West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Poling, West Sussex
We take a careful look at the chimney stack at your property in Poling, and put it all in a written report with photos.
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- A chimney out of line
- Flaunching that has broken away
How a chimney survey works in Poling
For buyers, a chimney survey before exchange can flag work you may want to raise. Cracked flaunching, failed flashings and worn pointing are common findings on older stacks. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. If you are worried about frost-damaged brickwork on the stack and pots or cowls that look unsafe, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on flaunching, chimney breasts and chimney pots and cowls alike.
Somewhere as small as Poling, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are often old. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs often need the most attention.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Where
- Poling (BN18)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Your questions about chimney surveys in Poling
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Poling?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there’s more wind, and more salt in the air. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it normally shows.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Arundel station?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. Just call 07833 053749 or email us and let us know about the building, including who will give access on the day.
Does someone need to be in?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Are you insured?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
How long is the visit?
Most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. The report follows by email.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so we need permission from whoever owns or manages the building. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
What causes damp on a chimney breast?
Typically it’s water getting in from outside, or condensation in a sealed stack. We check the stack, the flashings and how unused flues are capped and records the likely cause.
What we’re asked to look at in Poling
Aerials and dishes are frequently fixed to stacks. The extra load in wind can work bricks and joints loose. We check fixings on the stack as part of the survey.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Worn or missing pointing
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
Ecclesden Manor, about 2 miles east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Poling. Older homes in the area may have roofs that need matching materials when work is done.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- When you’ll get the report
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
Why get it checked now?
If a stack seems to lean, don’t leave it. We record its condition and recommend a structural engineer where needed, so you know where you stand. Older and listed buildings around Poling may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so leaving a defect until it is urgent leaves less time to plan.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
What you get with us
- PI and public liability insurance
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Every finding written up with photos
- Clear package prices, inc. VAT
See our cost guide and two real surveys.
Chimney surveys around Poling
The coast is about 3 miles or less from Poling, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Near the sea, metal fixings wear faster and loose pieces on a roof are more likely to lift, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. 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. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
The streets around a church like The Parish Church of St Nicholas are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. If you own a rental within reach of Arundel station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Poling is about 2 miles north of Littlehampton, in West Sussex. We carry out chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Poling and the surrounding area. Poling is one of the places in West Sussex where we work. We also survey roofs in Brighton.
Chimney surveys in BN18 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Crossbush (1 mile north-west), Warningcamp (1 mile north-west), Toddington (1 mile south-west), Lyminster (2 miles west) and Rustington (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Worthing (5 miles east), Bognor Regis (8 miles south-west), Chichester (12 miles west), Selsey (14 miles south-west), Shoreham-by-Sea (11 miles east) and Lancing (8 miles east).
Local landmarks in Poling
Poling’s nearest station is Arundel station, roughly 1.6 miles north-west. Well-known places in the area include Rustington Museum (2 miles south) and Zachary Merton Hospital (2.1 miles south). For a walk, there’s Highdown Hill and WWT Arundel.
Towns and villages near Poling
Other services in Poling
When you need someone else
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
For landlords and managing agents
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Poling and across West Sussex can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Tips from our surveys
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
The report is emailed to you, ready to share with a roofer or builder. We use plain English and a photo for each defect so anyone reading it can see what we saw.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. With binoculars, you can often see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
What happens on the day
We do not take risks to get a closer look. We inspect whatever is safely visible, and anything we can’t see is noted in the report. The survey typically takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Somewhere as small as Poling, access is often the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the roof space.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
How to prepare
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Book a survey
When you’re ready to go ahead, ring 07833 053749 or email us. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.