West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Singleton
We carry out chimney surveys in Singleton and the rest of West Sussex. Surveys run on any day of the week.
- Worn or missing pointing
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
Checking the roof from ground level
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and falls from height are serious. That part is for a survey.
Chimney survey in Singleton: what you get
Many homes have chimneys that are no longer used. 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. Typical surveys look at pots or cowls that look unsafe and gaps in the mortar around the pots, on chimney breasts, chimney pots and cowls and shared and party-wall stacks.
Older buildings in small places like Singleton may be listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is often expected.
Findings are set out part by part, from the coverings down to the gutters, each with a short note and a photo. You’ll see the good as well as the bad.
- Where
- Singleton (PO18)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What a chimney survey looks like in Singleton
Historic houses such as West Dean House, about 1.2 miles west, show how far back building in the area around Singleton goes. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
Take an older house close to The Parish Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary: the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Singleton is about 5 miles north of Chichester, in West Sussex. Roofs in Singleton get the same thorough look as anywhere else in West Sussex. Across West Sussex, we cover Singleton and the places around it. We also survey roofs in Portsmouth.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: PO18. Streets in the area include Downley Close, The Leys and Charlton Road, and we cover them all. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Charlton (1 mile east), West Dean (1 mile west), East Dean (2 miles east), Cocking (3 miles north) and Heyshott (3 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include Bognor Regis (9 miles south), Chichester (5 miles south), Selsey (12 miles south), Littlehampton (12 miles south-east), Emsworth (9 miles south-west) and Rustington (13 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Singleton
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Partridge Inn. Other landmarks nearby include Weald and Downland Gridshell (under half a mile south-west) and Chichester Centre (4.5 miles south). For a walk, there’s Levin Down and Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve.
Roof by roof
Brick stacks
Frost can damage bricks that have soaked up water, making the faces flake away. Any spalling is noted with photos.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Where a breast has been taken out, we look at what supports the stack. Confirming the support is a job for a structural engineer.
How it works
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. You are welcome to ask questions while we’re there. Around Singleton, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it is useful to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it is safe.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before the survey
- Tell us where we can park nearby
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
Booking a survey
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know where you stand. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
Practical tips
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Make sure unused flues are capped with ventilation
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
If anything in the report is not clear, just ask us. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation.
Check redundant flues are capped with ventilation. Ventilation helps keep the stack dry.
What we are asked to look at in Singleton
Stacks that were used for open fires for many years can weaken from the inside. Flue gases and damp can break down the mortar, sometimes more on one side than the other, which can make a stack lean.
Look out for signs like these:
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
Take a building like Singleton CofE Primary School: long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Before you book anyone
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Whether VAT is added on top
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
Questions from Singleton
How do I find out if my home in Singleton 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.
Do you cover smaller places like Singleton?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We work right across London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
How do I arrange a chimney survey in Singleton?
The quickest way is to call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Let us know the address and a little about the roof. Surveys run seven days a week.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. We check the parts we’re given access to, and the report makes that clear.
What does a roof survey cost?
Our price is 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 need to get into the loft?
If the survey needs it and the loft space can be reached safely, yes. Please clear anything stored under the hatch, and if the loft can’t be reached safely, the report says so.
How do you inspect a chimney without scaffolding?
Each stack is viewed from the safest viewpoints: from ground level, windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there is access. Our Premium Survey includes a drone inspection where it applies. If part of a stack cannot be seen, the report says so.
What else we do in Singleton
Surveys for landlords and agents in Singleton
We survey roofs for landlords and letting agents as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the chimney stack, with photos, useful for planning maintenance.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Singleton and across West Sussex can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.