Brighton and Hove · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Seven Dials, Brighton and Hove
Chimney surveys in Seven Dials from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys.
- A stack that appears to lean
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Staining on walls around the chimney
What we are asked to look at in Seven Dials
Aerials and dishes are often fixed to stacks. Their weight and the wind on them can loosen bricks and pointing. Any fixings on the stack are checked and recorded.
Here are some of the things we see frequently:
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Signs that a stack is leaning
Homes near green spaces like St. Ann's Well Gardens can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- How soon the report will arrive
- Which limits apply to the survey
- What experience they bring
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Seven Dials
Redundant chimneys are common, particularly where fires have been replaced by central heating. Even when it isn’t used, a stack has to stay weathertight. If it has been capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside it. Our survey looks at how each unused stack has been capped and checks the breasts for damp. The report sets out what we found and what we recommend. If you’ve noticed a stack that appears to lean and spalled or crumbling bricks, we can find out what’s behind it, on chimney pots and cowls, chimney breasts and flaunching alike.
Houses in smaller places like Seven Dials can face open ground, where wind and driving rain hit the roof harder. That weather tells first on ridges, verges, chimneys and flashings. A close look shows whether anything has started to loosen. Once one ridge tile or slate moves, wind gets under the next one too.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Seven Dials (BN1, BN3, BN50)
- Region
- Brighton and Hove
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Nearby places to Seven Dials
More services for Seven Dials
Questions from Seven Dials
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Seven Dials, take more of a battering?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
Is my home in Seven Dials listed or in a conservation area?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
What’s the best way to book?
It’s easiest to call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. Tell us the address and a little about the roof. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends.
Which parts of the chimney do you look at?
The whole stack, as far as it can be seen safely: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings. We also note leaning, redundant stacks and damp inside.
Should a redundant chimney be removed?
An unused stack still needs to stay weathertight and ventilated. Capping without airflow can lead to damp. Our survey records its condition and how it’s capped, so you can plan what to do with it.
Our stack is shared. Can you still survey it?
Yes. We inspect what can safely be seen and what you give us access to. Where a problem appears to be on next door’s side, we note it, so you can discuss it with them.
How long will you be at the property?
It normally takes an hour or two on an ordinary house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. We will confirm the timing as you book.
What we do, step by step
Every roof is different; as a rough guide, the survey takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. If you have questions on the day, just ask. In a smaller place like Seven Dials, as anywhere, the forecast plays a part: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from ground level and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before the survey
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
Book a survey
We confirm the exact price before booking, so you know the cost up front. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
Seven Dials homes and their roofs
The coast is about 1 mile or less from Seven Dials, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, and strong wind lifts anything already loose on a roof. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters.
Royal Pavilion, about 0.7 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Seven Dials. Older roofs nearby often mix original materials with later repairs, and the survey shows where each one is. For landlords with property near Brighton station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Seven Dials is about 1 mile west of Brighton, in Brighton and Hove. Seven Dials is one of many places we visit across Brighton and Hove, for homes and businesses alike. Seven Dials is one of the towns and villages in Brighton and Hove we cover for chimney surveys.
All of BN1, BN3 and BN50 is covered for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Dyke Road, Powis Road and York Avenue or a nearby road, we can help. Being close to the A2010, Seven Dials is easy for us to reach for chimney surveys. Other places close to Seven Dials include West Hill (1 mile south-east), Prestonville (1 mile north), Brunswick (1 mile south-west), Brighton (1 mile east) and Hanover (1 mile east). Larger places within reach include Hangleton (3 miles north-west), Saltdean (5 miles east), East Saltdean (6 miles east), Roedean (3 miles south-east), Rottingdean (4 miles east) and Ovingdean (3 miles east). Being one of Brighton and Hove’s larger places, Seven Dials has homes, rented property and businesses of every kind.
Near you in Seven Dials
In Seven Dials, that means homes and buildings near Stanford Junior School, The Cow pub and St. Ann's Well Gardens, among other places. Seven Dials has its own railway station: Brighton station. A little further out are Montefiore Hospital (less than half a mile west) and Brighton Transport Museum (0.6 miles north). Not far away are Newmarket Hill and Whitehawk Hill.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Damp in a chimney breast usually gets worse while the cause is left. It can spoil decoration and plaster. Knowing whether it is the flaunching, flashings, brickwork or ventilation means the right fix can be planned. Blocked gutters on homes around Seven Dials overflow and soak walls, especially where trees overhang. It is easy to sort the cause early and slow to dry a damp wall.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Why us?
- Surveys seven days a week
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- An independent look at the roof
Practical tips
Small things make a difference, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Some pointers:
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. Because everyone is pricing the same findings, the quotes are easier to compare.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
When you need someone else
A survey is a close look at the chimney stack, but it can’t do everything. The main limits are:
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
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 before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in Seven Dials
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls