Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Albury, Hertfordshire
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Albury. We have completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
How a chimney survey works in Albury
A chimney survey is about the outside of the stack and the roof around it. It is not a flue inspection, a sweep or a gas safety check. If you use a fire or a gas appliance, the flue should be checked by a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer as appropriate. We will tell you if we see anything that suggests they should take a look. Typical surveys look at flaunching that has broken away and spalled or crumbling bricks, across chimney breasts, shared and party-wall stacks and lead flashings.
Somewhere as small as Albury, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, frequently with chimneys that have stood a long time. We report on what can be seen safely, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it’s typically the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend.
- Where
- Albury (SG11)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What this survey can’t tell you
We only report whatever is safely visible on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- Whether the flue is safe to use
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will tell you before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
Tips that help
Getting the most from a chimney survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Tips:
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
If the report recommends a structural engineer, a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer, it will say why. That helps you brief them.
Have aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked, and moved if they’re working it loose. Removing unused fixings takes strain off the brickwork.
What we do, step by step
When we arrive, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you want to find out. We then inspect everything that can be seen safely, from ground level, from windows, in the roof space and by drone where it applies. The survey usually takes about one to two hours at a typical home, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Older roofs in small places like Albury can have low, tight loft spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- First you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can be seen safely.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
Preparing for the visit
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
How to book
Unsure which package suits your roof? It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Advice
Towns and villages near Albury
More services for Albury
Different roofs, different checks
Flaunching
Cracked flaunching is one of the most common chimney defects we record. It’s typically a modest repair when it is caught early.
Lead flashings
Over time, lead can lift or come away from the brickwork. We photograph any we find that look loose or damaged.
Albury: your questions answered
How do I find out if my home in Albury is listed?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Will you come out to Albury?
Yes, Albury is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
What’s in the report?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos. Points are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
How do I arrange a chimney survey in Albury?
It is easiest to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Give us the address and some details about the roof, and we’ll point you to the right survey. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
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.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where applicable and safe. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where applicable.
Prices for chimney surveys in Albury
To price your survey, we check:
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- The shape of the roof and its details
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we’ll tell you which fits.
What we need to know
When you call or email, these details help:
- The property’s address and postcode
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- When you need the report by
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know where you stand. Prices start from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Do you need a chimney survey in Albury?
The flaunching on top of a stack holds the pots in place and sheds water. Cracked flaunching lets water in, and each winter makes it worse. Loose pots can follow.
Here are some of the things we see frequently:
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- A stack that appears to lean
If you own a rental within reach of Bishops Stortford station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- Are they insured for the work?
Albury homes and their roofs
About 3.6 miles south lies Much Hadham Palace, a reminder of how long the area around Albury has been built on. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Whatever the covering, it is frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
The streets around a church like Church of St Mary are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look. Anyone responsible for a site like Albury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Albury is about 4 miles north-west of Bishop's Stortford, in Hertfordshire. We survey roofs in Albury and the rest of Hertfordshire. Our area takes in places right across Hertfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. For surveys nearby, see our Chelmsford page.
Chimney surveys in SG11 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Other places close to Albury include Gravesend (1 mile east), Clapgate (1 mile south-east), Furneux Pelham (1 mile north), Braughing (2 miles west) and Hay Street (3 miles west). Further out, we also cover Stevenage (11 miles west), Bishop's Stortford (4 miles south-east), Welwyn Garden City (14 miles south-west), Hitchin (15 miles west), Hoddesdon (12 miles south) and Cheshunt (15 miles south-west).
Local landmarks in Albury
We work in homes and buildings around The Catherine Wheel pub, among other places. The nearest railway station is Bishops Stortford station, about 4.5 miles south-east. Nearby you will also find Herts and Essex Hospital (4.9 miles south-east) and Bishops Stortford Local History Museum (3.5 miles south-east).