East Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Wallcrouch, East Sussex
Know where you stand with the chimney stack before you spend money on it. We carry out chimney surveys in Wallcrouch.
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Mortar washing out of the joints
How a chimney survey works in Wallcrouch
On terraced and semi-detached houses, a chimney stack is frequently shared with next door. We look at everything that’s safely in view and what the owner gives us access to. If a defect appears to be on the neighbour’s side, we note it and you can then discuss it with them. You get a written report with photographs and what we recommend. If you’ve noticed pots or cowls that look unsafe and unused flues sealed without airflow, we can find out what’s behind it.
In a village or hamlet like Wallcrouch, older cottages and farmhouses frequently sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are frequently old. 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 typically the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Wallcrouch (TN5)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Practical tips
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Photograph damp patches with the date
If the report recommends a structural engineer, a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer, it will say why. It gives them a clear starting point.
Check fixings on the stack are sound and taken off if they’re no longer needed. Less load on the stack means less strain in wind.
Wallcrouch: your questions answered
Is my home in Wallcrouch listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Is Wallcrouch within the area you cover?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
How many surveys have you done?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. It is a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
What’s the best way to book?
It’s easiest to ring 07833 053749 or send us an email. Tell us the address and a little about the roof, and we’ll point you to the right survey. We survey on weekdays and at weekends.
My chimney looks like it’s leaning. What should I do?
Have it checked rather than leaving it. Leaning frequently comes from mortar breaking down unevenly. We record its condition with photos, and a structural engineer can assess whether it needs work.
How long will you be at the property?
It usually takes about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. You’ll then get the report by email, on the timescale of your package.
What happens if roof problems are left?
If you are buying, find out about the stacks before you exchange. Once you’ve exchanged, the work is down to you. A report gives you something specific to put to the seller. Matching old materials, like handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how it can be reached and seen safely. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Why book with us
- Visits on any day of the week
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Clear package prices, with VAT included
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or our case studies.
Different roofs, different checks
Flaunching
Cracked flaunching is one of the most common chimney defects we record. Caught early, it’s often a small job.
Chimney breasts and the loft
If a chimney breast has been removed below, we note what we can see of the support above. A structural engineer should confirm whether it is adequate.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, which helps when we check the roof.
What happens on the day
After the inspection, everything we found is written up in a report with photos, emailed to you. As for time on site, most surveys take between one and two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. In a hamlet or village like Wallcrouch, 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. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft space.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Preparing for the visit
- Find any records of previous roof work
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
How to book
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We will confirm the price before you book.
Advice
Chimney surveys in Wallcrouch: local notes
With Wadhurst Castle about 2.2 miles north-west, Wallcrouch sits in an area with a long building history. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Older houses across Sussex often have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging on their upper walls. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs, and the county’s older buildings include oast houses and Wealden hall houses. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters.
For an older house near a landmark such as Shover's Green Baptist Chapel, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. Take a building like Stonegate Church of England Primary School: its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Wallcrouch is about 8 miles south-east of Royal Tunbridge Wells, in East Sussex. We visit Wallcrouch as part of our work across East Sussex, for homes and businesses alike. Wallcrouch is one of the places in East Sussex we cover for chimney surveys. Our Maidstone page covers surveys nearby.
Chimney surveys in TN5 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Other places close to Wallcrouch include Shover's Green (1 mile west), Birchett's Green (1 mile north), Stonegate (1 mile south), Cousley Wood (2 miles north) and Pell Green (2 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Hastings (15 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (14 miles south), Hailsham (14 miles south), Crowborough (9 miles west), St Leonards (15 miles south-east) and Uckfield (13 miles south-west).
Around Wallcrouch
Typical jobs here are in homes near Uplands Community College. For rail, the closest station is Stonegate station, about 2 miles south of the centre. Nearby you will also find Old Scotney Castle (3.4 miles north-east) and Ticehurst House Hospital (1 mile east). Open spaces near Wallcrouch include Bewl Water.
Common roof problems in Wallcrouch
Removing a chimney breast inside can leave questions about how the stack is supported. We record what we can see in the loft and outside, and the report recommends a structural engineer if support is a concern.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
For landlords with property near Stonegate station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Questions to ask before you book
- Their insurance cover
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- What follow-up you get after the report