Surrey · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Lightwater, Surrey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching around Lightwater, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Worn or missing pointing
- A stack that appears to lean
- Lifted or split lead flashings
About our chimney survey in Lightwater
A damp patch on a chimney breast does not always come from the same place. 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’re frequently asked to look into gaps where the stack meets the roof and gaps in the mortar around the pots, across chimney pots and cowls, flaunching and lead flashings.
In a smaller place like Lightwater, homes range from older cottages to bungalows and newer houses. Older roofs can have slate, clay tiles or other traditional coverings, while many later ones have concrete tiles. Chimneys, valleys and gutters on older homes frequently need the most attention, and the fixings under the coverings matter too. The fixings under an older roof frequently fail before good slates or tiles do.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent, whichever applies.
- Where
- Lightwater (GU18, GU19)
- Wider area
- Surrey
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What you can safely check yourself
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Do not go up yourself.
A lot can be seen from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
What happens on the day
We do not take risks to get a closer look. We inspect whatever is safely visible, and if part of the roof can’t be seen, the report says so. The survey typically takes about 1–2 hours for most houses, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. A visit to a smaller place like Lightwater is no different on the day: we look from ground level, from windows, from the loft and from the roof where it is safe. It’s useful to show us anything you’ve already noticed.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before the survey
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Keep pets in another room
How to book
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details.
Read more
What we are asked to look at in Lightwater
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Mortar can deteriorate unevenly from flue gases and moisture, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
Typical things we are asked to look at include:
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- A stack that appears to lean
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
Anyone responsible for a site like Hammond School will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- How soon the report will arrive
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- What exactly goes into their report
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
Chimney surveys around Lightwater
Listing and conservation areas can both shape what roof work is allowed on an older home. Your council and Historic England’s list will tell you where you stand, ideally before any re-roofing is planned. Older houses across Surrey frequently have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging. A few of Surrey’s oldest buildings have heavy Horsham stone slab roofs. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
Homes near green spaces such as Brentmoor Heath can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. If you let a flat or house near Bagshot station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Lightwater is about 3 miles east of Camberley, in Surrey. If you are in Lightwater, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: a call or an email, a price, then a date. We cover towns and villages across Surrey. There’s also a page for Guildford.
Every address in GU18 and GU19 is covered for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We offer chimney surveys to properties on Ambleside Road, Ridgeway Close and Shrublands Drive and the roads around them. Close by, we survey roofs in Donkey Town (1 mile south-east), Bagshot (1 mile north-west), Windlesham (1 mile north-east), Lucas Green (2 miles south-east) and West End (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Guildford (8 miles south-east), Woking (5 miles south-east), Camberley (3 miles west), Farnham (11 miles south-west), Egham (8 miles north-east) and Walton-on-Thames (12 miles east).
What’s near Lightwater
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Gordon's School and Brentmoor Heath. The nearest railway station is Bagshot station, about 1.3 miles north-west. A little further out are Brookwood Hospital (3.3 miles south-east) and The Museum of The National Rifle Association (2.7 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Brookwood Lye.
Honest limits
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Conditions inside walls
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will suggest the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Lightwater
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
Towns and villages near Lightwater
More services for Lightwater
Lightwater: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Lightwater?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Can a landlord with a rental near Bagshot station book a roof survey?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. Just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the details.
Do you use drones?
Yes, where it is applicable. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
What will the report tell me?
Written findings with photos, explaining the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our recommendations, by urgency where it matters. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check, and the Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable and structural analysis.
How experienced are you?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We’re roof surveyors, not structural engineers. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we will recommend one.
What happens after the survey?
You receive the written report by email, with photographs and recommendations. It is yours to share with a seller, insurer, roofer or managing agent, whichever applies.
Before and after the survey
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Don’t use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
Questions about the findings are always welcome. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Lightwater. For a price for a let property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, with the report sent to whoever needs it. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.