East Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Lewes
Know where you stand with the chimney stack before you decide what to do next. Chimney surveys in Lewes.
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
Useful tips for Lewes property owners
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
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.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. It’s far simpler than rebuilding a stack later.
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Lewes
A chimney stands up above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. In time, flaunching cracks, mortar washes out and flashings come loose. That lets water into the brickwork, which can show up as damp on a chimney breast or in the roof space. We record what we find with photographs and recommendations. If you’re worried about flashings pulling away from the stack and a stack that appears to lean, we can find out what’s behind it, on chimney breasts, flaunching and chimney pots and cowls alike.
Around Lewes, semis and terraces share chimneys, gutters and roof lines with the house next door. When a stack or gutter is shared, the problem may not be on your side alone. We can only inspect what we have access to, so shared parts are reported as far as they can safely be seen. It helps to mention any shared stacks or gutters as you book.
After the visit, you get a photo-illustrated written report, sent by email. It explains the condition of the chimney stack, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Place
- Lewes (BN7, BN8, BN6, RH15)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Chimney surveys around Lewes
Older houses across Sussex often have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging on their upper walls. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs, and oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of East Sussex’s older buildings. Whatever the covering, it is frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. With Anne of Cleves House about 0.6 miles south, Lewes sits in an area with a long building history. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
Landlords with a home close to Lewes station may find that knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints. Take a building like Lewes Old Grammar School: a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Lewes is about 7 miles north-east of Brighton, in East Sussex. We carry out chimney surveys in Lewes for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Our East Sussex coverage includes Lewes. Our Brighton page covers surveys nearby.
Chimney surveys in BN7, BN8, BN6 and RH15 are booked the same way as anywhere else. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Market Lane, Market Street and High Street or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Lewes sits on or near the A26 and A275. We also cover the places around Lewes: South Malling (1 mile north-east), Southover (1 mile south-east), Cliffe (1 mile east), Offham (1 mile north-west) and Hamsey (1 mile north). Larger places within reach include Eastbourne (14 miles south-east), Seaford (8 miles south-east), Hailsham (11 miles east), Crowborough (14 miles north-east), Uckfield (8 miles north-east) and Newhaven (6 miles south). Being one of East Sussex’s larger places, Lewes has homes, rented property and businesses of every kind.
Near you in Lewes
In Lewes, that means homes and buildings near Priory School, St Pancras Catholic Primary School and Railway Land, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Lewes station, roughly 0.6 miles south-east. Well-known places in the area include Lewes Victoria Hospital (0.5 miles west) and Museum of Agricultural Bygones (3.9 miles east). Open spaces near Lewes include Offham Hill and Malling Down.
What we do, step by step
The aim of the visit is simple: to see as much of the chimney stack as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Notes and photos go into the written report. The visit normally takes about 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. A visit in Lewes runs most smoothly with the loft hatch clear, side gates open and a parking spot in mind. Someone needs to let us in, so tell us who that will be.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- We check 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 roof space.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Preparing for the visit
- Tell us where we can park nearby
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
Booking a survey
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will ask a few questions about the roof. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
Advice
What we’re asked to look at in Lewes
Where a chimney meets the roof, lead flashings keep water out. They can lift in wind, crack with age or pull out of the mortar joints. Failed flashings are one of the most common causes of damp around chimneys. Lead flashings can also be stolen.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
Living close to Railway Land is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- How soon the report will arrive
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Will the report include photos?
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
Why act early in Lewes
Cracked flaunching and worn pointing are often modest repairs when they’re caught early. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks, and the work grows. Around Lewes, water from a roof defect often goes unseen for a while, soaking loft insulation, wall tops and timbers. By the time it shows inside, the job has grown.
Every price we give includes VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before booking.
Why book with us
- An independent look at the roof
- PI and public liability insurance
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or our case studies.
When you need someone else
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:
- Conditions inside walls
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will recommend the right survey. The full list of what we check.
What we check
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
Lewes: your questions answered
Do you cover Lewes?
Yes, Lewes is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Lewes as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Lewes station?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. You can call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you need, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Do you need to go on the roof to check the chimney?
We use safe viewpoints rather than climbing onto the stack. A drone inspection is part of the Premium Survey where applicable. The report is clear about anything that couldn’t be seen.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
No. We survey the stack and its weathering, not the flue. For the flue, you will need a sweep or, for gas, a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
Yes. We inspect everything that’s safely in view and what you give us access to. If a defect seems to be on your neighbour’s side, the report records it and you can raise it with them.
What do you check on a chimney?
Every part of the stack we can see from safe positions: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings. Leaning, unused stacks and damp on chimney breasts are recorded too.
How long will you be at the property?
Most surveys take about 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. The report follows by email.
Towns and villages near Lewes
More services for Lewes
What affects the price in Lewes
Prices vary from roof to roof, and it comes down to:
- The shape of the roof and its details
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, with VAT included.
Helping us price your survey
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- What’s prompted the survey
- When you need the report by
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from ground level or a window; never climb up to get a better view. To get started, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.