West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Sidlesham Common, West Sussex
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Sidlesham Common, from an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photos.
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
How a chimney survey works in Sidlesham Common
A chimney survey is about the outside of the stack and the roof around it. It’s not a flue inspection, a chimney sweep or a gas safety inspection. If you use a fire or a gas appliance, the flue should be checked by a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer as appropriate. We’ll tell you if we see anything that suggests they should take a look. We’re often asked to look into redundant stacks capped without ventilation and lifted or split lead flashings, on flaunching, brick chimney stacks and chimney pots and cowls.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Location
- Sidlesham Common (PO20)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How we price chimney surveys
We confirm the price for your survey before booking. This is what makes a difference:
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and which survey you book.
What to let us know when you contact us
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It helps to include:
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Anything about access we should know
A quick phone call is typically the easiest start: ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email, and we’ll ask about the building and what you need. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Sidlesham Common homes and their roofs
The coast is about 2 miles or less from Sidlesham Common, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
If you live in an older home near St Mary Our Lady Sidlesham, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Sidlesham Common is about 3 miles south of Chichester, in West Sussex. In Sidlesham Common, as across West Sussex, every roof gets the same careful survey. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. For surveys nearby, see our Portsmouth page.
Surveys in PO20 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on Chichester Road and Jury Lane or anywhere close by, we can help. Close by, we survey roofs in Street End (1 mile south-east), Sidlesham (1 mile south), Fisher (1 mile east), Keynor Estate (2 miles south) and South Mundham (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Bognor Regis (5 miles east), Chichester (3 miles north), Selsey (4 miles south), Littlehampton (12 miles east), Emsworth (7 miles north-west) and Rustington (13 miles east).
Local landmarks in Sidlesham Common
In Sidlesham Common, that means homes and buildings near The Blacksmith's Arms Public House, among other places. The nearest railway station is Chichester station, about 2.6 miles north. Other landmarks nearby include Chichester Cathedral Treasury (2.9 miles north) and Chichester Castle (3.2 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Nutborne Marshes.
Common questions in Sidlesham Common
How do I find out if my home in Sidlesham Common is listed?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Is Sidlesham Common within the area you cover?
Yes, Sidlesham Common is covered. Our area covers London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
No. It isn’t a flue, sweep or gas safety inspection. We check the structure and weathering of the stack and any damp and flag anything that suggests the flue needs a look.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. If one is needed, the report says so.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It can, depending on the survey. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. We’ll rearrange with you if the weather isn’t right.
How do I arrange a chimney survey in Sidlesham Common?
The quickest way is to phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. Give us the address and a few details about the roof. We survey seven days a week.
How long will you be at the property?
That depends on the size and shape of the roof; most visits take about 1–2 hours for most houses; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. The written report follows by email.
Leave it or get it looked at?
If you’re buying, find out about the stacks before you exchange. Once you’ve exchanged, the work is down to you. A report gives you something specific to put to the seller. Older cottages and farmhouses around Sidlesham Common can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it’s left.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. The price is always agreed first.
What you get with us
- An independent look at the roof
- Packages from £150, with VAT included
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- Over 20 years’ experience
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
What you can safely check yourself
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight.
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
Signs you need a chimney survey in Sidlesham Common
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Flue gases and damp can break down the mortar, sometimes more on one side than the other, which can make a stack lean.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Flaunching that has broken away
If you let a flat or house near Chichester station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Before booking anyone
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- What experience they bring
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- What the survey will not cover
Nearby places to Sidlesham Common
Other services in Sidlesham Common
What a chimney survey doesn’t cover
Some things cannot be seen without opening up the roof, and that sets some limits:
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Parts of the stack that can’t be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we can’t access
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
What happens on the day
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so you can see in the report what we found and where. We take close-ups from wherever is safe. A typical visit takes between one and two hours for most houses, and more on a big or complicated roof. In a small place like Sidlesham Common, access is usually the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We check every stack from wherever it can be seen safely.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the roof space.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before the survey
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
Booking a survey
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from the ground or a window, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To get started, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.