East Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Meads, East Sussex
Find out what’s going on with the chimney stack before you spend money on it. Chimney surveys in Meads, with photos and a clear written report.
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- A stack that appears to lean
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
Chimney survey in Meads
If a chimney looks out of line, it is worth getting it checked. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down, often after years of flue gases and damp. We record the lean and the condition of the brickwork and pointing. Where it may be a structural concern, we’ll recommend a structural engineer. If you’ve noticed cracked or missing flaunching and damp patches on chimney breasts, we can find out what’s behind it.
Trees around homes in smaller places like Meads drop leaves, twigs and moss onto roofs and into gutters. Blocked gutters overflow and soak the walls below, and moss holds water against tiles. It’s the kind of slow problem a roof report picks up early. Moss on the roof and weeds in the gutter are both easy to spot from ground level.
If any part of the chimney stack couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. That way, it’s clear what was covered and what wasn’t.
- Where
- Meads (BN20, BN21)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Meads
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Meads, take more of a battering?
It can do. Meads is within about 1 mile of the sea, and coastal roofs tend to see faster wear on metal parts and more wind lifting loose pieces.
I let a flat near Eastbourne station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and what you need, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose, and it’s agreed before booking.
Do you inspect the flue?
No. A flue inspection, sweep or gas safety check is a separate job. We check the structure and weathering of the stack and any damp, and we’ll say if anything suggests the flue needs checking.
What happens after the survey?
The report arrives by email, with photographs and clear recommendations. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
Why is my chimney breast damp?
Damp on a chimney breast normally means water is getting into the stack, or moisture is trapped inside it. We check the stack, the flashings and how unused flues are capped, and record what we find.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll explain what’s needed.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Meads
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan.
What a chimney survey looks like in Meads
Meads lies within about 1 mile of the sea, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces. Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs, and the county’s older buildings include oast houses and Wealden hall houses. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
Trees in and around Gildrege Park shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall. If you live in an older home near St John the Evangelist, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Meads is about 2 miles south of Eastbourne, in East Sussex. We provide chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Meads and nearby. Our area takes in places right across East Sussex, large and small. Brighton is in our area too.
We survey roofs across BN20 and BN21 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Whether your property is on Link Road, Mount Road and Cliff Road or anywhere close by, we can help. If you are just outside Meads, we cover Holywell (1 mile south-east), Old Town (1 mile north), Upperton (1 mile north), Eastbourne (2 miles north) and Ratton Village (3 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Hastings (15 miles north-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (11 miles north-east), Seaford (7 miles west), Lewes (14 miles north-west), Hailsham (7 miles north) and St Leonards (14 miles north-east).
Near you in Meads
Around Meads, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Gildrege Park, Gildredge House and The Ship Inn and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Eastbourne station, roughly 1.1 miles north-east of the centre. Nearby you will also find Eastbourne District General Hospital (2.1 miles north) and Rnli Eastbourne Lifeboat Museum (0.9 miles north-east). Open spaces near Meads include Combe Hill.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and falls from height are serious. That is where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
Nearby places to Meads
Other services in Meads
What this survey cannot tell you
No survey can tell you everything, and it is better to know them up front. Keep these in mind:
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll point you to the right survey before booking. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
How the survey works
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof, but as a rough guide the survey takes about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. You’re welcome to ask questions while we are there. A visit to Meads is planned like any other: the time, the access and where to park are agreed in advance. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. If there are outbuildings or garages you want looked at, mention them.
- 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.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there’s access.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Booking a survey
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details.
Read more
How the survey changes by roof type
Brick stacks
Spalled bricks, where the face has flaked off, are a sign of water and frost. We record any we can see.
Flaunching
The sloping mortar around the pots is called flaunching. Once it cracks, water can get straight into the brickwork.
Do you need a chimney survey in Meads?
Stacks that were used for open fires for many years can weaken from the inside. Flue gases and damp can break down the mortar, sometimes more on one side than the other, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Worn or missing pointing
Landlords with a home close to Eastbourne station may find that the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone