Thurrock · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Biggin, Thurrock
Find out the condition of the chimney stack at your property in Biggin from an independent roof surveyor. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- A chimney out of line
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
Chimney survey in Biggin
A leaning chimney stack is worth having looked at. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down, frequently after years of flue gases and damp. The survey notes how the stack looks, how far it seems to lean and the state of the bricks and joints. Where it may be a structural concern, we’ll recommend a structural engineer. If you’ve noticed damaged chimney pots and cowls and lifted or split lead flashings, we can find out what’s behind it, on chimney breasts, shared and party-wall stacks and chimney pots and cowls alike.
In a small place like Biggin, many roofs stand in the open, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A roof report shows what needs attention first. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are frequently the first to give way.
We keep jargon out of it: where something needs attention, it says so plainly.
- Where
- Biggin (RM16)
- Region
- Thurrock
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
You don’t need to do much on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will take it from there. A typical survey takes an hour or two for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Somewhere as small as Biggin, access is often the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Before we arrive
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
How to book
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We’ll confirm the price before you book.
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When to book a survey in Biggin
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Mortar can deteriorate unevenly from flue gases and moisture, which can make a stack lean.
People usually book a survey after spotting one of these:
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
Anyone responsible for a site like Tilbury Pioneer Academy will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- What follow-up you get after the report
Places near Biggin
More services for Biggin
What a chimney survey looks like in Biggin
The coast is about 2 miles or less from Biggin, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles, while driving rain finds any gap. An older home may be listed, or stand in a conservation area. To find out, check Historic England’s list and ask the council about conservation areas. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent.
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of St Mary, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. If you own a rental within reach of Tilbury Town station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Biggin is about 2 miles east of Grays, in Thurrock. If you’re in Biggin, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Biggin is one of the places in Thurrock we cover. Maidstone is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: RM16. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in West Tilbury (1 mile east), Chadwell St Mary (1 mile north), Tilbury (1 mile south-west), Orsett Heath (1 mile north-west) and Little Thurrock (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Stanford-le-Hope (4 miles north-east), South Ockendon (5 miles north-west), Balstonia (4 miles north-east), Corringham (5 miles north-east), Aveley (6 miles west) and South Stifford (3 miles west).
Around Biggin
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Thurrock and Basildon College, The Kings Head pub and The Gateway Academy. The closest station to Biggin is Tilbury Town station, roughly 1.2 miles south-west. Well-known places in the area include Gravesham Community Hospital (2.2 miles south) and Walton Hall Museum (2.1 miles north-east). For a walk, there’s Thurrock Thameside Nature Park and Sawyers Lake.
Roof by roof
Brick stacks
Older brick stacks often have soft lime mortar. Repairs should suit the original materials, which we mention where relevant.
Flaunching
Flaunching is the mortar on top of a stack that holds the pots and sheds water. Cracks in it let water into the stack.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Biggin
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Biggin and across Thurrock can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Before and after the survey
Small things make a difference. Our tips:
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. Because everyone is pricing the same findings, the quotes are easier to compare.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.
What a chimney survey does not cover
No survey can tell you everything, and we’d rather be clear about that before booking. Bear these in mind:
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- Hidden damage within the stack
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll suggest the right survey before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
Biggin questions
Will you come out to Biggin?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
I let a flat near Tilbury Town station. Can you check the roof?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. You can ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you need, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Can you find out why my chimney breast is damp?
There are a few common causes: cracked flaunching, worn pointing, failed flashings, uncapped pots, or damp trapped in an unventilated stack. We check each one and note the most likely cause.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
No. It is not a flue, sweep or gas safety inspection. We check the stack, pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings, and damp inside and flag anything that suggests the flue needs a look.
How fast do I get the report?
Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24–48 hours and Premium reports on the same day. All of them come by email.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It can, depending on the survey. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. We’ll rearrange with you if the weather isn’t right.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We point out what can be seen, such as sagging or deflection, but we are not structural engineers and don’t carry out calculations. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.