West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Ifold, West Sussex
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Ifold, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photos.
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
Chimney survey in Ifold
A chimney survey looks at the stack and everything around it: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and the flashings at the roof line. We also look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access. The findings come in a written report with photos and recommendations. We survey single stacks on houses and groups of stacks on bigger buildings. We survey chimney breasts, brick chimney stacks and shared and party-wall stacks, and the problems we are asked to look at most are damp patches on chimney breasts and a chimney out of line.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A roof report shows what needs attention first. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
The report doesn’t just list problems. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Place
- Ifold (RH14)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from ground level
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
What else we do in Ifold
Tips that help
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Our tips:
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
You get the report by email and can pass it to whoever does the work. Each defect is described in plain words and shown in a photo, so it is easy to follow.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.
Ifold homes and their roofs
England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. If your home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission, so the council is the place to ask. Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
For site and facilities teams at buildings like Loxwood Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. If your house is among the older ones in the streets near St John the Baptist, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Ifold is about 9 miles west of Horsham, in West Sussex. In Ifold, as across West Sussex, every roof gets the same careful survey. We cover towns and villages across West Sussex, large and small. Guildford is in our area too.
Every address in RH14 is within our area for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Local streets include Birchwood Close, The Drive and Wildacre Close, and we cover them all. Other places close to Ifold include Loxwood (1 mile north-east), Plaistow (1 mile west), Alfold Bars (2 miles north-east), Mackerel's Common (2 miles south) and Durfold Wood (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Crawley (15 miles east), Horsham (9 miles east), Broadfield (14 miles east), Storrington (11 miles south), Billingshurst (5 miles south-east) and Bewbush (14 miles east).
Landmarks near Ifold
Open spaces near Ifold include Shillinglee Lake.
What we look for on each type of roof
Rendered stacks
What’s behind the render can’t be seen without removing some, so the report explains what we could and couldn’t assess.
Chimney pots and cowls
Damaged pots are a safety concern as well as a leak risk. We photograph each pot and note any damage.
Honest limits
We only report everything that’s safely in view on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
How the survey 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, from ground level, from windows, in the roof space and by drone where applicable. Most surveys take an hour or two at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Older rural homes like those around Ifold 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.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can be seen safely.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft space.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
Arrange a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from the ground or a window; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
Common questions in Ifold
Do you cover Ifold?
Yes, Ifold is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Ifold as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Do you cover smaller places like Ifold?
Yes, Ifold is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Do you inspect the flue?
No. Our survey covers the outside of the stack and the roof around it. The flue should be checked by a sweep, or by a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. Access is agreed with you when you book.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Yes, where the survey calls for it and there’s safe access. Inside, we look for damp, staining, gaps and sagging, as far as the space allows.
When does the report arrive?
Report times are set by the package. Basic: within 48 hours. Standard: 24 to 48 hours. Premium: the same day. Mention any deadline when booking.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. We look at the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
How we price chimney surveys
Prices always include VAT. What changes the price is:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
To find out what your survey will cost, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and some details. We will confirm the figure before booking.
Helping us price your survey
There’s no need for technical words. It is enough to tell us:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Anything about access we should know
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will explain the options and the price.