West Sussex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Whitehall
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Whitehall and the rest of West Sussex. We survey on weekdays and at weekends.
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Mortar washing out of the joints
Chimney survey in Whitehall
If a chimney looks out of line, it’s worth getting it checked. A stack may lean because the mortar on one side has weakened, which can happen over many years of use. The survey notes how the stack looks, how far it seems to lean and the state of the bricks and joints. If the stack looks like a structural issue, the report recommends a structural engineer. We survey chimney pots and cowls, shared and party-wall stacks and lead flashings, and the problems we are asked to look at most are worn or missing pointing and gaps where the stack meets the roof.
Older buildings in small places like Whitehall may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is frequently expected.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Location
- Whitehall (RH13)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Rendered stacks
We cannot see the bricks behind render without it being opened up, so the report says what can and can’t be judged.
Chimney breasts and the loft
If a chimney breast has been removed below, we note what we can see of the support above. Confirming the support is a job for a structural engineer.
Nearby places to Whitehall
More services for Whitehall
What happens on the day
Photographs are taken throughout the visit, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available, including by drone where it’s applicable and the weather allows. Most surveys take about 1–2 hours for a house, and more on a big or complicated roof. In a small place like Whitehall, access is usually the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You let us know how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- We check the chimney breasts and the stack in the roof space where we can reach them.
- The findings are written up with photographs and recommendations and emailed to you.
How to prepare
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
How to book
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from ground level or a window, and please do not climb up for a closer look. To get started, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Related advice
Local roofs in Whitehall
England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. If your home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission, so the council is the place to ask. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. Whatever the covering, it’s often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
Take a building like Shipley CofE Primary School: its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. Landlords with a home close to Billingshurst station may find that a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Whitehall is about 6 miles south-west of Horsham, in West Sussex. Roofs in Whitehall get the same thorough look as anywhere else in West Sussex. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. Our Crawley page covers surveys nearby.
We work across RH13 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Shipley (1 mile north-east), Broomer's Corner (1 mile west), Dragons Green (1 mile north), Dial Post (2 miles south-east) and West Grinstead (2 miles east). Further out, we also cover Crawley (12 miles north-east), Horsham (6 miles north-east), Worthing (11 miles south), Haywards Heath (12 miles east), Burgess Hill (11 miles east) and Littlehampton (13 miles south-west).
What’s near Whitehall
The nearest railway station is Billingshurst station, roughly 3.8 miles north-west of the centre. The countryside around Whitehall includes Knepp Wildland.
What you can safely check yourself
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and falls from height are serious. That part is for a survey.
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level.
Common roof problems in Whitehall
Where a chimney meets the roof, lead flashings keep water out. With age they can lift, split or come away from the joints. Failed flashings are one of the most common causes of damp around chimneys. Lead flashings can also be stolen.
Look out for signs like these:
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
For an older house near a landmark such as The Church of St Mary the Virgin, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- When you will get the report
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
Landlord and commercial surveys in Whitehall
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client, photos included.
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the building owner or managing agent. Let us know about it when booking and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Questions from Whitehall
How do I find out if my home in Whitehall is listed?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you cover smaller places like Whitehall?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
What does a roof survey cost?
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for the job before booking, based on the roof’s size, access and package. For a price, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Do you inspect the flue?
No. Our survey covers the outside of the stack and the roof around it. The flue should be checked by a sweep, or by a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Where it is applicable and safe, yes. We fly a sub-250g drone and we are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). It is included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where it applies, the Premium Survey.
What insurance do you have?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and details are available on request.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing aren’t part of what we do. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings, and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
Before and after the survey
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
If anything in the report is not clear, just ask us. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Get small mortar repairs done while they’re small. It’s far simpler than rebuilding a stack later.