Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Chimney survey in St Lawrence, Isle of Wight
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in St Lawrence. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Signs that a stack is leaning
About our chimney survey in St Lawrence
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. You get photos of each stack and our recommendations. We survey flaunching, chimney pots and cowls and shared and party-wall stacks, and people most often book us about flaunching that has broken away and a chimney out of line.
Somewhere as small as St Lawrence, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are frequently old. We report on what can be seen safely, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it’s normally the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Location
- St Lawrence (PO38)
- Region
- Isle of Wight
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. We take close-ups from wherever is safe, including by drone where it is applicable and the weather allows. A typical visit takes about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Rural addresses near St Lawrence can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- 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.
Getting ready for the survey
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
Getting a price
To get a price for chimney surveys in St Lawrence, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. A few details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.
Related advice
Roof by roof
Rendered stacks
Water can get in through cracks and then struggle to dry out. We record any cracking and where it is.
Flaunching
The sloping mortar around the pots is called flaunching. Cracks in it let water into the stack.
Other services in St Lawrence
Chimney surveys around St Lawrence
St Lawrence 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, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. Thatch survives on some older Isle of Wight buildings, and the whole island is open to sea air and wind. Whatever the covering, it’s often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
For landlords with property near Shanklin station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak. If you live in an older home near St Lawrence's Church, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look. Take a building like St Francis Catholic and Church of England Primary Academy: long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
St Lawrence is about 4 miles south-west of Shanklin, in the Isle of Wight. Wherever you are in St Lawrence, we can carry out chimney surveys at your property. Our area takes in places right across the Isle of Wight. For surveys nearby, see our Portsmouth page.
We survey roofs across PO38 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. That includes homes and businesses on Twining Road, Whitwell Road and Woolverton Road and the roads around them. If you are just outside St Lawrence, we cover Steephill (1 mile east), Nettlecombe (1 mile north-west), Whitwell (1 mile north-west), Ventnor (1 mile east) and Bierley (2 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Newport (8 miles north), Ryde (10 miles north), Cowes (12 miles north), Sandown (6 miles north-east), Shanklin (4 miles north-east) and East Cowes (12 miles north). Harder-to-reach addresses take a little more planning, so tell us where you are when you book.
Around St Lawrence
In St Lawrence, that means homes and buildings near St Catherine's School and the streets around them. St Lawrence’s nearest station is Shanklin station, about 4.1 miles north-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Arthur Webster Memorial Hospital for Children (4.1 miles north-east) and Longshoremans Museum (1.3 miles east). Not far away are Stenbury Down.
Common questions in St Lawrence
Is St Lawrence within the area you cover?
Yes, St Lawrence is covered. Our area covers London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in St Lawrence?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
What should I do with a chimney I don’t use?
It depends on its condition and your plans. The survey shows its condition and how it’s been capped. If you’re thinking of removing it, check with the council first in a conservation area or on a listed building.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, across 20+ years of surveying roofs.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing aren’t part of what we do. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, like cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
How do I arrange a chimney survey in St Lawrence?
Just ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address. After a few questions, we confirm the price and fix a day.
How soon will I get the report?
Report times are set by the package. Basic is within 48 hours, Standard is 24–48 hours and Premium is the same day. Mention any deadline when booking.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Chimneys are easy to forget because you rarely see the top of them. Defects tend to go unseen until there’s a stain. Surveying the stack now can catch problems first. For older village homes like those around St Lawrence, the right replacement materials aren’t always easy to find quickly. That’s one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
We offer three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, all including VAT. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What you get with us
- PI and public liability insurance
- An independent look at the roof
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Checking the roof from the ground
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
You can learn a lot from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Landlords, agents and block managers in St Lawrence
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed beforehand. We survey on any day of the week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords. Bigger roofs take more time.
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
Survey packages start from £150, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on:
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we can help you choose.
Booking your survey
What helps most when you contact us:
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will ask a few questions about the roof. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.