Southampton · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Shirley, Southampton
Not sure what state the chimney stack is in? We carry out chimney surveys in Shirley and across Southampton.
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
Chimney survey in Shirley
Many terraced and semi-detached homes share their chimney stacks with a neighbour. We look at whatever is safely visible and what the owner gives us access to. If a defect appears to be on the neighbour’s side, we note it, so you can talk to them. You get a written report with photos and our recommendations. If you’re worried about staining on walls around the chimney and cracked or missing flaunching, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on lead flashings, chimney breasts and shared and party-wall stacks alike.
Around Shirley, older cottages sit alongside bungalows and newer houses. Coverings range from slate and clay tiles on older homes to concrete tiles on many later ones. Chimneys, valleys and gutters on older homes often need the most attention. The fixings under an older roof often fail before good slates or tiles do.
The report does not just list problems. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend.
- Place
- Shirley (SO15, SO16, SO17)
- Region
- Southampton
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Roof by roof
Lead flashings
Flashings can lift in wind or pull out of their mortar joints. We photograph any we find that look loose or damaged.
Rendered stacks
Some stacks are rendered, which can hide the condition of the brickwork beneath. We look for cracks, hollow areas and staining.
Places near Shirley
More services for Shirley
Tips that help
Small things make a difference. Some pointers:
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
You can send the report to roofers or builders for quotes. Because everyone is pricing the same findings, the quotes are easier to compare.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. Early signs are easier to trace.
What affects the price in Shirley
Survey packages start from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
A Basic Survey starts from £150, with VAT included. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400. We confirm the price for your roof before you book.
What to let us know when you contact us
These details help when you contact us:
- What’s prompted the survey
- Anything about access we should know
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- What kind of property and roof it is
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. Our price is from £150, including VAT. To book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Can I check my roof myself?
A lot can be seen from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
The survey, step by step
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the roof space if there’s safe access. In total, it takes about one to two hours at most homes, and longer for a large or complex roof. In a smaller place like Shirley, parking is seldom the issue; lanes, gates and long drives are worth mentioning. On bungalows and lower roofs, much can be seen from the ground, with the loft showing the underside, while taller roofs may need other vantage points or the drone where applicable.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We look at 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.
Preparing for the visit
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Keep pets in another room
- Leave side gates unlocked
Book a survey
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from ground level or a window. To get started, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
FAQs for Shirley
Is Shirley within the area you cover?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
How do I find out if my home in Shirley is listed?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes, plenty. Each finding is shown in a picture where possible, which makes the report easy to follow.
How experienced are you?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, across 20+ years of surveying roofs, with 98% customer satisfaction.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not always. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. We use safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where applicable.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We’re roof surveyors, not structural engineers. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we will recommend one.
Shirley homes and their roofs
Shirley is within about 1 mile of the coast, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles, while driving rain finds any gap. The wider area around Shirley has a long history of building, with Southampton Tudor House and Garden about 1.9 miles south-east. If yours is one of the older homes, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
If you run a business near Marlands Shopping Centre, a written record of the roof’s condition helps you plan maintenance rather than react to leaks. Anyone responsible for a site like Wordsworth Primary School will know that a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. If you live near a park like St James' Park, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall.
Shirley is about 2 miles west of Southampton, in Southampton. In Shirley, as across Southampton, every roof gets the same careful survey. Across Southampton, we cover Shirley.
We work across SO15, SO16 and SO17 for chimney surveys. Streets in the area include May Road, Dyer Road and York Road. With the A3057 close by, Shirley is simple for us to get to for chimney surveys. Other places close to Shirley include Regents Park (1 mile west), Freemantle (1 mile south), Millbrook (1 mile south-west), Coxford (1 mile north-west) and Maybush (1 mile north-west). Further out, we also cover Townhill Park (3 miles east), Midanbury (3 miles east), Thornhill (4 miles east), Chartwell Green (4 miles east), Harefield (4 miles east) and Itchen (3 miles south-east). Being one of Southampton’s larger places, Shirley has homes, rented property and businesses of every kind.
Near you in Shirley
In Shirley, that means homes and buildings near The Crown Public House, St James' Park and Regents Park Community College, among other places. The nearest railway station is Millbrook (Hants) station, about 0.7 miles south. A little further out are Netley Castle (4.4 miles south-east) and Foresters Museum & Archive (1 mile south-east). Green spaces nearby include Testwood Lakes.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords. Larger roofs take longer.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Shirley and across Southampton can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.