West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Shipley, West Sussex
Get a clear view of the chimney stack at a property in Shipley. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
About our chimney survey in Shipley
Damp on a chimney breast can have several causes. Water may be getting in at the top through cracked flaunching or an uncapped pot, through the brickwork, or at the flashings. Moisture trapped inside a stack with no ventilation can also cause damp. We look at each possibility and record what we find. You then know where to start. We survey flaunching, lead flashings and chimney pots and cowls, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are a stack that appears to lean and loose, cracked or missing pots.
Somewhere as small as Shipley, homes are frequently 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. 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 usually the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Place
- Shipley (RH13)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
The survey, step by step
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the chimney stack as closely as is safe and record what we find. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. It normally takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Somewhere as small as Shipley, access is often the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- 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.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before the survey
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Getting a price
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
Local roofs in Shipley
Listing and conservation areas can both shape what roof work is allowed on an older home. Your council and Historic England’s list will tell you where you stand. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
Take an older house close to The Church of St Mary the Virgin: the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. Take a building like Shipley CofE Primary School: large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. If you own a rental within reach of Billingshurst station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Shipley is about 6 miles south of Horsham, in West Sussex. We provide chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Shipley and the surrounding area. Our West Sussex coverage includes Shipley. For surveys nearby, see our Crawley page.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: RH13. That includes homes and businesses on Church Close and School Lane. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Whitehall (1 mile south-west), Dragons Green (1 mile north), Broomer's Corner (1 mile south-west), Dial Post (2 miles south) and West Grinstead (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Crawley (12 miles north-east), Horsham (6 miles north), Worthing (11 miles south), Haywards Heath (12 miles east), Burgess Hill (11 miles east) and Littlehampton (14 miles south-west).
Near you in Shipley
Shipley’s nearest station is Billingshurst station, roughly 4 miles north-west. For a walk, there’s Knepp Wildland.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Nearby places to Shipley
Other services in Shipley
Why act early in Shipley
Most people never get a proper look at their chimney stacks. Problems frequently go unnoticed until damp appears inside. A survey gives you a clear picture before that happens. Around Shipley, older homes often have old roof timbers, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so they’re priced to match. The price is confirmed before you book.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Shipley
- Surveys seven days a week
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- Packages from £150, inc. VAT
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
See our cost guide or two real surveys.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Shipley
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.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work.
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney breasts and the loft
Stains on timbers or brickwork around the stack can point to a leak. What we find is photographed and described.
Flaunching
We frequently find flaunching that has cracked or broken away. It is normally a modest repair when it is caught early.
Shipley questions
Do you cover smaller places like Shipley?
Yes, Shipley is covered. We survey roofs across London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Shipley?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It can, depending on the survey. Drones cannot fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions aren’t right, we will talk to you about another date.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only if it is safe. We look at everything that can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the roof space, from the roof itself where safe and by drone where it applies. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Mention it when you contact us and we will explain what’s needed.
Do you use drones?
Where it is applicable and safe, yes. We fly a sub-250g drone and we are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where it applies.
What should I do with a chimney I do not use?
There is no single answer. We record how the stack is doing and whether it’s capped with ventilation. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need consent.
What we cannot see
Before booking, it’s worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- Whether the flue is safe to use
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will tell you. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Shipley
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks