West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in West Marden
Get a clear view of the chimney stack at a property in West Marden from an independent roof surveyor. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- A stack that appears to lean
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
How a chimney survey works in West Marden
A chimney survey looks at the stack and everything around it: the pots and cowls, the flaunching on top, the pointing, the brickwork and the flashings where it meets the roof. We also look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access. The findings come in a written report with photos and recommendations. We survey single stacks on houses and groups of stacks on bigger buildings. We survey brick chimney stacks, chimney breasts and shared and party-wall stacks, and common reasons people get in touch are bricks with flaking faces and eroded joints in the brickwork.
Somewhere as small as West Marden, 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’s typically the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
We write the report in plain English, so you do not need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photograph where possible.
- Place
- West Marden (PO18)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
DIY checks: what’s safe
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
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.
Chimney surveys in West Marden: local notes
Older houses across Sussex frequently have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging on their upper walls. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look. The wider area around West Marden has a long history of building, with Uppark about 2.6 miles north. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as 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.
Anyone responsible for a site like Compton and Up Marden CofE Primary School will know that its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. If you own a rental within reach of Rowlands Castle station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
West Marden is about 5 miles east of Horndean, in West Sussex. Bookings from West Marden are handled just like any other: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. Our Portsmouth page covers surveys nearby.
All of PO18 is covered for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. If you are just outside West Marden, we cover Forestside (1 mile south-west), Chalton (3 miles north-west), Blendworth (4 miles west), Buriton (5 miles north-west) and Nursted (5 miles north). Further out, we also cover Bognor Regis (13 miles south-east), Chichester (8 miles south-east), Selsey (14 miles south), Emsworth (5 miles south), Portfield (8 miles south-east) and Yapton (14 miles south-east).
What’s near West Marden
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Coach And Horses Public House and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Rowlands Castle station, roughly 2.8 miles south-west of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Havant War Memorial Hospital (5.6 miles south-west) and Clanfield Earthwork (4.1 miles north-west). Open spaces near West Marden include Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve and Compton Down.
Places near West Marden
What else we do in West Marden
Common questions in West Marden
How do I find out if my home in West Marden is listed?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
I let a flat near Rowlands Castle station. Can you check the roof?
Of course. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
What’s in the survey report?
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.
What do I do with the report?
The report comes by email, and what you do next is up to you: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
Do you work in West Marden?
Yes. We survey roofs across London and South East England, West Marden included.
Will you photograph what you find?
Yes. Photos are part of every report, so you can see exactly what each finding refers to.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. We check the roof, not the whole building, so it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
Signs you need a chimney survey in West Marden
The flaunching on top of a stack holds the pots in place and sheds water. Once it cracks, water gets in and frost makes the cracks bigger. Loose pots can follow.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Worn or missing pointing
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
The streets around a church such as The Parish Church of St Mary are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- How soon the report will arrive
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Will the report include photos?
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before you book. These are the things that affect it:
- House, block, shop or office
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, from £400 with VAT included. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
What we need to know
There’s no need for technical words. Just let us know:
- What’s prompted the survey
- The address and postcode of the property
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
If you’re buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.
Practical tips
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
Once we’ve been, the findings are written up with photos. It covers the pots, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings, and any damp we found inside. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Check fixings on the stack are sound, and moved if they’re working it loose. Less load on the stack means less strain in wind.
Landlord and commercial surveys in West Marden
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photographs included.
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in West Marden. For a price for a let property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
How it works
When we arrive, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that is worrying you. We then inspect everything that can be seen safely. Most surveys take about 1–2 hours for a house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. In a small place like West Marden, access is normally 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 go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- 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.
Before we arrive
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
Booking a survey
Booking is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form, let us know about the property and we will explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.