Essex · London and the South East
Breeds Chimney Survey
Not sure what state the chimney stack is in? You can book a chimney survey in Breeds and across Essex.
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
Tips from our surveys
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. Because everyone is pricing the same findings, the quotes are easier to compare.
Look at your chimneys from ground level now and then, particularly after strong winds. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
How a chimney survey works in Breeds
Our survey covers the structure of the stack and its weathering details. It is not a flue inspection, a sweep or a gas safety check. For the flue itself, you will need a sweep or, for gas appliances, a Gas Safe registered engineer. If something we see points to the flue, we’ll say so. Typical surveys look at gaps in the mortar around the pots and damp patches on chimney breasts, on flaunching, lead flashings and chimney breasts.
Village roofs frequently face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. 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.
The report records the chimney stack as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later.
- Where
- Breeds (CM3)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
It helps to start with what’s prompted the survey: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. That way we can focus on what matters to you. Most visits take between one and two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. In a hamlet or village like Breeds, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can safely be seen.
- 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
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
How to book
We survey roofs on weekdays and at weekends. To find a date that works for you, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Read more
DIY checks: what’s safe
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. From the ground, 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.
Your questions about chimney surveys in Breeds
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Beaulieu Park station?
Yes, that’s a common request. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Is my home in Breeds listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We do not sample or test for asbestos. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it is disturbed.
Our stack is shared. Can you still survey it?
Yes. Many houses share stacks with a neighbour. We record the stack as far as we can see it and flag anything on the neighbour’s side.
How long will you be at the property?
Most surveys take between one and two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. We’ll confirm the timing when booking.
How quickly is the report sent?
Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24–48 hours and Premium reports on the same day. Each one is emailed, ready to forward.
What should I do with a chimney I don’t use?
A redundant chimney needs looking after like any other. If it is capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside. We check how it’s capped and its condition, so you can plan what to do with it.
What a chimney survey does not cover
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Parts of the stack that cannot be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we cannot access
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Flue inspections or sweeping
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
Places near Breeds
Also in Breeds
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney pots and cowls
Pots sit in the flaunching on top of the stack, and cowls or caps sit on the pots. The survey looks for cracked, loose or missing pots and cowls.
Lead flashings
Over time, lead can lift or come away from the brickwork. Any loose or split flashings are recorded.
Chimney surveys in Breeds: local notes
Clay tiles and timber weatherboarding mark out many of the older buildings in Essex, alongside lots of post-war and newer estates. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look. Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it is listed or in a conservation area. Listed building consent covers changes to a listed building’s special interest, and an Article 4 direction can bring extra controls in a conservation area.
If you live in an older home near Church of SS Mary and Laurence, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look. If you look after a building such as Chelmer Valley High School, large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Breeds is about 4 miles north of Chelmsford, in Essex. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Breeds can all book chimney surveys, with a written report and photographs every time. Our area takes in places right across Essex, from the larger towns to small villages.
Here we cover the CM3 postcode area for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on Cherry Garden Road, South Street and Duffries Close or a nearby road, we can survey it. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Great Waltham (1 mile north-east), Minnow End (1 mile east), Little Waltham (1 mile east), Broomfield (1 mile south-east) and Chignall Smealy (2 miles south-west). We also work in nearby towns like Chelmsford (4 miles south), Basildon (15 miles south), Braintree (8 miles north-east), Harlow (14 miles west), Brentwood (13 miles south-west) and Maldon (11 miles south-east).
Near you in Breeds
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Beehive pub, among other places. The closest station to Breeds is Beaulieu Park station, about 3.6 miles south-east of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Broomfield Hospital (1.2 miles south-east). For a walk, there is Little Waltham Meadows.
Common roof problems in Breeds
TV aerials, satellite dishes and their brackets are often fixed to chimneys. Their weight and the wind on them can loosen bricks and pointing. We check fixings on the stack as part of the survey.
Here are some of the things we see frequently:
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- A stack that appears to lean
For landlords with property near Beaulieu Park station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Before you book anyone
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- What exactly goes into their report
- Whether the price includes VAT
- How soon the report will arrive