Portsmouth · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Southsea, Portsmouth
Get a clear view of the chimney stack at a property in Southsea from an independent roof surveyor. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
Chimney surveys in Southsea: local notes
Southsea lies within about 1 mile of the sea, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, and strong wind lifts anything already loose on a roof, while driving rain finds any gap. There are about 500,000 buildings on England’s list of listed buildings, and around 10,000 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, so check with the council.
Landlords with a home close to Fratton station may find that a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant. If you look after a building such as Craneswater Junior School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Southsea is about 2 miles south of Portsmouth, in Portsmouth. Southsea is one of many places we visit across Portsmouth. Southsea is one of the towns and villages in Portsmouth we cover.
We survey roofs across the PO5, PO4 and PO1 postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Whether your property is on Bath Road, Liss Road and Beach Road or a nearby road, we can help. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Milton (1 mile north-east), Fratton (1 mile north), Kingston (1 mile north), Landport (1 mile north-west) and Baffins (2 miles north). We also work in nearby towns such as Hilsea (3 miles north), Wymering (4 miles north), Paulsgrove (5 miles north), Cosham (4 miles north), Drayton (4 miles north) and Farlington (5 miles north).
Landmarks near Southsea
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Festing pub, St Edmund's Catholic School and Mayville High School, among other places. Southsea’s nearest station is Fratton station, about 0.8 miles north. A little further out are St. Mary's Hospital (1 mile north) and Southsea Castle (1 mile south-west). For a walk, there’s Milton Locks.
How a chimney survey works in Southsea
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. That lets water into the brickwork, which can show up as damp on a chimney breast or in the loft space. A survey finds these problems and records them with photographs. We survey lead flashings, shared and party-wall stacks and chimney pots and cowls, and common reasons people get in touch are lifted or split lead flashings and a stack that appears to lean.
Most homes in a town like Southsea are houses, so the roof is normally the owner’s to look after. A slipped tile or blocked gutter costs far less to sort than the damp it causes later. A roof report gives you a list of what needs doing and how soon, whether you live in the house or let it. The photographs let you see the parts of the roof you cannot get to.
The report records the chimney stack as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, for instance when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Place
- Southsea (PO5, PO4, PO1)
- Region
- Portsmouth
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near Southsea
Also in Southsea
Southsea questions
Is the coastal weather around Southsea hard on roofs?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
I let a flat near Fratton station. Can you check the roof?
Of course. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Do you work in Southsea?
Yes, we do. We carry out chimney surveys in Southsea.
Will I get photos?
Yes. Photos are taken throughout the survey, and they go into the written report alongside our recommendations.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
Yes. Many houses share stacks with a neighbour. We survey what we can see safely, and note anything that seems to involve next door.
What’s in the report?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos. The most urgent items are made clear.
How long will you be at the property?
That depends on the size and shape of the roof, but most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. The report is sent afterwards by email.
What we look for on each type of roof
Flaunching
Flaunching takes the worst of the weather. The survey checks for cracking and gaps around each pot.
Brick stacks
Spalled bricks, where the face has flaked off, are a sign of water and frost. Any spalling is noted with photos.
What we do, step by step
Every roof is different; as a rough guide, the survey takes roughly 1–2 hours for most houses, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. You’re welcome to ask questions while we’re there. For a home in Southsea, the main things we need are a way into the loft, a route to the back garden and somewhere to park. If you won’t be there yourself, let us know who will let us in.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We check 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
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
Arrange a survey
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email, let us know about the property and we will suggest the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Advice
What affects the price in Southsea
Our packages start from £150, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on:
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
One thing that affects the price is the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, with VAT included. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Getting in touch
A little information up front helps. It helps to include:
- Dates you’re working to, such as exchange
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- The property’s address and postcode
We survey roofs on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Practical tips
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. Small repairs now can save bigger work later.
Do you need a chimney survey in Southsea?
Where a chimney meets the roof, lead flashings keep water out. They can lift in wind, crack with age or pull out of the mortar joints. Failed flashings are one of the most common causes of damp around chimneys. Lead flashings can also be stolen.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- A stack that appears to lean
For businesses in and around places such as The Bridge Shopping Centre, knowing the roof’s condition lets you budget for work rather than pay for emergencies.
What to check before booking
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- What insurance they carry
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed beforehand. We survey on weekdays and at weekends, which can make access easier.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client, photographs included.