Hampshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Lower Swanwick, Hampshire
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Lower Swanwick, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- A stack that appears to lean
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
How a chimney survey works in Lower Swanwick
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. A survey finds these problems and records them with photographs. Typical surveys look at mortar washing out of the joints and damp patches on chimney breasts, on chimney pots and cowls, shared and party-wall stacks and brick chimney stacks.
Village roofs frequently 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 roof report shows what needs attention first. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Place
- Lower Swanwick (SO31)
- Region
- Hampshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Why act early in Lower Swanwick
A leaning stack should be looked at sooner rather than later. Our survey records it and says when a structural engineer should look at it, so you can decide what to do next. In a place like Lower Swanwick, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. It is worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
To find out what your survey will cost, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and a few details. We will confirm the figure before booking.
Why book us in Lower Swanwick
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Visits on any day of the week
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- A written report with photos
Read our cost guide or our case studies.
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings
Mortar fillets are sometimes used where lead would typically be. They crack with age, and we check them too.
Rendered stacks
What’s behind the render can’t be seen without removing some, so the report says what can and cannot be judged.
More services for Lower Swanwick
What we do, step by step
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes about one to two hours for most houses, and more on a big or complicated roof. You’re welcome to ask questions while we’re there. Rural addresses near Lower Swanwick can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- First you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- The stacks are looked at from ground level, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- Every part we can see is checked: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access.
- You get a written report with photos and our recommendations.
How to prepare
- Keep pets in another room
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
- Let us know about parking near the property
Book a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply phone 07833 053749 or email us whenever suits you.
Advice
Common roof problems in Lower Swanwick
Stacks that were used for open fires for many years can weaken from the inside. Mortar can deteriorate unevenly from flue gases and moisture, which can make a stack lean.
A survey can pick up problems like:
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Signs that a stack is leaning
The streets around a church such as Church of St Leonard are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Before you book anyone
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
Lower Swanwick homes and their roofs
The coast is about 2 miles or less from Lower Swanwick, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces. Some Hampshire villages still have thatched roofs. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Whatever the covering, it’s often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
Medieval Merchant's House lies about 4.8 miles west, so building around Lower Swanwick goes back a long way. Older roofs nearby frequently mix original materials with later repairs, and the survey shows where each one is. If you let a flat or house near Bursledon station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Lower Swanwick is about 2 miles west of Whiteley, in Hampshire. From houses to flats and shops in Lower Swanwick, we can survey the roof on a weekday or at the weekend. Across Hampshire, we cover Lower Swanwick.
Every address in SO31 is within our area for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. You’ll find streets like Green Lane, Bridge Road and Station Road, all of which we cover. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Swanwick (1 mile south-east), Sarisbury (1 mile south-east), Sarisbury Green (1 mile south), Park Gate (2 miles south-east) and Burridge (2 miles east). We also work in nearby towns such as Winchester (12 miles north), Gosport (8 miles south-east), Havant (14 miles east), Eastleigh (6 miles north), Fareham (5 miles south-east) and Horndean (13 miles east).
What’s near Lower Swanwick
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Brookfield Community School and Language College and The Old Ship Inn. Lower Swanwick has its own railway station: Bursledon station. Nearby you’ll also find St Andrew's Castle (2.4 miles south) and Bursledon Brickworks Industrial Museum (within half a mile north-east). Not far away are Swanwick Lakes.
Practical tips
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
Once we have been, the findings are written up with photos. It covers the pots, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings, and any damp we found inside. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24 to 48 hours and Premium reports the same day.
Make sure redundant flues are capped with ventilation. That helps stop damp building up inside.
Your questions about chimney surveys in Lower Swanwick
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Lower Swanwick?
Often, yes. Lower Swanwick is within about 2 miles of the sea, and coastal roofs tend to see faster wear on metal parts and more wind lifting loose pieces.
How do I find out if my home in Lower Swanwick is listed?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
Should a redundant chimney be removed?
There’s no single answer. The survey shows its condition and how it’s been capped. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need consent.
How long does the survey take?
That depends on the size and shape of the roof, but most surveys take between one and two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. The written report follows by email.
Will you check the loft?
Usually, if there’s one and it can be reached safely. From inside, the underside of the roof often shows damp, staining or daylight that cannot be seen from outside.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
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.
How do you inspect a chimney without scaffolding?
We look from the ground, from windows and from the loft where it is safe. Where applicable, our Premium Survey adds a drone inspection for a closer view. Any area we couldn’t view is noted.
When you need someone else
No survey can tell you everything, and it’s better to know them up front. Bear these in mind:
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- Conditions inside walls
- A structural engineer’s assessment
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks