West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Kingston Gorse, West Sussex
An experienced roof surveyor for chimney surveys in Kingston Gorse. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us.
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
Tips from our surveys
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
Where another specialist is needed, such as a structural engineer or sweep, we explain why. It gives them a clear starting point.
Make sure fixings on the stack are sound and taken off if they’re no longer needed. Less load on the stack means less strain in wind.
Chimney survey in Kingston Gorse
We inspect chimneys from wherever they can safely be seen: from the ground, from windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there’s access. A drone inspection is part of our Premium Survey where it applies. If we cannot see part of the stack, the report makes that clear. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. Typical surveys look at flaunching that has broken away and unused flues sealed without airflow, on chimney pots and cowls, brick chimney stacks and lead flashings.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
What you get is a clear record of the chimney stack on the day we saw it. It is useful straight away, and a good reference for later.
- Where
- Kingston Gorse (BN16)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Landlord and commercial surveys in Kingston Gorse
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
Questions from Kingston Gorse
Do you cover smaller places like Kingston Gorse?
Yes, we do. Our area covers London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Kingston Gorse?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there is more wind, and more salt in the air. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch.
Do you need to get into the loft?
If there is a loft and safe access to it, yes. From inside, the underside of the roof often shows damp, staining or daylight that can’t be seen from outside.
Our stack is shared. Can you still survey it?
Yes. Many houses share stacks with a neighbour. We survey what we can see safely, and note anything that seems to involve next door.
Are you insured?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Where it helps and the rules allow, yes. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
Should I worry about a leaning stack?
It is worth having a leaning stack checked. Our survey notes how it looks and the condition of the bricks and joints, and recommend a structural engineer where it may be a structural concern.
Places near Kingston Gorse
Other services in Kingston Gorse
Kingston Gorse homes and their roofs
Kingston Gorse is within about 1 mile of the coast, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, and strong wind lifts anything already loose on a roof. Ecclesden Manor, about 1.8 miles north, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Kingston Gorse. 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.
If you let a flat or house near Goring-By-Sea station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. If you look after a building such as Ferring CofE Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near St Andrew's Church, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Kingston Gorse is about 3 miles south-west of Worthing, in West Sussex. If you are in Kingston Gorse, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Across West Sussex, we cover Kingston Gorse and the places around it. We also survey roofs in Brighton.
Chimney surveys in BN16 are booked the same way as anywhere else. That includes homes and businesses on Middle Way, Gorse Avenue and Sea Lane and the roads around them. Other places close to Kingston Gorse include West Kingston (1 mile west), Ferring (1 mile north-east), Angmering-on-Sea (1 mile west), East Preston (1 mile north-west) and Hangleton (1 mile north). We also work in nearby towns such as Worthing (3 miles north-east), Bognor Regis (10 miles west), Chichester (14 miles west), Selsey (15 miles west), Littlehampton (3 miles west) and Shoreham-by-Sea (9 miles east).
Around Kingston Gorse
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Chatsmore Catholic High School and the streets around them. The closest station to Kingston Gorse is Goring-By-Sea station, about 1.5 miles north-east. Other landmarks nearby include Zachary Merton Hospital (1.8 miles west) and Rustington Museum (2 miles west). Open spaces near Kingston Gorse include Highdown Hill.
Different roofs, different checks
Rendered stacks
We cannot see the bricks behind render without it being opened up, so the report says what can and cannot be judged.
Flaunching
The sloping mortar around the pots is called flaunching. Once it cracks, water can get straight into the brickwork.
The survey, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from every safe vantage point, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. Most visits take an hour or two at a typical home, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. In a small place like Kingston Gorse, access is typically the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You let us know how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Arrange a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.
Advice
DIY checks: what’s safe
It is useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when booking and it will help the survey.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Damp in a chimney breast usually gets worse while the cause is left. It can stain walls and damage plaster. Knowing whether it’s the flaunching, flashings, brickwork or ventilation means the right fix can be planned. In a place like Kingston Gorse, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report isn’t charged as an extra. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
What you get with us
- An independent look at the roof
- Clear package prices, including VAT
- Every finding written up with photos
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help