Southampton · London and the South East
Portswood Chimney Survey
Independent chimney surveys in Portswood. We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Portswood
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. Water then gets into the stack and can show as damp on a chimney breast or a stain in the loft. A survey finds these problems and records them with photos. We survey flaunching, shared and party-wall stacks and lead flashings, and common reasons people get in touch are unused flues sealed without airflow and spalled or crumbling bricks.
Houses in smaller places like Portswood can face open ground, where wind and driving rain hit the roof harder. Ridge tiles, verges, chimney stacks and flashings take the worst of it. A careful look shows whether anything has started to loosen. Once one ridge tile or slate moves, wind gets under the next one too.
Findings are set out part by part, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets. It records what’s sound as well as what isn’t.
- Location
- Portswood (SO17, SO14, SO18)
- Wider area
- Southampton
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Your questions about chimney surveys in Portswood
Is Portswood within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Portswood?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you use drones?
Yes, where applicable and safe. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where it applies.
What’s in the report?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos, finishing with recommendations. The most urgent items are made clear.
How can you see the top of the stack?
We use safe viewpoints rather than climbing onto the stack. Where applicable, our Premium Survey adds a drone inspection for a closer view. The report is clear about anything that couldn’t be seen.
How do I arrange a chimney survey in Portswood?
Just ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. We will ask a few questions, confirm the price and agree a date.
How much is a survey?
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose, and it is agreed before booking.
Portswood homes and their roofs
Portswood lies within about 3 miles of the sea, 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. A number of Hampshire villages keep thatched roofs on their older buildings. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Whatever the covering, it is frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
If you let a flat or house near St Denys station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. If you look after a building like St Denys Primary School, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Portswood is about 1 mile north of Southampton, in Southampton. We provide chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Portswood and nearby. We cover towns and villages across Southampton.
Chimney surveys in SO17, SO14 and SO18 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Ivy Road, Alma Road and Lawn Road or anywhere close by, we can help. Being close to the A335 and A3035, Portswood is simple for us to get to. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include St Denys (1 mile south-east), Southampton (1 mile south), Inner Avenue (1 mile south-west), Bitterne Manor (1 mile south-east) and Bitterne Park (1 mile east). Larger places within reach include Thornhill (3 miles south-east), Maybush (3 miles west), Eling (4 miles west), Rownhams (3 miles north-west), Millbrook (3 miles west) and Weston (3 miles south).
Near you in Portswood
Around Portswood, our work takes us to homes and buildings near St Anne's Catholic School, St Mary's Independent School and South Western Arms, among other places. Portswood has its own railway station: St Denys station. Nearby you will also find Marlands Shopping Centre (1.5 miles south) and Royal South Hants Hospital (0.9 miles south). The countryside around Portswood includes Netley Common.
How the survey changes by roof type
Flaunching
Flaunching takes the worst of the weather. The survey checks for cracking and gaps around each pot.
Lead flashings
Lead flashings seal the joint between the stack and the roof. The survey looks at whether the lead is tight, sound and well fixed.
Towns and villages near Portswood
What else we do in Portswood
Signs you need a chimney survey in Portswood
Flashings seal the gap where a stack passes through the roof. With age they can lift, split or come away from the joints. When flashings fail, water frequently shows up in the loft or on the chimney breast. Lead is also a target for theft.
Look out for signs like these:
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
South Stoneham House lies about 1 mile north-east, so building around Portswood goes back a long way. Older roofs nearby often mix original materials with later repairs, and the survey shows where each one is.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- Whether VAT is added on top
Surveys for landlords and agents in Portswood
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, call 07833 053749 or email us with the addresses.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when tenants work during the week.
What you can safely check yourself
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Why act early in Portswood
Loose pots and bricks on a stack are a safety concern. Finding them early means they can be dealt with before they come down by a roofer. Homes in smaller places like Portswood can face more weather, so a loose ridge or verge soon lets rain in. Each storm lifts it a little further.
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, including VAT, and we can help you choose.
Why us?
- Packages from £150, including VAT
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- An independent view of the roof
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or our case studies.
The survey, step by step
The visit normally starts outside and finishes in the loft: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the loft space where it can be reached. In total, it takes roughly 1–2 hours for a house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Some parts of a survey depend on the weather, so a visit to Portswood is booked with the forecast in mind: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from the ground and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- 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
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Tell us about parking before the day
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Booking a survey
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so phone 07833 053749 or email us with the details.