Essex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Brantham, Essex
Chimney surveys in Brantham from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- A chimney out of line
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when booking.
A DIY look is useful, but it is not 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.
How a chimney survey works in Brantham
We inspect chimneys from wherever they can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there’s access. With our Premium Survey, a drone inspection is included where applicable. If we cannot see part of the stack, the report makes that clear. Every defect we find is photographed and described in plain words. We are frequently asked to look into damaged chimney pots and cowls and gaps in the mortar around the pots, on lead flashings, brick chimney stacks and chimney pots and cowls.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A roof report shows what needs attention first. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are frequently the first to give way.
The report does not just list problems. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend.
- Where
- Brantham (CO11)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near Brantham
Other services in Brantham
How we price chimney surveys
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- Building height and the viewpoints available
We offer three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you need to know.
Booking your survey
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It helps to include:
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Your timetable, like an exchange date
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Common questions in Brantham
Is Brantham within the area you cover?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
I let a flat near Manningtree station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that is a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Do I need to be at home?
It depends on what we need to see. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in, while outside access can be discussed when booking.
Are you insured?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
What do you check on a chimney?
The whole stack, as far as it can safely be seen: from the pots and flaunching down to the flashings. Leaning, unused stacks and damp on chimney breasts are recorded too.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
A redundant chimney needs looking after like any other. If it is capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside. Our survey records its condition and how it is capped, so you can decide with a builder what to do.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
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.
Practical tips
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
Questions about the findings are always welcome. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. It’s far simpler than rebuilding a stack later.
Different roofs, different checks
Flaunching
Sitting at the very top, flaunching is fully exposed. The survey checks for cracking and gaps around each pot.
Rendered stacks
What’s behind the render cannot be seen without removing some, so the report explains what we could and couldn’t assess.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Cracked flaunching and worn pointing are frequently modest repairs when they’re caught early. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks and the job gets bigger. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Brantham, driving rain gets into any weakness, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and which survey you book.
What you get with us
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Clear package prices, with VAT included
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
See what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
The survey, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we listen to what’s been worrying you, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photos as we go and record our findings for the written report. It usually takes about one to two hours for most houses, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. For a village or hamlet like Brantham, the journey is planned in advance: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it’s safe.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- 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.
How to prepare
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Let us know about parking before the day
How to book
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
Chimney surveys in Brantham: local notes
Brantham is within about 1 mile of the coast, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles, while driving rain finds any gap. In Essex, older buildings are often clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
Landlords with a home close to Manningtree station may find that knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints. Anyone responsible for a site like Brooklands Primary School will know that its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. Take an older house close to Church of St Michael and All Angels: its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Brantham is in Essex. We carry out chimney surveys in Brantham for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings. Brantham is one of the towns and villages in Essex we cover. For surveys nearby, see our Chelmsford page.
Every address in CO11 is within our area for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on The Street, Birch Drive and Blenheim Close or anywhere close by, we can help. Brantham is on the A137, so it is easy for us to get to. Close by, we survey roofs in Cattawade (1 mile south), East End (1 mile north-west), Manningtree (2 miles south), Lawford (2 miles south) and Mistley (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Colchester (9 miles south-west), Clacton-on-Sea (12 miles south), Harwich (9 miles east), Camulodunum (10 miles south-west), Greenstead (8 miles south-west) and Wivenhoe (9 miles south-west).
Near you in Brantham
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Ark pub and Manningtree High School and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Manningtree station, about 1.5 miles south-west. Nearby you will also find The Munnings Museum (3.2 miles west) and Little Wenham Castle (3.5 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Cattawade Marshes and Alton Water.