West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Kirdford
Chimney surveys in Kirdford, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
How a chimney survey works in Kirdford
If a chimney looks out of line, it’s worth getting it checked. A stack may lean because the mortar on one side has weakened, which can happen over many years of use. The survey notes how the stack looks, how far it seems to lean and the state of the bricks and joints. If the stack looks like a structural issue, the report recommends a structural engineer. We survey chimney breasts, shared and party-wall stacks and lead flashings, and the problems we are asked to look at most are loose, cracked or missing pots and bricks with flaking faces.
Some older homes in villages like Kirdford 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 frequently expected.
What you get is a clear record of the chimney stack on the day we saw it. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, such as when you want to compare after future work.
- Location
- Kirdford (RH14)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Kirdford: your questions answered
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Billingshurst station?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. Just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Will you come out to Kirdford?
Yes. Kirdford is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We work right across London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Our survey is not a structural engineer’s report. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we’ll recommend one.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
No. It is not a flue, sweep or gas safety inspection. We check the structure and weathering of the stack and any damp, and we’ll say if anything suggests the flue needs checking.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
Yes. We check the parts we can see safely and the parts you can give us access to. If a defect seems to be on your neighbour’s side, the report records it, so you can discuss it with them.
Why is my chimney breast damp?
Damp on a chimney breast typically means water is getting into the stack, or moisture is trapped inside it. The survey looks at the stack, the flashings and the capping, and record what we find.
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. That comes down to:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
What to let us know when you get in touch
You do not need to know any roofing terms. Just let us know:
- Dates you’re working to, like exchange
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- What kind of property and roof it is
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and the days you’d prefer.
What happens on the day
Where it is relevant and can be reached safely, the roof space is checked as well as the outside. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging, as far as the space allows. The whole visit normally takes an hour or two for a house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. For a village or hamlet like Kirdford, the journey is planned ahead of time: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect what can safely be seen, inside and out.
- You let us know how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We check the chimney breasts and the stack in the loft space where we can reach them.
- You get a written report with photographs and our recommendations.
Before the survey
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Keep pets in another room
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
Arrange a survey
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Advice
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney breasts and the loft
If a chimney breast has been removed below, we note what we can see of the support above. A structural engineer should confirm whether it’s adequate.
Rendered stacks
A rendered stack can mask problems in the bricks below. We look for cracks, hollow areas and staining.
Useful tips for Kirdford property owners
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. A few suggestions:
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Check unused flues are capped with ventilation
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Check your stacks from the ground after strong winds
Questions about the findings are always welcome. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Have aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked, and moved if they’re working it loose. Less load on the stack means less strain in wind.
Do you need a chimney survey in Kirdford?
Flaunching is the mortar bed that holds the pots and throws water off the top. Cracked flaunching lets water in, and each winter makes it worse. Loose pots can follow.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
For an older house near a landmark like The Parish Church of St John the Baptist, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Questions to ask before you book
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- What insurance they carry
- How long the report takes to arrive
Also near Kirdford
Also in Kirdford
What this survey can’t tell you
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Areas we can’t view from safe positions
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will point you to the right survey before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Kirdford
Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. The wider area around Kirdford has a long history of building, with Petworth House about 4.1 miles south-west. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
If you own a rental within reach of Billingshurst station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Kirdford is about 10 miles west of Horsham, in West Sussex. We carry out chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Kirdford. Kirdford is one of the places in West Sussex we cover. Guildford is in our area too.
Chimney surveys in RH14 are booked the same way as anywhere else. That includes homes and businesses on Oakside, Poplar Walk and Maple Drive and the roads around them. We also cover the places around Kirdford: Mackerel's Common (1 mile north), Balls Cross (2 miles west), Wisborough Green (2 miles east), Plaistow (2 miles north) and Ifold (2 miles north). Further out, we also cover Horsham (10 miles east), Littlehampton (15 miles south), Storrington (9 miles south-east), Billingshurst (5 miles east), Bewbush (15 miles east) and Angmering (15 miles south).
Near you in Kirdford
For rail, the closest station is Billingshurst station, about 4.7 miles east. The countryside around Kirdford includes Shillinglee Lake and The Mens.