Hampshire · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Widley
Chimney surveys in Widley from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Widley
For buyers, a chimney survey before exchange can flag work you may want to raise. On older stacks, we often find cracked flaunching, loose flashings and worn pointing. You get photos and findings you can take back to the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. If you are worried about spalled or crumbling bricks and damp on a chimney breast inside, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Somewhere as small as Widley, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are often old. 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 often need the most attention.
The report doesn’t just list problems. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Place
- Widley (PO7, PO6)
- Wider area
- Hampshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
There isn’t much for you to do on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, like stains, drips or loose pieces, and we will get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes an hour or two at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Older rural homes like those around Widley can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- 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.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Preparing for the visit
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
Getting a price
Getting a price is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form, let us know about the property and we’ll suggest the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Advice
Places near Widley
What else we do in Widley
Can I check my roof myself?
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed ahead of time. We survey on any day of the week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait.
Tips from our surveys
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
You get the report by email and can pass it to whoever does the work. We use plain English and a photo for each defect, so it is easy to follow.
Look at your chimneys from the ground now and then, particularly after strong winds. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
When you need someone else
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey can’t cover:
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll suggest the right survey. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Brick chimney stacks
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Widley
Widley is within about 2 miles of the coast, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, and strong wind lifts anything already loose on a roof. Some Hampshire villages still have thatched roofs. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
Warblington Castle lies about 3.7 miles east, so building around Widley goes back a long way. Older homes in the area may have roofs that need matching materials when work is done. Anyone responsible for a site like Purbrook Park School will know that long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Widley is about 1 mile south-west of Purbrook, in Hampshire. We carry out chimney surveys in Widley for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Widley is one of the towns and villages in Hampshire we cover.
We survey roofs across PO7 and PO6 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Lily Avenue, Park Avenue and Hoylake Road, and we cover them all. Other places close to Widley include Purbrook Heath (1 mile north), Drayton (1 mile south), Farlington (1 mile south-east), Purbrook (1 mile north-east) and Cosham (1 mile south-west). Further out, we also cover Gosport (6 miles south-west), Havant (3 miles east), Eastleigh (15 miles north-west), Fareham (6 miles west), Horndean (4 miles north-east) and Hedge End (12 miles west).
Near you in Widley
We work in homes and buildings around Springfield School, Solent Junior School and George Inn and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Cosham station, roughly 1.3 miles south-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Portchester Castle (3.2 miles south-west) and Queen Alexandra Hospital (1 mile south-west). Not far away are Portsdown Hill and Southmoor Nature Reserve.
When to book a survey in Widley
Some owners book because a chimney breast has been removed below and they want to know about the stack above. We note what’s visible in the loft space and outside, and recommend a structural engineer where support is in question.
People usually book a survey when they’ve noticed something like this:
- Worn or missing pointing
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
For landlords with property near Cosham station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
What to check before booking
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
Common questions in Widley
Is the coastal weather around Widley hard on roofs?
It can do. Within about 2 miles of the sea, as Widley is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
Will you come out to Widley?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
How soon will I get the report?
That depends on the survey you book: the Basic Survey report arrives within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey the same day. The report is emailed to you.
How do I arrange a chimney survey in Widley?
It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Tell us the address and a little about the roof. We survey seven days a week.
How experienced are you?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have completed over 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
Do you use drones?
Where it’s applicable and safe, yes. We fly a sub-250g drone and we’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). It is included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where applicable, the Premium Survey.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.