Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Bedwell, Hertfordshire
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Bedwell and the rest of Hertfordshire. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends.
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- A stack that appears to lean
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
How a chimney survey works in Bedwell
If you are buying a home with chimneys, it is worth knowing their condition before you exchange. Cracked flaunching, failed flashings and worn pointing are common findings on older stacks. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It works alongside a RICS home survey, not instead of one. If you’ve noticed mortar washing out of the joints and cracked or missing flaunching, we can find out what’s behind it.
Trees around homes in smaller places like Bedwell drop leaves, twigs and moss onto roofs and into gutters. Blocked gutters overflow and soak the walls below. A report spots that kind of slow problem before it becomes damp inside. Moss on the roof and weeds in the gutter are both easy to spot from the ground.
If any part of the chimney stack couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. That way, it is clear what was covered and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Where
- Bedwell (SG1, SG2)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
The visit has one job: to see as much of the chimney stack as can be seen safely and record it clearly. Notes and photos go into the written report. It normally takes between one and two hours for most houses, and more on a big or complicated roof. With a bit of garden around a house, as there often is around Bedwell, the roof can be viewed from several angles. Mention any side of the property we cannot get to. The loft, where there’s safe access, completes the picture.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- The stacks are looked at from ground level, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access.
- You get a report with photos and our recommendations.
Before the survey
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
How to book
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form to find out.
Related advice
What we cannot see
In fairness, a roof survey has limits:
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Conditions inside walls
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will suggest the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
Bedwell questions
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Stevenage station?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. You can phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and some details.
Will you come out to Bedwell?
Yes. Bedwell is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Flights depend on the weather on the day and airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
My chimney looks like it is leaning. What should I do?
Do not ignore it. Leaning often comes from mortar breaking down unevenly. We record its condition with photos, and a structural engineer can confirm whether it is stable.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It can, depending on the survey. Drones cannot fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. We’ll rearrange with you if the weather is not right.
How experienced are you?
We have completed more than 5,000 surveys, across 20+ years of surveying roofs.
When to book a survey in Bedwell
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. In time, the pots can become loose.
Most people get in touch after spotting something like this:
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Worn or missing pointing
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
If you own a rental within reach of Stevenage station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Are they insured for the work?
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
Why get it checked now?
For a buyer, the best time to learn about a chimney is before exchange. Once you’ve exchanged, the work is down to you. Our report gives you facts to raise with the seller or agent. In an older home around Bedwell, water from a roof defect can get into timber and plaster, and that is a much bigger job than the original defect.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where it applies, from £400 inc. VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you need to know.
What you get with us
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- An independent view of the roof
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Read our cost guide and what we found on two real jobs.
Chimney surveys around Bedwell
About 2.4 miles south-west lies Knebworth House, a reminder of how long the area around Bedwell has been built on. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Stevenage, which Bedwell is part of, is one of England’s post-war new towns. Many homes in the new towns date from the post-war decades, with concrete interlocking tiles, low-pitched roofs and flat-roofed garages and porches. On homes of that age, felt underlay, flat roofs, gutters and fixings may all be due attention.
For an older house near a landmark such as Parish Church of St Andrew and St George, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. For site and facilities teams at buildings like Broom Barns Primary School, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Bedwell is about 1 mile south-west of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire. Bedwell is one of many places we visit across Hertfordshire, for homes and businesses alike. Bedwell is one of the places in Hertfordshire we cover. We also survey roofs in Milton Keynes.
All of SG1 and SG2 is within our area for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We offer chimney surveys to properties on Fox Road, Penn Road and Silam Road and the roads around them. Bedwell sits on or near the A1155, which makes travel easy. Other places close to Bedwell include Stevenage (1 mile north-east), Pin Green (1 mile north), Chells (1 mile north-east), Rooks Nest (1 mile north) and St Nicholas (1 mile north-east). Further out, we also cover St Albans (12 miles south-west), Bishop's Stortford (15 miles east), Welwyn Garden City (7 miles south), Harpenden (9 miles south-west), Hitchin (5 miles north-west) and Hoddesdon (13 miles south-east).
Near you in Bedwell
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Heathcote School, Marriotts School and The Standard Bearer pub. The closest station to Bedwell is Stevenage station, roughly 0.7 miles west. A little further out are Wymondley Castle (3.2 miles north-west) and Stevenage Museum (under half a mile south-west). For a walk, there’s Pryor's Wood.
Nearby places to Bedwell
What else we do in Bedwell
Should I look at the roof myself first?
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
How the survey changes by roof type
Brick stacks
Frost can damage bricks that have soaked up water, making the faces flake away. Any spalling is noted with photos.
Lead flashings
Over time, lead can lift or come away from the brickwork. We photograph any we find that look loose or damaged.