West Sussex · London and the South East
Sharpthorne Chimney Survey
Wondering about the chimney stack at a property in Sharpthorne? We carry out chimney surveys in Sharpthorne and across West Sussex.
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- A chimney out of line
What a chimney survey looks like in Sharpthorne
Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. Whatever the covering, it’s often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. Historic houses like Priest House, about 0.5 miles west, show how far back building in the area around Sharpthorne goes. 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.
Anyone responsible for a site like West Hoathly CofE Primary School will know that 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 St Margaret's Church: corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Sharpthorne is about 4 miles south of East Grinstead, in West Sussex. We provide chimney surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Sharpthorne and the surrounding area. Across West Sussex, we cover Sharpthorne and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Crawley page.
We work across RH19 for chimney surveys. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Station Road, Marlpit Road and Bayhams Field or a nearby road, we can survey it. We also cover the places around Sharpthorne: West Hoathly (1 mile west), Highbrook (2 miles south), Selsfield Common (2 miles north-west), Little London (2 miles south-west) and Birchgrove (3 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Crawley (7 miles west), Horsham (12 miles west), Haywards Heath (6 miles south-west), Burgess Hill (9 miles south-west), East Grinstead (4 miles north) and Broadfield (7 miles west).
Around Sharpthorne
Around Sharpthorne, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Fox pub, among other places. The closest station to Sharpthorne is East Grinstead station, about 3.6 miles north. Nearby you’ll also find Waterbury Castle (2.6 miles south) and East Grinstead Museum (3.7 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Hedgecourt Lake.
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Sharpthorne
A damp patch on a chimney breast doesn’t always come from the same place. Water may be getting in at the top through cracked flaunching or an uncapped pot, through the brickwork, or at the flashings. Condensation inside an unventilated stack is another common cause. We check each possibility and record what we find. That points the work in the right direction. Typical surveys look at signs that a stack is leaning and gaps where the stack meets the roof, across brick chimney stacks, flaunching and lead flashings.
Somewhere as small as Sharpthorne, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. We report on what can be seen safely, and thatch is a specialist material. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs frequently need the most attention.
The report records the chimney stack as we found it on the day. It is useful right away, and a good reference for later, for example when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Place
- Sharpthorne (RH19)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Sharpthorne
Is Sharpthorne within the area you cover?
Yes, Sharpthorne 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 Sharpthorne?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
How much does a chimney survey cost in Sharpthorne?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on its size, height, access and the package, and it’s agreed before booking.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not always. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. Safe viewpoints, the loft and a drone where it applies let us see the rest.
Do I need to be at home?
Not necessarily. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Should I worry about a leaning stack?
Have it checked rather than leaving it. Leaning often comes from mortar breaking down unevenly. We record its condition with photos, and a structural engineer can confirm whether it’s stable.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes. Photographs are taken throughout the survey, and the report uses them to show each finding alongside our recommendations.
For landlords and managing agents
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out with the most urgent first where relevant.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, putting the urgent items at the top.
Towns and villages near Sharpthorne
Also in Sharpthorne
What you can safely check yourself
You can learn a lot from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
How we price chimney surveys
Not every roof costs the same to survey, and it comes down to:
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Which survey package you book
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the size and height of the roof, access and the package you choose.
Getting in touch
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- What made you get in touch
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- The kind of building and roof involved
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
Useful tips for Sharpthorne property owners
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Make sure unused flues are capped with ventilation
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
The report is emailed to you, ready to share with a roofer or builder. We use plain English and a photo for each defect, so it’s easy to follow.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. With binoculars, you can often see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
The survey, step by step
The visit has one job: to look at the chimney stack as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photographs go into the written report. It typically takes about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In a small place like Sharpthorne, access is typically the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- You let us know how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- The stacks are looked at from the ground, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access.
- The findings are written up with photos and recommendations and emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Getting a price
When you’re ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or email us. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
Read more
Do you need a chimney survey in Sharpthorne?
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Mortar can deteriorate unevenly from flue gases and moisture, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
Look out for signs like these:
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
If you own a rental within reach of East Grinstead station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Is VAT included in the price?
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs