West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in West Grinstead
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for West Grinstead, from an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photos.
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Signs that a stack is leaning
Tips that help
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
If anything in the report isn’t clear, just ask us. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Unused stacks should be capped in a way that still lets air through. That helps stop damp building up inside.
How a chimney survey works in West Grinstead
A chimney survey is about the outside of the stack and the roof around it. It’s not a flue inspection, a chimney sweep or a gas safety inspection. 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. If something we see points to the flue, we’ll say so. We survey shared and party-wall stacks, flaunching and lead flashings, and people most often book us about cracked or missing flaunching and damp on a chimney breast inside.
Some older homes in villages like West Grinstead are listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is frequently expected.
The report records the chimney stack as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, for example when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Place
- West Grinstead (RH13)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
We don’t take risks to get a closer look. We inspect everything that’s safely in view, and if part of the roof cannot be seen, the report says so. The survey normally takes an hour or two for a house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. In a small place like West Grinstead, access is typically the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- 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
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Leave side gates unlocked
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
Booking a survey
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Read more
What we look for on each type of roof
Brick stacks
Brick stacks rely on sound pointing to keep water out. We check the bricks for spalling and the joints for erosion.
Lead flashings
Mortar fillets are sometimes used where lead would normally be. They crack with age, and we check them too.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in West Grinstead
England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, so the council is the place to ask. Older houses across Sussex often have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging on their upper walls. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old Sussex buildings. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Shrine Church of Our Lady of Consolation and St Francis, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. In and around West Grinstead, as anywhere, a roof is easiest to deal with when its problems are found early.
West Grinstead is about 6 miles south of Horsham, in West Sussex. We survey roofs in West Grinstead and the rest of West Sussex, as part of our work across London and South East England. Across West Sussex, we cover West Grinstead and the places around it. Crawley is in our area too.
Chimney surveys in RH13 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. That includes homes and businesses on Steyning Road, Carylls Meadow and Clothalls Lane and the roads around them. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Littleworth (1 mile south-east), Partridge Green (1 mile south-east), Dial Post (2 miles south-west), Shipley (2 miles west) and Whitehall (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Crawley (11 miles north-east), Horsham (6 miles north), Worthing (11 miles south), Haywards Heath (10 miles east), Burgess Hill (9 miles east) and Littlehampton (15 miles south-west).
What’s near West Grinstead
For a walk, there’s Knepp Wildland.
Prices for chimney surveys in West Grinstead
We confirm the price for the job before you book. These are the things that affect it:
- Roof area
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Height and safe access
- House, block, shop or office
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report isn’t charged as an extra. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Getting in touch
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It’s useful to include:
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Anything about access we should know
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email, tell us about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
Why get it checked now?
Chimneys are easy to forget because you rarely see the top of them. Problems often go unnoticed until damp appears inside. A survey gives you a clear picture before that happens. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
One thing that affects the price is the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, inc. VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
What you get with us
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Prices that include VAT
- Over 20 years’ experience
Read how roof surveys are priced and our case studies.
Common questions in West Grinstead
Do you cover smaller places like West Grinstead?
Yes, we do. We survey roofs across London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
Do you cover West Grinstead?
Yes, West Grinstead is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in West Grinstead as anywhere else.
What happens after the survey?
The report arrives by email, with photographs and clear recommendations. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
How long does the survey take?
Most surveys take an hour or two at a typical home, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. We will confirm the timing as you book.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. We’re 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.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for the job before you book, based on the roof’s size, access and package. To get a price, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Should a redundant chimney be removed?
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 plan what to do with it.
Also near West Grinstead
More services for West Grinstead
Landlord and commercial surveys in West Grinstead
We survey roofs for landlords and letting agents as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the chimney stack, with photographs, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, with the most urgent items set out first.