Hampshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Southwick, Hampshire
An experienced roof surveyor for chimney surveys in Southwick. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us.
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
Chimney survey in Southwick: what you get
For buyers, a chimney survey before exchange can flag work you may want to raise. Cracked flaunching, failed flashings and worn pointing are common findings on older stacks. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. We survey chimney breasts, brick chimney stacks and chimney pots and cowls, and common reasons people get in touch are flashings pulling away from the stack and loose, cracked or missing pots.
Some older homes in villages like Southwick are 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. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, with a note and a photo for each point. It records what’s sound as well as what isn’t.
- Location
- Southwick (PO17)
- Region
- Hampshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Southwick homes and their roofs
Southwick lies within about 2 miles of the sea, so there is more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Near the sea, metal fixings wear faster and loose pieces on a roof are more likely to lift, while driving rain finds any gap. If your home is older, it is worth knowing whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before planning roof work. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas.
If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for instance near Fareham Shopping Centre, a roof report helps plan work around trading rather than after a leak. Anyone responsible for a site like King Richard School will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Southwick is about 3 miles west of Purbrook, in Hampshire. In Southwick, as across Hampshire, every roof gets the same careful survey. Our Hampshire coverage includes Southwick.
We survey roofs across the PO17 postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Whether your property is on High Street, North Road West and Castle Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Boarhunt (1 mile west), North Boarhunt (2 miles north-west), Portchester (2 miles south), Hundred Acres (3 miles north-west) and North Fareham (3 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Gosport (5 miles south), Havant (5 miles east), Eastleigh (12 miles north-west), Fareham (4 miles west), Horndean (5 miles north-east) and Chandler's Ford (14 miles north-west).
Near you in Southwick
In Southwick, that means homes and buildings near Red Lion Inn, among other places. Southwick’s nearest station is Portchester station, about 1.9 miles south. Nearby you’ll also find Portchester Castle (2.6 miles south) and Fareham Shopping Centre (3.2 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Portsdown Hill and St Clair's Meadow.
Towns and villages near Southwick
More services for Southwick
Roof by roof
Chimney pots and cowls
Pots sit in the flaunching on top of the stack, and cowls or caps sit on the pots. The survey looks for cracked, loose or missing pots and cowls.
Flaunching
Cracked flaunching is one of the most common chimney defects we record. It is typically a modest repair when it is caught early.
Common roof problems in Southwick
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. When flashings fail, water often shows up in the loft or on the chimney breast. Lead flashings can also be stolen.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
For an older house near a landmark like Church of St James Without the Priory Gate, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Before you book anyone
- Their insurance cover
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- How soon the report will arrive
- Which limits apply to the survey
Why act early in Southwick
Most people never get a proper look at their chimney stacks. Defects tend to go unseen until there is a stain. A survey gives you a clear picture before that happens. Older and listed buildings around Southwick may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Why us?
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- An independent look at the roof
- Prices that include VAT
- Visits on any day of the week
What you can safely check yourself
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey.
A lot can be seen from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
What we do, step by step
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the roof space if there is safe access. In total, it takes between one and two hours at most homes, and longer for a large or complex roof. In a hamlet or village like Southwick, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Getting ready for the survey
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Booking a survey
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know where you stand. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. To book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
Tips from our surveys
Getting the most from a chimney survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Check your stacks from the ground after strong winds
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
Once we’ve been, the findings are written up with photos. It explains the condition of each part of the stack and any damp inside. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24 to 48 hours and Premium reports the same day.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
Common questions in Southwick
Is Southwick within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Southwick, take more of a battering?
Frequently, yes. Within about 2 miles of the sea, as Southwick is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, so it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
My chimney looks like it’s leaning. What should I do?
A leaning stack should be looked at. We record the lean, the brickwork and the pointing, and recommend a structural engineer where it may be a structural concern.
When does the report arrive?
That depends on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. The report is emailed to you.
How long does the survey take?
It typically takes about 1–2 hours for most houses; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. The written report follows by email, on the timescale of your package.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Where it’s applicable and safe, yes. We fly a sub-250g drone and we’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where applicable.