East Sussex · London and the South East
Whitesmith Chimney Survey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching around Whitesmith, with a written report you can act on. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
Chimney survey in Whitesmith
A damp patch on a chimney breast doesn’t always come from the same place. Water may be getting in at the top through cracked flaunching or an uncapped pot, through the brickwork, or at the flashings. Moisture trapped inside a stack with no ventilation can also cause damp. We look at each possibility and record what we find. That points the work in the right direction. Typical surveys look at flaunching that has broken away and damp on a chimney breast inside, across chimney pots and cowls, flaunching and shared and party-wall stacks.
Some older homes in villages like Whitesmith 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. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are frequently matched when work is done.
Report times depend on the survey you book: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Where
- Whitesmith (BN8)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
Photographs are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. We take close-ups from wherever is safe. A typical visit takes roughly 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. For a village or hamlet like Whitesmith, the journey is planned in advance: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- 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.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before the survey
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Getting a price
We survey roofs on weekdays and at weekends. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Read more
What you can safely check yourself
It helps to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
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.
Why act early in Whitesmith
For a buyer, the best time to learn about a chimney is before exchange. Once you’ve exchanged, the work is down to you. A report gives you something specific to put to the seller. For older village homes like those around Whitesmith, the right replacement materials aren’t always easy to find quickly. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
All our prices include VAT. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the exact price before you book.
Why book us in Whitesmith
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Prices that include VAT
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
Take a look at our cost guide or our case studies.
Common roof problems in Whitesmith
Aerials and dishes are frequently fixed to stacks. Their weight and the wind on them can loosen bricks and pointing. We check fixings on the stack as part of the survey.
We are often asked to look at:
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Flaunching that has broken away
- A stack that appears to lean
If you own a rental within reach of Berwick (Sussex) station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
What to check before booking
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- What happens after the report arrives
- Their report turnaround times
- Which limits apply to the survey
What this survey can’t tell you
It helps to know what a survey will not do before booking:
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Flue inspections or sweeping
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
Nearby places to Whitesmith
Also in Whitesmith
Chimney surveys in Whitesmith: local notes
The wider area around Whitesmith has a long history of building, with Michelham Priory about 3.5 miles south-east. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. 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. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
If you live in an older home near The Parish Church, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Chiddingly Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Whitesmith is about 5 miles north-west of Hailsham, in East Sussex. We survey roofs in Whitesmith as part of our work across London and South East England. Our East Sussex coverage includes Whitesmith. You can also see our page for Brighton.
We work across BN8 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Whether your property is on Whitesmith Lane and Whitesmith or a nearby road, we can survey it. If you’re just outside Whitesmith, we cover Chiddingly (1 mile east), East Hoathly (1 mile north), Halland (2 miles north-west), Shortgate (2 miles west) and Blackboys (4 miles north). We also work in nearby towns like Eastbourne (10 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (13 miles east), Seaford (9 miles south), Lewes (8 miles west), Hailsham (5 miles south-east) and Crowborough (10 miles north).
Landmarks near Whitesmith
Whitesmith’s nearest station is Berwick (Sussex) station, about 4.5 miles south. A little further out are Hellingly Hospital Railway (4 miles east) and Tickerage Castle (4.6 miles north). The countryside around Whitesmith includes Selwyns Wood.
What we look for on each type of roof
Flaunching
We often find flaunching that has cracked or broken away. Caught early, it’s often a small job.
Rendered stacks
Cracked render can let water in and trap it behind. Cracks are photographed and noted.
Common questions in Whitesmith
Is my home in Whitesmith listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Is Whitesmith within the area you cover?
Yes. Whitesmith is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Will you check the loft?
Yes, where the survey calls for it and there is safe access. We look for staining, damp, daylight and signs of movement, as far as the space allows.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We point out what can be seen, like sagging or deflection, but we do not carry out calculations or give an engineer’s opinion. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
Should I worry about a leaning stack?
It’s worth having a leaning stack checked. We record the lean, the brickwork and the pointing, and if it may be a structural issue, we recommend a structural engineer.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not always. Safety comes first, and fragile or steep roofs cannot always be walked on. We use safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where it applies, and the report records anything we couldn’t see.
Does someone need to be in?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.