East Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Rotherfield, East Sussex
We carry out chimney surveys in Rotherfield and the rest of East Sussex. Surveys run on any day of the week.
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
What we are asked to look at in Rotherfield
Flaunching is the mortar bed that holds the pots and throws water off the top. Once it cracks, water gets in and frost makes the cracks bigger. Loose pots can follow.
Look out for signs like these:
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Worn or missing pointing
- Cracked or missing flaunching
Anyone responsible for a site like Rotherfield Primary School will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Whether you get a written report with photos
About our chimney survey in Rotherfield
We inspect chimneys from wherever they can safely be seen: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the loft space where it is safe. A drone inspection is part of our Premium Survey where it applies. If we can’t see part of the stack, the report makes that clear. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. We’re often asked to look into redundant stacks capped without ventilation and lifted or split lead flashings, across shared and party-wall stacks, chimney breasts and lead flashings.
In a village or hamlet like Rotherfield, older cottages and farmhouses often sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are frequently old. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. On older roofs, it is typically the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
The report is written in plain words, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photo where possible.
- Place
- Rotherfield (TN6)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Common questions in Rotherfield
I let a flat near Crowborough station. Can you check the roof?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. Just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Will you come out to Rotherfield?
Yes, we do. Our area covers London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
Does someone need to be in?
That depends on the survey. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in; we will agree the details as you book.
What insurance do you have?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and details are available on request.
What’s the best way to book?
The quickest way is to call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. Give us the address and some details about the roof. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes. Photos are part of every report, so you can see exactly what each finding refers to.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
What we do, step by step
It helps to start with what’s prompted the survey: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit typically takes about 1–2 hours for most houses, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Rural addresses near Rotherfield 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 start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can be seen safely.
- Every part we can see is checked: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Where there is safe access, we check the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- You get a photo-illustrated written report and our recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Book a survey
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so ring 07833 053749 or email us with the details.
Advice
Useful tips for Rotherfield property owners
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. What helps most:
- Don’t use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Make sure unused flues are capped with ventilation
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
Once we have been, the findings are written up with photos. It covers the pots, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings, and any damp we found inside. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24 to 48 hours and Premium reports the same day.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
What we can’t see
Some things can’t be seen without opening up the roof, and that sets some limits:
- Areas we cannot view from safe positions
- Hidden damage within the stack
- Flue inspections or sweeping
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
For landlords and managing agents
We survey roofs for letting agents and landlords as well as householders. A written report with photos gives you a clear record of the chimney stack.
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.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Rotherfield
Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings, alongside oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. To find out, check Historic England’s list and ask the council about conservation areas. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent.
The streets around a church like The Parish Church of St Denys are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. For landlords with property near Crowborough station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Rotherfield is about 2 miles east of Crowborough, in East Sussex. In Rotherfield, as across East Sussex, every roof gets the same careful survey. Rotherfield is one of the towns and villages in East Sussex where we work. There is also a page for Crawley.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: TN6. You’ll find streets such as Church Road, Station Road and Church Walk, and we cover them all. Close by, we survey roofs in High Cross (1 mile south-east), Town Row (1 mile north-east), Argos Hill (1 mile south-east), Mark Cross (2 miles north-east) and Woolbridge (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Lewes (15 miles south-west), Hailsham (13 miles south), Uckfield (7 miles south-west), South Malling (15 miles south-west), Heathfield (6 miles south) and Southover (15 miles south-west).
Near you in Rotherfield
In Rotherfield, that means homes and buildings near Beacon Academy, The King's Arms Public House and St Joseph Seminary and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Crowborough station, about 1.3 miles west of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Crowborough War Memorial Hospital (2.7 miles west). The countryside around Rotherfield includes Crowborough Country Park.
What affects the price in Rotherfield
To price your survey, we look at:
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- The size of the roof
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, including VAT, and we will tell you which fits.
What to let us know when you get in touch
Here’s what helps us most when you contact us:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
Booking is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or email us and give us a few details about the property and we’ll recommend the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.