East Sussex · London and the South East
Winchelsea Chimney Survey
Get a clear view of the chimney stack at a property in Winchelsea from an independent roof surveyor. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- A stack that appears to lean
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
Signs you need a chimney survey in Winchelsea
Chimney stacks stand above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. Frost opens up cracks in the mortar, and rain gets into worn bricks and joints. People normally call us when they notice damp or a problem with the stack, or before a purchase.
Problems we come across often include:
- A stack that appears to lean
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
Anyone responsible for a site like St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School will know that its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
What to check before booking
- Are they insured for the work?
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Their report turnaround times
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Winchelsea
If you are buying a home with chimneys, it’s worth knowing their condition before you exchange. On older stacks, we frequently find cracked flaunching, loose flashings and worn pointing. You get photographs 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 signs that a stack is leaning and eroded joints in the brickwork, we can find out what’s behind it.
In a small place like Winchelsea, many roofs stand in the open, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
If any part of the chimney stack couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Location
- Winchelsea (TN36)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Common questions in Winchelsea
Do you cover smaller places like Winchelsea?
Yes, Winchelsea is covered. We survey roofs across London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Winchelsea?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. It’s a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. Our survey isn’t a structural engineer’s report, and it does not include calculations. We will recommend an engineer if we see signs that call for one.
Are you insured?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll explain what’s needed.
How do you inspect a chimney without scaffolding?
We use safe viewpoints rather than climbing onto the stack. Where applicable, our Premium Survey adds a drone inspection for a closer view. Any area we couldn’t view is noted.
What we look for on each type of roof
Flaunching
Flaunching takes the worst of the weather. We look for cracks, gaps around the pots and missing pieces.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Where a breast has been taken out, we look at what supports the stack. Confirming the support is a job for a structural engineer.
What we can’t see
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- Conditions inside walls
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
What we check
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Height and safe access
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Booking your survey
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It’s useful to include:
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- Your timetable, like an exchange date
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
A quick phone call is normally the easiest start: call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
The survey, step by step
The aim of the visit is simple: to see as much of the chimney stack as can be seen safely and record it clearly. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. It normally takes an hour or two for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Somewhere as small as Winchelsea, access is frequently the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can be seen safely.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there’s access.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Preparing for the visit
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Keep pets in another room
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
Booking a survey
If you are 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. For any other survey, just ring 07833 053749 or email us when you are ready.
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Surveys for landlords and agents in Winchelsea
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the addresses.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed in advance. Surveys run on any day of the week, which can make access easier.
Also near Winchelsea
Also in Winchelsea
Local roofs in Winchelsea
The coast is about 2 miles or less from Winchelsea, 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. About 2 miles north-east lies Lamb House, a reminder of how long the area around Winchelsea has been built on. 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.
Landlords with a home close to Winchelsea station may find that the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at. Take an older house close to The Parish Church of St Thomas the Martyr: the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Winchelsea is about 7 miles north-east of Hastings, in East Sussex. We visit Winchelsea as part of our work across East Sussex, for homes and businesses alike. Winchelsea is one of the places in East Sussex we cover. For surveys nearby, see our Maidstone page.
We cover every part of TN36 for chimney surveys. Local streets include High Street, Barrack Square and Station Road, all of which we cover. Other places close to Winchelsea include Winchelsea Beach (1 mile south-east), Rye (2 miles north-east), Rye Harbour (2 miles north-east), Playden (3 miles north-east) and Rye Foreign (3 miles north). We also work in nearby towns such as Hastings (7 miles south-west), Bexhill-on-Sea (12 miles south-west), St Leonards (8 miles south-west), Hastings Old Town (7 miles south-west), Belmont (7 miles south-west) and Hollington (8 miles south-west).
Near you in Winchelsea
Around Winchelsea, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Rye College, The New Inn and Rye Harbour LNR, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Winchelsea station, roughly 0.7 miles north-west. Well-known places in the area include Winchelsea Court Hall Museum (under half a mile north-west) and Camber Castle (1.2 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.