Essex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Braintree, Essex
An experienced roof surveyor for chimney surveys in Braintree. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us.
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Flaunching that has broken away
How a chimney survey works in Braintree
A chimney stands up above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. In time, flaunching cracks, mortar washes out and flashings come loose. Water then gets into the stack and can show as damp on a chimney breast or a stain in the loft. We record what we find with photographs and recommendations. If you’ve noticed flashings pulling away from the stack and signs that a stack is leaning, we can find out what’s behind it, on lead flashings, brick chimney stacks and chimney pots and cowls alike.
Trees in streets, gardens and parks drop leaves into gutters across places like Braintree, and once a gutter blocks, water spills down the wall. Valley and parapet gutters can overflow inside the building. It’s one reason a roof is worth looking at as a whole, not just the obvious problem. Gutters, outlets and downpipes are worth checking once the leaves have fallen.
Most points in the report come with a picture, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Location
- Braintree (CM7, CO9, CM77, CO6)
- Region
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Braintree: your questions answered
Can a landlord with a rental near Braintree station book a roof survey?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. You can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you need.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Braintree?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Yes, where the survey calls for it and there’s safe access. We look for staining, damp, daylight and signs of movement, as far as the space allows.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only when it is safe. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. We use safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where it applies.
How do I arrange a chimney survey in Braintree?
Just ring 07833 053749 or email us. We’ll ask a few questions, confirm the price and agree a date.
Should I worry about a leaning stack?
Do not ignore it. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down. The survey records what we can see, and a structural engineer can confirm whether it is stable.
Chimney surveys around Braintree
In Essex, older buildings are frequently clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, and lots of post-war and modern estates besides. Whatever the covering, it’s often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. If your home is older, it is worth knowing whether it is listed or in a conservation area before planning roof work. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas.
The streets around a church such as Congregational Church are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs. For site and facilities teams at buildings like Great Bradfords Infant and Nursery School, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. Trees in and around Bocking Blackwater shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters.
Braintree is about 39 miles north-east of London, in Essex. We survey roofs in Braintree and the rest of Essex. Our Essex coverage includes Braintree. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
All of CM7, CO9, CM77 and CO6 is within our area for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on Market Street, Little Square and Great Square or anywhere close by, we can help. Being close to the A12 and A120, Braintree is easy for us to reach for chimney surveys. Other places close to Braintree include Bocking (1 mile west), Long Green (2 miles south-east), Great Notley (2 miles south-west), Black Notley (2 miles south) and Row Green (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Colchester (14 miles east), Chelmsford (11 miles south), Maldon (12 miles south-east), Witham (6 miles south-east), Camulodunum (13 miles east) and Halstead (5 miles north-east). Being one of Essex’s larger places, Braintree has every kind of building, from houses and flats to offices.
What’s near Braintree
We work in homes and buildings around Edith Borthwick School, Bocking Blackwater and Angel Inn. Braintree’s nearest station is Braintree station, roughly 0.5 miles south-west of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Tudor House Museum (Braintree) (less than half a mile north-west) and St Michael's Hospital (0.9 miles west). The countryside around Braintree includes Belcher's and Broadfield Woods.
Why it’s worth a survey now in Braintree
Cracked flaunching and worn pointing are often modest repairs when they’re caught early. Leave it, and frost can work the stack loose and the job gets bigger. Roofs in a place the size of Braintree range from new to very old, but none of them improve with neglect. What starts as a cracked flashing or a blocked outlet becomes wet timber and stained ceilings in time.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. We’ll give you the figure before anything is booked.
What you get with us
- An independent view of the roof
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Photos and a written report every time
Read our cost guide and two real surveys.
Towns and villages near Braintree
Other services in Braintree
The survey, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from every safe vantage point, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. Most visits take about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Jobs in Braintree might be a terraced house one day and a block of flats the next. Tell us which it is and who controls access, so the right access is in place on the day.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there’s access.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Getting ready for the survey
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Booking a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will explain the options and the price.
Related advice
What you can safely check yourself
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Prices for chimney surveys in Braintree
Our packages start from £150, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on:
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- The shape of the roof and its details
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so they’re priced to match. You will know the figure before booking.
Booking your survey
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, let us know:
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Anything about access we should know
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
If you are buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email when you are ready.
For landlords and managing agents
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords. Bigger roofs take more time, so they’re priced to suit.
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Honest limits
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll suggest the right survey. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Braintree
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings