West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Somerley, West Sussex
Not sure what state the chimney stack is in? We carry out chimney surveys in Somerley and across West Sussex, with plain-English findings.
- A stack that appears to lean
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Bricks with flaking faces
Chimney survey in Somerley: what you get
A chimney stands up above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. In time, flaunching cracks, mortar washes out and flashings come loose. Water then gets into the stack and can show as damp on a chimney breast or a stain in the loft. A survey finds these problems and records them with photographs. We’re frequently asked to look into disused chimneys trapping moisture and damp patches on chimney breasts, on flaunching, lead flashings and chimney breasts.
In a small place like Somerley, many roofs stand in the open, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Location
- Somerley (PO20)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Chimney surveys in Somerley: local notes
The coast is about 2 miles or less from Somerley, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, and strong wind lifts anything already loose on a roof, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
Anyone responsible for a site like Birdham CE Primary School will know that long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. If you let a flat or house near Fishbourne station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak. The streets around a church such as St James' Church are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Somerley is about 4 miles north-west of Selsey, in West Sussex. Somerley gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. We cover towns and villages across West Sussex, large and small. We also survey roofs in Portsmouth.
Chimney surveys in PO20 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We offer chimney surveys to properties on Bell Lane and Hundredsteddle Lane and the roads around them. We also cover Almodington (1 mile south-east), Birdham (1 mile north-east), Shipton Green (1 mile north-west), Earnley (1 mile south) and East Wittering (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover Bognor Regis (7 miles east), Chichester (5 miles north-east), Selsey (4 miles south-east), Littlehampton (14 miles east), Emsworth (6 miles north-west) and Rustington (15 miles east).
Local landmarks in Somerley
We work in homes and buildings around The Birdham Public House. Somerley’s nearest station is Fishbourne station, about 4 miles north. Other landmarks nearby include Chichester Castle (4.9 miles north-east) and St Richard's Hospital (5.2 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Pilsey Island.
Roof by roof
Flaunching
Sitting at the very top, flaunching is fully exposed. The survey checks for cracking and gaps around each pot.
Rendered stacks
Cracked render can let water in and trap it behind. Cracks are photographed and noted.
Questions from Somerley
Will you come out to Somerley?
Yes. Somerley is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We survey roofs across London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Somerley?
Often, yes. Somerley is within about 2 miles of the sea, and coastal roofs tend to see faster wear on metal parts and more wind lifting loose pieces.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We note visible signs such as sagging or deflection, but we do not carry out calculations or give an engineer’s opinion. If we think you need an engineer, the report says so.
How long is the visit?
Time on site depends on the roof, but most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. The report is sent afterwards by email.
What do I do with the report?
The report arrives by email, with photos and clear recommendations. With Standard there is a follow-up consultation; with Premium, an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Our Basic Survey starts from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all with VAT included.
How experienced are you?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
Places near Somerley
More services for Somerley
DIY checks: what’s safe
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and falls from height are serious. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Prices for chimney surveys in Somerley
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- The shape of the roof and its details
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you’d like to know.
Helping us price your survey
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It’s useful to include:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- When you need the report by
- Access details, like a loft hatch or a shared roof
- The kind of building and roof involved
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Loose pots and bricks on a stack are a safety concern. A survey picks them out so they can be made safe by a roofer. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. That is one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, including VAT. We’ll tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Somerley
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Plain-English reports with photos
What happens on the day
You don’t need to do much on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will take it from there. The survey itself takes an hour or two for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. For a village or hamlet like Somerley, the journey is planned beforehand: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- First you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- The stacks are looked at from ground level, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- Every part we can see is looked at: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Where there’s safe access, we check the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- You get a photo-illustrated written report and our recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
How to book
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from ground level or a window. To get started, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
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What a chimney survey doesn’t cover
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, so a survey has limits:
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- Parts of the stack that cannot be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we cannot access
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll suggest the right survey. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings