West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Merston, West Sussex
Chimney surveys across Merston, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photographs.
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- A chimney out of line
Chimney survey in Merston: what you get
Our chimney survey covers the stack and the details that keep water out around it: the pots and cowls, the flaunching on top, the pointing, the brickwork and the flashings where it meets the roof. We also look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access. You get a photo-illustrated written report and our recommendations. It suits a single stack on a house as well as several on a larger building. We are often asked to look into disused chimneys trapping moisture and loose, cracked or missing pots, on chimney breasts, lead flashings and chimney pots and cowls.
In a small place like Merston, many roofs stand in the open, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are frequently the first to give way.
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.
- Where
- Merston (PO20)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Local roofs in Merston
The coast is about 4 miles or less from Merston, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Near the sea, metal fixings wear faster and loose pieces on a roof are more likely to lift. About 3.5 miles north lies Goodwood House, a reminder of how long the area around Merston has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Take a building like North Mundham Primary School: a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. Landlords with a home close to Chichester station may find that a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak. For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Giles, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Merston is about 3 miles south-east of Chichester, in West Sussex. We cover Merston and the rest of West Sussex. Our West Sussex coverage includes Merston. For surveys nearby, see our Portsmouth page.
We work across the PO20 postcode area for chimney surveys. Close by, we survey roofs in Runcton (1 mile south-west), Colworth (1 mile east), Oving (1 mile north), North Mundham (1 mile west) and Lagness (1 mile south). Within a short drive, we also cover Worthing (15 miles east), Bognor Regis (3 miles south-east), Chichester (3 miles north-west), Selsey (6 miles south), Littlehampton (9 miles east) and Emsworth (9 miles west).
Local landmarks in Merston
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Chichester High School For Girls, among other places. Merston’s nearest station is Chichester station, about 2.3 miles west of the centre. A little further out are The Chichester City Museum (2.3 miles north-west) and St Richard's Hospital (2.3 miles north-west).
Leave it or get it looked at?
If you are buying, find out about the stacks before you exchange. Once you’ve exchanged, the work is down to you. Our report gives you facts to raise with the seller or agent. In a place like Merston, 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.
Every price we give includes VAT. Prices start from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before booking.
Why book with us
- Photographs and a written report every time
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Over 20 years’ experience
Read what a roof survey costs or what we found on two real jobs.
Useful tips for Merston property owners
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Don’t use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
Where another specialist is needed, such as a structural engineer or sweep, we explain why. That helps you brief them.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date.
What we do, step by step
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, and longer for a large or complex roof. If you have questions on the day, just ask. Rural addresses near Merston can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can safely be seen.
- 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.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Preparing for the visit
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
Getting a price
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Advice
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney pots and cowls
On redundant flues, we check how the pots are capped. Capping without ventilation can trap moisture.
Brick stacks
Frost can damage bricks that have soaked up water, making the faces flake away. We record any we can see.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Merston
Landlords, agents and building managers in Merston and across West Sussex can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Letting agents and landlords in Merston book surveys as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the chimney stack, with photographs, useful for planning maintenance.
Towns and villages near Merston
Other services in Merston
FAQs for Merston
How do I find out if my home in Merston is listed?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Do you cover smaller places like Merston?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Do you use drones?
Where it’s applicable and safe, yes. We fly a sub-250g drone and we are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). It’s included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where applicable, the Premium Survey.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Where it is relevant to the survey and there is safe access, yes. Please clear anything stored under the hatch, and if the loft can’t be reached safely, the report says so.
What causes damp on a chimney breast?
There are a few common causes: cracked flaunching, worn pointing, failed flashings, uncapped pots, or damp trapped in an unventilated stack. We check each one and note the most likely cause.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only when it is safe. Safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where it applies cover most of what’s needed.
How much is a survey?
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your survey before you book, based on the roof’s size, access and package. To get a price, ring 07833 053749 or email us.