Southampton · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in St Mary's
An experienced roof surveyor for chimney surveys in St Mary's. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Worn or missing pointing
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Signs that a stack is leaning
How a chimney survey works in St Mary's
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. You get photos and findings you can take back to the seller or agent. It works alongside a RICS home survey, not instead of one. If you’re worried about a stack that appears to lean and lifted or split lead flashings, we can find out what’s behind it, on chimney pots and cowls, flaunching and brick chimney stacks alike.
In a smaller place like St Mary's, homes range from older cottages to bungalows and newer houses. Coverings range from slate and clay tiles on older homes to concrete tiles on many later ones. On older homes, chimney stacks, valleys and gutters are usually where the work is. Nails and battens under older coverings frequently give out before the slates or tiles themselves.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the coverings down to the gutters. You will see the good as well as the bad.
- Location
- St Mary's (SO14, SO15, SO18)
- Region
- Southampton
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
We photograph the roof as we go, so you can see in the report what we found and where. We take close-ups from wherever is safe. A typical visit takes about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In a smaller place like St Mary's, parking is seldom the issue; lanes, gates and long drives are worth mentioning. Low roofs on bungalows can frequently be seen well from ground level, and the loft shows the rest.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Where there is safe access, we look at the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
Before we arrive
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
How to book
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
What this survey cannot tell you
A survey is a careful look at the chimney stack, but it cannot do everything. The main limits are:
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
Signs you need a chimney survey in St Mary's
Flashings seal the gap where a stack passes through the roof. With age they can lift, split or come away from the joints. When flashings fail, water often shows up in the loft or on the chimney breast. Lead is also a target for theft.
Most people get in touch after spotting one of these:
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- A chimney out of line
If you live near a park such as Houndwell Park, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls.
What to check before booking
- Is VAT included in the price?
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
Before and after the survey
Getting the most from a chimney survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Tips:
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Don’t use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
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 aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked, and moved if they’re working it loose. Removing unused fixings takes strain off the brickwork.
Also near St Mary's
Also in St Mary's
St Mary's homes and their roofs
The coast is about 1 mile or less from St Mary's, so there is more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. Thatch survives on some older buildings in Hampshire’s villages. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
For businesses in and around places such as Marlands Shopping Centre, a written record of the roof’s condition helps you plan maintenance rather than react to leaks. For landlords with property near Southampton Central station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
St Mary's is about 1 mile south of Southampton, in Southampton. Anywhere in St Mary's, we can come and survey your property. Our area takes in places right across Southampton, large and small.
We work across the SO14, SO15 and SO18 postcode area for chimney surveys. Streets in the area include New Road, Ogle Road and Marsh Lane, all of which we cover. We also cover Northam (1 mile north-east), Inner Avenue (1 mile north), Peartree Green (1 mile east), Southampton (1 mile north) and Bitterne Manor (1 mile north-east). Further out, we also cover Chartwell Green (3 miles north-east), Harefield (3 miles east), Maybush (3 miles north-west), Coxford (3 miles north-west), Lordswood (3 miles north-west) and Eling (4 miles west).
Local landmarks in St Mary's
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Joiners pub, Woolston School and Houndwell Park. The nearest railway station is Southampton Central station, roughly 0.8 miles west. Nearby you’ll also find Netley Castle (2.5 miles south-east) and Bargate Guildhall Museum (under half a mile south-west). For a walk, there is Netley Common.
Can I check my roof myself?
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That’s where a survey comes in.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
Your questions about chimney surveys in St Mary's
Is St Mary's within the area you cover?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Southampton Central station?
Yes, landlords and agents book with us as well as owners. Just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the building, including who will give access on the day.
What will the report tell me?
Written findings with photos, covering the condition of the chimney stack, the defects we found and what we recommend. Standard adds moisture detection and a structural check; Premium adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable and structural analysis.
Can you find out why my chimney breast is damp?
It can come from several places: cracked flaunching, worn pointing, failed flashings, uncapped pots, or damp trapped in an unventilated stack. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We’re roof surveyors, not structural engineers, and it doesn’t include calculations. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we will recommend one.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. For the rest of the building, a RICS home survey is a separate job.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Not always. If we only need the outside, we can agree that in advance, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out in order of urgency where relevant, which helps when budgeting.