West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in River, West Sussex
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching across River, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Call or email for a price.
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- A chimney out of line
- Staining on walls around the chimney
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in River
Damp on a chimney breast can have several causes. It might come in at the top, through worn pointing or porous bricks, or where the flashings meet the roof. Moisture trapped inside a stack with no ventilation can also cause damp. We look at each possibility and record what we find. That points the work in the right direction. We’re often asked to look into lifted or split lead flashings and bricks with flaking faces, on brick chimney stacks, lead flashings and chimney breasts.
Somewhere as small as River, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, frequently with chimneys that have stood a long time. We report on everything that’s safely in view, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it’s typically the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Location
- River (GU28)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips that help
Most of what helps is simple and safe from ground level. Our suggestions:
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
- Make sure unused flues are capped with ventilation
- Check your stacks from the ground after strong winds
You can send the report to roofers or builders for quotes. Because everyone is pricing the same findings, the quotes are easier to compare.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. Early signs are easier to trace.
Can I check my roof myself?
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
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.
What we do, step by step
We work from the outside in: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the roof space where it can be reached. In total, it takes about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Rural addresses near River 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 check every stack from wherever it can safely be seen.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- 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.
Before the survey
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
Booking a survey
To get a price for chimney surveys in River, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. The address, the type of property and what you want to find out help us price the survey accurately.
Advice
Common roof problems in River
Some owners book because a chimney breast has been removed below and they want to know about the stack above. We record what we can see in the loft and outside, and recommend a structural engineer where support is in question.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Cracked or missing flaunching
The streets around a church like The Parish Church of St Peter are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Which limits apply to the survey
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
Surveys for landlords and agents in River
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, with the most urgent items set out first.
Landlords and agents in River book surveys as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the chimney stack, with photos, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
More services for River
How we price chimney surveys
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. That comes down to:
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Booking your survey
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- The address and postcode of the property
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- What made you get in touch
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
Most bookings start with a short call: phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Chimney surveys in River: local notes
The wider area around River has a long history of building, with Petworth House about 2.4 miles east. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. In Sussex, older roofs are frequently handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
River is about 12 miles east of Petersfield, in West Sussex. If you’re in River, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex, large and small. There is also a page for Guildford.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: GU28. Close by, we survey roofs in Upperton (1 mile east), Selham (2 miles south), Tillington (2 miles south-east), South Ambersham (2 miles south-west) and Hampers Green (2 miles east). Further out, we also cover Bognor Regis (14 miles south), Chichester (12 miles south-west), Littlehampton (14 miles south-east), Rustington (15 miles south-east), Storrington (11 miles south-east) and Billingshurst (9 miles east).
What’s near River
We work in homes and buildings around The Hollist Arms Public House, among other places. Nearby you’ll also find Lodsworth Castle (1.3 miles south) and Coultershaw Heritage Site (3 miles south-east). Not far away are Graffham Common and Blackdown.
Common questions in River
Will you come out to River?
Yes, River is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in River?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
How long will you be at the property?
Most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. We’ll confirm the timing when booking.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof, not the whole building. If you need a full building survey, you will need a RICS survey as well.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so the building owner or managing agent needs to agree access. We inspect only the parts we’re allowed to reach.
How do I book a survey in River?
The quickest way is to call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Give us the address and some details about the roof, and we will suggest the right survey. We survey on weekdays and at weekends.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We note visible signs like sagging or deflection, but we’re not structural engineers and don’t carry out calculations. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.