Roofing services in Crawley
Chimney repairs in Crawley
Damp chimney breast or loose pots in Crawley? We repair chimney stacks across RH10 and RH11, from simple reflashing to full rebuilds and removals. Our roofers work out of Crawley, so we can usually survey quickly. Fixed written price and a twenty year workmanship guarantee. Call 01342 445004.
Chimneys on Crawley’s New Town houses
Most Crawley homes built from the late 1940s to the 1970s were designed for coal or gas fires, so many have a brick stack on the ridge or at the gable end. Today a lot of these flues are no longer used. An unused stack still takes the weather, and when nobody is looking at it, problems build up quietly:
- Cement flaunching on top cracks and lets water into the flue
- Lead flashing at the roof line splits or works loose
- Pointing erodes, especially on the side facing the prevailing wind
- Open pots fill with rain, leaves and birds’ nests
- Old gas flue liners and terminals are left in place after the boiler has been moved
In the older village cores of Ifield, Worth and Three Bridges, you also find older stacks in softer brick that need a gentler approach.
Chimney work we do in Crawley
| Problem | Our fix |
|---|---|
| Damp patch beside the chimney upstairs | New lead flashing and soakers |
| Damp on the chimney breast | Repointing, flaunching and capping |
| Loose or cracked pots | Reflaunch and refix, or cap off |
| Unused flue | Ventilated cap or cowl |
| Stack leaning or badly damaged | Rebuild above the roofline |
| Stack no longer wanted | Remove and tile over, with structural checks |
Book a free chimney survey in Crawley on 01342 445004 or WhatsApp 07939 862 818.
Capping a disused chimney properly
Sealing a disused flue completely can trap moisture and cause damp inside. The right approach is a ventilated cap on top and, ideally, a vent at the bottom of the chimney breast inside, so air keeps moving through the flue. We fit caps that keep the rain and birds out while letting the chimney breathe.
Taking a chimney down
On many Crawley semis the stack is shared along the party wall. Removing it affects both houses, and the work may come under the Party Wall Act. If chimney breasts inside have already been removed, the stack above must be properly supported. We check this before quoting and tell you exactly what is involved.
Combine it with other work
If your roof or roofline is due for replacement too, doing the chimney at the same time means you only pay for scaffold once. See roof replacement in Crawley and guttering, fascias and soffits in Crawley.
Neighbourhoods we cover
Three Bridges, West Green, Northgate, Langley Green, Ifield, Pound Hill, Furnace Green, Tilgate, Gossops Green, Southgate, Bewbush, Broadfield, Maidenbower and Forge Wood, plus Copthorne and Horley. See also chimney repairs in East Grinstead.
Other services in Crawley
Warning signs your Crawley chimney needs repair
| Sign | What it can mean |
|---|---|
| Damp or peeling paint on the chimney breast | Water entering the stack |
| Stains on the upstairs ceiling by the stack | Lead flashing failure |
| Mortar pieces on the roof or in gutters | Pointing or flaunching breaking down |
| Pots loose after a storm | Flaunching cracked |
| Smell of soot in damp weather | Rain entering an unused flue |
Repair options compared
| Option | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Repoint | Sound bricks, eroded joints | Keeps the stack, stops water through the joints |
| Reflash | Leaks at the roof line | New lead soakers and flashings |
| Reflaunch and cap | Cracked top, unused flue | Ventilated cap keeps rain out |
| Rebuild | Leaning or badly damaged stack | Rebuilt above the roofline |
| Remove | Unwanted stack | Structural checks and possibly party wall matters |
Step by step: reflashing a Crawley chimney
- Scaffold or safe access around the stack
- Old lead and tiles around the base removed
- Soakers fitted under the tiles
- Step flashings cut and chased into the mortar joints
- Back gutter and front apron dressed into place
- Tiles refitted and joints pointed
- Water test and photographs
Old gas flues and terminals
Many Crawley homes had gas fires or boilers that vented through the chimney. If the appliance has gone, an old liner or terminal may still be in place. A Gas Safe registered engineer should confirm that the flue is no longer in use before we cap it. We will advise on this as part of the survey.
Guides and related pages
See roof leak repairs, roof leaking: what to do and emergency roofer in Crawley.
What affects the price?
As a guide, chimney repointing usually costs between £400 and £1,200 and renewing chimney lead flashing between £400 and £1,200 including access, with rebuilds costing more. The work needed, the height and access, materials and scaffold. Priced after a free survey. Your exact price is confirmed in writing after a free survey.
Chimneys on Crawley’s older village homes
Not every Crawley chimney belongs to a New Town house. The older cores of Ifield, Worth and the historic High Street area include much older buildings, some listed and some in conservation areas. Their stacks may be built in softer brick with lime mortar and need gentler repair methods than a postwar stack. We assess each chimney individually rather than applying one repair to every house.
Frequently asked questions
Usually rain is getting in at the top or through the brickwork, or a sealed flue is trapping moisture. We find the cause at the survey.
As a guide, chimney repointing usually costs between £400 and £1,200 and renewing chimney lead flashing between £400 and £1,200 including access, with rebuilds costing more. Your exact price is confirmed in writing after a free survey.
Yes, after checking the structure inside and whether the stack is shared. We explain any permissions or agreements needed.
Almost always for chimney work, for safety. It is included in your fixed price.
Yes. Our twenty year workmanship guarantee applies.
Repairs usually go ahead with notice and cooperation. Removal of a shared stack may come under the Party Wall Act.
No. A working flue must stay open. Get a Gas Safe engineer to check first.
Repointing or reflashing usually takes one or two days once scaffold is up.
Book a chimney survey in Crawley
Call 01342 445004, WhatsApp 07939 862 818, or request a free survey.
Free roof survey in Crawley
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Free survey & fixed quote
Book your free roof survey
Call the office or send the form and we will arrange a survey at a time that suits you. The quote you get is fixed, in writing, and carries no obligation.