Brighton and Hove · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Patcham, Brighton and Hove
Chimney surveys in Patcham from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys.
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Bricks with flaking faces
Chimney survey in Patcham
Many homes have chimneys that are no longer used. Even when it is not used, a stack has to stay weathertight. Capping a stack without ventilation can trap moisture and lead to damp inside. Our survey looks at how each unused stack has been capped and checks the breasts for damp. You get photos of each stack and our recommendations. If you’re worried about eroded joints in the brickwork and flaunching that has broken away, we can find out what’s behind it, on flaunching, brick chimney stacks and lead flashings alike.
Trees around homes in smaller places like Patcham drop leaves, twigs and moss onto roofs and into gutters. Blocked gutters overflow and soak the walls below. It is the kind of slow problem a roof report picks up early. Plants growing from a gutter or moss on the tiles are signs worth noting from ground level.
Where we cannot see part of the chimney stack, the report says so. That way, it is clear what was covered and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Location
- Patcham (BN1)
- Region
- Brighton and Hove
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Landlords, agents and block managers in Patcham
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Tell us about it when booking and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To discuss a number of properties, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the addresses.
Questions from Patcham
Is my home in Patcham listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
Do you cover smaller places like Patcham?
Yes. Patcham is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. We inspect what can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the roof space, from the roof itself where safe and by drone where it applies. Anything we cannot see is noted in the report.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
No. A flue inspection, sweep or gas safety check is a separate job. We check the stack, pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings, and damp inside, and we will say if anything suggests the flue needs checking.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it is applicable. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
How experienced are you?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, over more than 20 years, with 98% customer satisfaction.
When does the report arrive?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. All of them come by email, ready to forward.
Local roofs in Patcham
Patcham is within about 3 miles of the coast, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces. Historic houses such as Preston Manor & Gardens, about 1.5 miles south, show how far back building in the area around Patcham goes. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Trees in and around Withdean Park shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. If you run a business near Churchill Square, a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions.
Patcham is about 2 miles north of Brighton, in Brighton and Hove. Surveys in Patcham work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photos and a written report. We cover towns and villages across Brighton and Hove.
Chimney surveys in BN1 are booked the same way as anywhere else. If you need a chimney survey at a property on London Road, Vale Avenue and Eldred Avenue or a nearby road, we can survey it. If you are just outside Patcham, we cover Waterhall (1 mile north-west), Westdene (1 mile south-west), Hollingbury (1 mile east), Withdean (1 mile south) and Preston (1 mile south). Within a short drive, we also cover Carlton Hill (3 miles south), Hanover (3 miles south), Brunswick (3 miles south), Kemptown (4 miles south-east), Whitehawk (3 miles south-east) and Aldrington (3 miles south-west).
Near you in Patcham
Typical jobs here are in homes near Withdean Park, Patcham High School and The Dharma Primary School, among other places. The nearest railway station is Preston Park station, about 1.3 miles south of the centre. A little further out are Clayton Castle (3.1 miles north) and Brighton Transport Museum (1.8 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Ditchling Beacon and Ladies Mile.
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
We confirm the price for your roof before you book. These are the things that affect it:
- Height and safe access
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so the price reflects that. The price is confirmed before you book.
Getting in touch
A few details help us suggest the right survey and price. When you get in touch, it’s useful to mention:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
When to book a survey in Patcham
Flaunching is the mortar bed that holds the pots and throws water off the top. Cracked flaunching lets water in, and each winter makes it worse. Loose pots can follow.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Mortar washing out of the joints
For an older house near a landmark such as All Saints Church, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Their insurance cover
Honest limits
It is a careful look at the chimney stack, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Parts of the stack that can’t be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we can’t access
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Patcham
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
Places near Patcham
Other services in Patcham
Should I look at the roof myself first?
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. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
A lot can be seen from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
How the survey works
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the roof space if there is safe access. In total, it takes roughly 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In a smaller place like Patcham, parking is seldom the issue; lanes, gates and long drives are worth mentioning. Low roofs on bungalows can frequently be seen well from the ground, and the loft shows the rest, while taller roofs may need other vantage points or the drone where it applies.
- You tell us how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- The stacks are looked at from ground level, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- Every part we can see is looked at: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- We check the chimney breasts and the stack in the loft space where we can reach them.
- You get a written report with photos and our recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
Book a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? It’s easiest to call 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will explain the options and the price.