West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Houghton, West Sussex
Independent chimney surveys in Houghton. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- A chimney out of line
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
Chimney survey in Houghton
Damp on a chimney breast can have several causes. Water may be getting in at the top through cracked flaunching or an uncapped pot, through the brickwork, or at the flashings. Moisture trapped inside a stack with no ventilation can also cause damp. We check each possibility and record what we find. You then know where to start. We survey lead flashings, flaunching and shared and party-wall stacks, and common reasons people get in touch are pots or cowls that look unsafe and lifted or split lead flashings.
Older buildings in small places like Houghton may be 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. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
Where we cannot see part of the chimney stack, the report says so. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Place
- Houghton (BN18)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Houghton
Can a landlord with a rental near Amberley station book a roof survey?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. Just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details.
Do you cover smaller places like Houghton?
Yes. Houghton is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Do you use drones?
Yes, where it is applicable. Flights depend on the weather on the day and airspace rules, including flight restriction zones near airports. We are a CAA-registered drone operator.
Do I need to be at home?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you when booking.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We point out what can be seen, such as sagging or deflection, but we are not structural engineers and do not carry out calculations. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not unless it’s safe. Safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where it applies cover most of what’s needed, and anything out of sight is recorded in the report.
How quickly is the report sent?
Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24–48 hours and Premium reports on the same day. All of them come by email, ready to forward.
Chimney surveys around Houghton
Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. About 2.8 miles north-west lies Bignor Roman Villa, a reminder of how long the area around Houghton has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
For landlords with property near Amberley station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant. Anyone responsible for a site like Dorset House School will know that a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. For an older house near a landmark such as The Parish Church of St Nicholas, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Houghton is about 6 miles north of Littlehampton, in West Sussex. We provide chimney surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Houghton and nearby. Houghton is one of the places in West Sussex we cover. We also survey roofs in Brighton.
We cover every part of the BN18 postcode area for chimney surveys. We also cover the places around Houghton: Arundel (3 miles south), Warningcamp (3 miles south-east), Crossbush (3 miles south), Tortington (4 miles south) and Poling (4 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Worthing (8 miles south-east), Bognor Regis (9 miles south-west), Chichester (11 miles west), Selsey (15 miles south-west), Littlehampton (6 miles south) and Shoreham-by-Sea (13 miles east).
Near you in Houghton
We work in homes and buildings around Arundel Park and the streets around them. Houghton’s nearest station is Amberley station, roughly 0.5 miles north-east. Well-known places in the area include Arundel and District Hospital (2.7 miles south) and Amberley Castle (1.2 miles north-east). For a walk, there is Amberley Wild Brooks and Bignor Hill.
Towns and villages near Houghton
What else we do in Houghton
Checking the roof from ground level
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
What this survey can’t tell you
It’s useful to know what a survey will not do before you book:
- Parts of the stack that cannot be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we cannot access
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
How the survey works
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, like when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Older roofs in small places like Houghton can have low, tight loft spaces, so it’s useful to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it is safe.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft space.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Getting ready for the survey
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
Booking a survey
Getting a price is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and give us some details about the property and we’ll suggest the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Advice
Leave it or get it looked at?
If you are thinking of removing or reducing a stack, it’s useful to know its condition first. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need permission from the council and the council can advise. For an older or listed building in a place like Houghton, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so leaving a defect until it is urgent leaves less time to plan.
All our prices include VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your survey before booking.
Why us?
- Surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- 98% of clients satisfied
Take a look at our cost guide or our case studies.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan.
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out in order of urgency where relevant, which helps when budgeting.
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney pots and cowls
Each pot is bedded into the flaunching, often with a cowl or cap on top. The survey looks for cracked, loose or missing pots and cowls.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Where a breast has been taken out, we check what supports the stack. A structural engineer should confirm whether it is adequate.