West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Washington, West Sussex
Chimney surveys in Washington, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. You get a clear report with photographs.
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
Should I look at the roof myself first?
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.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
About our chimney survey in Washington
Damp on a chimney breast can have several causes. It might come in at the top, through worn pointing or porous bricks, or where the flashings meet the roof. Condensation inside an unventilated stack is another common cause. We look at each possibility and record what we find. That points the work in the right direction. We survey shared and party-wall stacks, chimney breasts and chimney pots and cowls, and the problems we are asked to look at most are gaps where the stack meets the roof and redundant stacks capped without ventilation.
In a village or hamlet like Washington, older cottages and farmhouses often sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often 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. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs frequently need the most attention.
What you get is a clear record of the chimney stack on the day we saw it. It’s useful right away, and a good reference for later, for instance when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Place
- Washington (RH20)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
FAQs for Washington
Is my home in Washington listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you cover Washington?
Yes, Washington is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Washington as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
What if it rains on the day?
Light rain is normally fine; heavy rain and wind are different. In strong wind or heavy rain, a drone cannot fly and access may not be safe, so we’d move the date with you.
Do you inspect the flue?
No. We survey the stack and its weathering, not the flue. The flue should be checked by a sweep, or by a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances.
How long will you be at the property?
It typically takes an hour or two for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. We’ll confirm the timing when you book.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
A redundant chimney needs looking after like any other. If it is capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside. Our survey records its condition and how it’s capped, so you can decide with a builder what to do.
What does the report include?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos, and ends with what we recommend. The most urgent items are made clear.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Washington
We survey roofs for landlords and letting agents as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the chimney stack, with photographs, useful for planning maintenance.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed in advance. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which helps when tenants work during the week.
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings
Lead flashings seal the joint between the stack and the roof. The survey looks at whether the lead is tight, sound and well fixed.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Where a breast has been taken out, we check what supports the stack. Confirming the support is a job for a structural engineer.
What we’re asked to look at in Washington
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Mortar can deteriorate unevenly from flue gases and moisture, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
Look out for signs like these:
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- A stack that appears to lean
The streets around a church such as The Parish Church of St Mary are often among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- How soon the report will arrive
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- What experience they bring
What we do, step by step
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the loft space if there’s safe access. In total, it takes roughly 1–2 hours at most homes, and more on a big or complicated roof. In a small place like Washington, access is typically the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Getting ready for the survey
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Tell us where we can park nearby
Getting a price
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine, and please do not climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
What this survey can’t tell you
A survey is a proper look at the chimney stack, but it can’t do everything. Its limits include:
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you before booking. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
Towns and villages near Washington
What else we do in Washington
Chimney surveys in Washington: local notes
Historic houses such as Parham House, about 3.9 miles west, show how far back building in the area around Washington goes. 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. In Sussex, older roofs are often handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
Take a building like St Mary's CofE Primary School: large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Washington is about 6 miles north of Worthing, in West Sussex. Wherever you are in Washington, we can come and survey your property. Across West Sussex, we cover Washington. For surveys nearby, see our Brighton page.
All of RH20 is covered for chimney surveys. If you need a chimney survey at a property on London Road, The Street and Chanctonbury Close or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Other places close to Washington include Rock (1 mile north), Sullington (1 mile west), Heath Common (2 miles north-west), Storrington (2 miles north-west) and Warminghurst (2 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Horsham (12 miles north), Worthing (6 miles south), Bognor Regis (15 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (15 miles north-east), Burgess Hill (13 miles east) and Littlehampton (8 miles south-west).
What’s near Washington
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Rydon Community College, Windlesham House School and The Frankland Arms Public House, among other places. Nearby you’ll also find The Storrington And District Museum (2 miles north-west). For a walk, there is Chanctonbury Hill.