9 miles east), Eastleigh (11 miles south-east), Andover (9 miles north), Totton (12 miles south), Chandler's Ford (9 miles south-east) and Hedge End (15 miles south-east).
Near you in Houghton
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Boot Inn. Houghton’s nearest station is Mottisfont & Dunbridge station, roughly 3.8 miles south of the centre.
Signs you need a chimney survey in Houghton
Stacks that were used for open fires for many years can weaken from the inside. Flue gases and damp can break down the mortar, sometimes more on one side than the other, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
For landlords with property near Mottisfont & Dunbridge station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Before you book anyone
- What insurance they carry
- What experience they bring
- How soon the report will arrive
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
Different roofs, different checks
Flaunching
Flaunching takes the worst of the weather. The survey checks for cracking and gaps around each pot.
Brick stacks
Many older stacks were built with lime mortar. Repairs should suit the original materials, which we mention where relevant.
What we can’t see
It’s useful to know what a survey won’t do before you book:
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
Questions from Houghton
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Houghton?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
I let a flat near Mottisfont & Dunbridge station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. Just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details.
How long will you be at the property?
Time on site depends on the roof, but most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. The written report follows by email.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 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.
What happens next?
You’ll get the report by email, with photos and clear recommendations. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation.
Will you walk on the roof?
Not unless it is safe. Most of what we need can be seen from safe viewpoints, the loft and, where it applies, a drone, and the report notes anything we couldn’t see.
When does the report arrive?
It depends on the package: the Basic Survey report arrives within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey the same day. Reports are sent by email.
Also near Houghton
What else we do in Houghton
What affects the price in Houghton
Not every roof costs the same to survey, and it comes down to:
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- The size of the roof
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where it applies) come with the Premium Survey, from £400 inc. VAT. We’ll tell you which package suits the questions you have.
What to let us know when you contact us
A few details help us suggest the right survey and price. When you get in touch, it helps to mention:
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
We confirm the exact price before booking, so you know the cost up front. Our price is from £150, including VAT. To book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
How it works
On the day, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you’d like to know. We then inspect everything that can be seen safely. The survey normally takes an hour or two at most homes, and longer for a large or complex roof. Older rural homes like those around Houghton can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- 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.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before we arrive
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Let us know where we can park nearby
Getting a price
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or send us an email when you are ready.
Related advice
For landlords and managing agents
Landlords and agents in Houghton book surveys as well as homeowners. A written report with photos gives you a clear record of the chimney stack, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Houghton. For a price for a let property or a block, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.