West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Runcton, West Sussex
Need a chimney survey in Runcton? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
Common roof problems in Runcton
Many chimneys are no longer used. A stack sealed without ventilation can trap damp. Damp patches can appear on chimney breasts even when nothing is leaking.
Look out for signs like these:
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
Landlords with a home close to Chichester station may find that a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
What to check before booking
- Their report turnaround times
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
Chimney survey in Runcton: what you get
A chimney stands up above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. Over the years, the flaunching cracks, the pointing wears and flashings lift. Water then gets into the stack and can show as damp on a chimney breast or a stain in the loft. We record what we find with photographs and recommendations. We survey brick chimney stacks, chimney pots and cowls and chimney breasts, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are damp on a chimney breast inside and redundant stacks capped without ventilation.
In a village or hamlet like Runcton, 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 often old. We report on whatever is safely visible, and thatch is a specialist material. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs frequently need the most attention.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, emailed to you. It explains the condition of the chimney stack, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Place
- Runcton (PO20)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Also near Runcton
Other services in Runcton
Practical tips
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
You can send the report to roofers or builders for quotes. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Unused stacks should be capped in a way that still lets air through. Ventilation helps keep the stack dry.
Roof by roof
Brick stacks
Most chimney stacks are built of brick, with mortar joints that wear over time. We check the bricks for spalling and the joints for erosion.
Chimney breasts and the loft
In the loft, staining around the stack frequently shows where water is getting in. What we find is photographed and described.
What we do, step by step
Where it is relevant and can be reached safely, the roof space is checked as well as the outside. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. The whole visit typically takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Cottages and farmhouses around Runcton often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We check the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Getting ready for the survey
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Let us know where we can park nearby
How to book
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
Questions from Runcton
Is Runcton within the area you cover?
Yes. Runcton is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Chichester station?
Yes, that’s a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
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, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
Why is my chimney breast damp?
It can come from several places: cracked flaunching, worn pointing, failed flashings, uncapped pots, or damp trapped in an unventilated stack. We look at each one and note the most likely cause.
Will I get photos?
Yes, plenty. Each finding is shown in a picture where possible, so you can see what we mean.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
There is no single answer. We record how the stack is doing and whether it is capped with ventilation. If you’re thinking of removing it, check with the council first in a conservation area or on a listed building.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so whoever owns or manages the building needs to agree access. We can only inspect what we are given access to.
For landlords and managing agents
Landlords, agents and building managers in Runcton and across West Sussex can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps with budgets and planning.
What a survey costs
We confirm the price for your roof before booking. These are the things that affect it:
- How big the roof is
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
Booking your survey
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Where the property is, with the postcode
For a price for chimney surveys in Runcton, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. The address, the type of property and what you need to know help us price the survey accurately.
Chimney surveys in Runcton: local notes
Runcton lies within about 3 miles of the sea, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. With Goodwood House about 3.9 miles north, Runcton sits in an area with a long building history. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
If you look after a building such as North Mundham Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. Take an older house close to The Parish Church of St Stephen: old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Runcton is about 2 miles south-east of Chichester, in West Sussex. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Runcton can all book chimney surveys. We cover towns and villages across West Sussex, large and small. We also survey roofs in Portsmouth.
Chimney surveys in PO20 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. We cover properties on Goodwood Gardens, Brookside and Lagness Road. Close by, we survey roofs in North Mundham (1 mile west), Merston (1 mile north-east), Lagness (1 mile south-east), Hunston (1 mile west) and Portfield (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Worthing (15 miles east), Bognor Regis (3 miles south-east), Selsey (6 miles south), Littlehampton (9 miles east), Emsworth (9 miles west) and Rustington (10 miles east).
Around Runcton
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Chichester High School For Girls, among other places. The nearest railway station is Chichester station, roughly 1.9 miles north-west. A little further out are Chichester Castle (2.1 miles north-west) and The Chichester City Museum (2 miles north-west).