Hampshire · London and the South East
The Frenches Chimney Survey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in The Frenches, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
The survey, step by step
We’ll ask a few questions first, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes about 1–2 hours at most homes, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Rural addresses near The Frenches can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before the survey
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Find any records of previous roof work
Arrange a survey
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Read more
Chimney survey in The Frenches: what you get
Our survey covers the structure of the stack and its weathering details. It isn’t a flue inspection, a sweep or a gas safety check. If you use a fire or a gas appliance, the flue should be checked by a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer as appropriate. We’ll tell you if we see anything that suggests they should take a look. We survey shared and party-wall stacks, chimney pots and cowls and chimney breasts, and people most frequently book us about a stack that appears to lean and pots or cowls that look unsafe.
Somewhere as small as The Frenches, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, frequently with chimneys that have stood a long time. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. On older roofs, it is usually the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
If any part of the chimney stack couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. That way, it’s clear what was covered and what wasn’t.
- Place
- The Frenches (SO51)
- Region
- Hampshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to The Frenches
More services for The Frenches
The Frenches homes and their roofs
About 3.1 miles north lies Mottisfont Abbey, a reminder of how long the area around The Frenches has been built on. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Some Hampshire villages still have thatched roofs. Older houses in the South East frequently have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Whatever the covering, it’s often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
If you own a rental within reach of Mottisfont & Dunbridge station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
The Frenches is about 3 miles west of Romsey, in Hampshire. The Frenches is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area across London and South East England. Our area takes in places right across Hampshire, large and small. You can also see our page for Southampton.
We survey roofs across SO51 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Close by, we survey roofs in Shootash (1 mile east), Plaitford Green (2 miles west), West Wellow (2 miles south-west), East Wellow (2 miles south) and Blackhill (3 miles south). We also work in nearby towns like Winchester (11 miles east), Eastleigh (10 miles east), Andover (15 miles north), Totton (6 miles south-east), Chandler's Ford (8 miles east) and Hedge End (13 miles south-east).
Near you in The Frenches
The nearest railway station is Mottisfont & Dunbridge station, roughly 2.5 miles north of the centre. Well-known places in the area include King Johns House (2.7 miles east) and Romsey Community Hospital (3.4 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Copythorne Common.
Do you need a chimney survey in The Frenches?
Removing a chimney breast inside can leave questions about how the stack is supported. We note what’s visible in the loft space and outside, and the report recommends a structural engineer if support is a concern.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of All Saints, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Before you book anyone
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Will the report include photos?
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Why get it checked now?
Chimneys are easy to forget because you rarely see the top of them. Problems frequently go unnoticed until damp appears inside. A survey gives you a clear picture before that happens. For older village homes like those around The Frenches, the right replacement materials are not always easy to find quickly. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and which survey you book.
Why book with us
- Every finding written up with photos
- PI and public liability insurance
- Visits on any day of the week
- Clear package prices, with VAT included
See what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
Honest limits
Before booking, it is worth knowing what a survey won’t do:
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Areas we cannot view from safe positions
- A structural engineer’s assessment
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll point you to the right survey. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
Landlord and commercial surveys in The Frenches
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, putting the urgent items at the top.
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, including offices, shops and units. Larger roofs take longer, and they’re priced for the size.
The Frenches questions
How do I find out if my home in The Frenches is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
I let a flat near Mottisfont & Dunbridge station. Can you check the roof?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. Just call 07833 053749 or email us with the details, and we will talk through which survey suits.
What if it rains on the day?
A survey can typically go ahead in light rain, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so if conditions aren’t right we will arrange another day with you.
How much does a chimney survey cost in The Frenches?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Our Basic Survey starts from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT.
Will I get photos?
Yes, every report has them. Each finding is shown in a picture where possible, so you can see what we mean.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them, and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
What happens after the survey?
You’ll receive the report by email, and what you do next is up to you: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
Tips from our surveys
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
Questions about the findings are always welcome. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Look at your chimneys from ground level now and then, particularly after strong winds. With binoculars, you can often see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.