Essex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Boxted Cross, Essex
Not sure what state the chimney stack is in? You can book a chimney survey in Boxted Cross and across Essex.
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Worn or missing pointing
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Boxted Cross
Our survey covers the structure of the stack and its weathering details. It’s not a flue inspection, a chimney sweep or a gas safety inspection. For the flue itself, you will need a sweep or, for gas appliances, a Gas Safe registered engineer. We will tell you if we see anything that suggests they should take a look. If you’re worried about damp patches on chimney breasts and signs that a stack is leaning, we can find out what’s behind it, on chimney breasts, flaunching and shared and party-wall stacks alike.
In a small place like Boxted Cross, 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. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are frequently where weather gets in first.
You receive the findings by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Where
- Boxted Cross (CO4)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Your questions about chimney surveys in Boxted Cross
How do I find out if my home in Boxted Cross is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you cover smaller places like Boxted Cross?
Yes. Boxted Cross is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
No. A flue inspection, sweep or gas safety check is a separate job. We check the structure and weathering of the stack and any damp and flag anything that suggests the flue needs a look.
Which parts of the chimney do you look at?
The whole stack, as far as it can be seen safely: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings. We also note leaning, redundant stacks and damp inside.
What does a roof survey cost?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on its size, height, access and the package.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Let us know your preferred days as you book.
Are you insured?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
What this survey can’t tell you
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Conditions inside walls
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
What we are asked to look at in Boxted Cross
Stacks that were used for open fires for many years can weaken from the inside. Flue gases and damp can break down the mortar, sometimes more on one side than the other, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
Most people get in touch after spotting one of these:
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- A chimney out of line
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
Landlords with a home close to Colchester station may find that a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Is VAT included in the price?
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- Their insurance cover
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
Checking the roof from the ground
A lot can be seen from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Nearby places to Boxted Cross
More services for Boxted Cross
What we look for on each type of roof
Brick stacks
Spalled bricks, where the face has flaked off, are a sign of water and frost. We record any we can see.
Lead flashings
Mortar fillets are sometimes used where lead would usually be. They crack with age, and we check them too.
Local roofs in Boxted Cross
Weatherboarded walls and clay tile roofs are typical of older Essex buildings, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. About 3.4 miles east lies Castle House, a reminder of how long the area around Boxted Cross has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
For an older house near a landmark like Church of St Peter, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look. Anyone responsible for a site like Boxted St Peter's Church of England School will know that long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Boxted Cross is about 5 miles north of Colchester, in Essex. We provide chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Boxted Cross. Boxted Cross is one of the towns and villages in Essex where we work. Chelmsford is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: CO4. Local streets include Pippin Drive, Carters Hill and Hill Farm Way. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Boxted (1 mile south-west), Workhouse Hill (1 mile west), Langham (1 mile south-east), Hornestreet (1 mile east) and Thorington Street (2 miles north). Further out, we also cover Colchester (5 miles south), Clacton-on-Sea (15 miles south-east), Harwich (15 miles east), Camulodunum (5 miles south), Halstead (12 miles west) and Greenstead (5 miles south).
Landmarks near Boxted Cross
Around Boxted Cross, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Shepherd and Dog pub and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Colchester station, about 3.9 miles south of the centre. A little further out are Colchester Castle (4.5 miles south) and Severalls Hospital (2.7 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Westhouse Wood.
Practical tips
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. A few suggestions:
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
If anything in the report isn’t clear, just ask us. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Check fixings on the stack are sound, and moved if they’re working it loose. Less load on the stack means less strain in wind.
What happens on the day
Where it is relevant and can be reached safely, the roof space is checked as well as the outside. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging. All in, the survey usually takes an hour or two at most homes, and longer for a large or complex roof. Cottages and farmhouses around Boxted Cross often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We check the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Before the survey
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Getting a price
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from ground level or a window, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To get started, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.