Essex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Brick End, Essex
Chimney surveys in Brick End, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
Before and after the survey
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Check your stacks from ground level after strong winds
With a shared stack, the report can help when talking to next door. It shows what we found and where from the viewpoints we used.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.
Chimney survey in Brick End: what you get
If a chimney looks out of line, it’s worth getting it checked. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down, frequently after years of flue gases and damp. We record the lean and the condition of the brickwork and pointing. Where it may be a structural concern, we’ll recommend a structural engineer. We survey chimney breasts, chimney pots and cowls and lead flashings, and people most often book us about pots or cowls that look unsafe and a stack that appears to lean.
In a village or hamlet like Brick End, older cottages and farmhouses often sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are frequently old. We report on what can be seen safely, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it is normally the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Place
- Brick End (CM6)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
When to book a survey in Brick End
A stack takes the weather from every direction. Frost works into cracks in the flaunching and pointing, and rain soaks into worn brickwork. Most people book after spotting damp or a loose pot, or before buying.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Staining on walls around the chimney
For an older house near a landmark like Church of St Mary the Virgin, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
What to check before booking
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Whether VAT is added on top
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- What experience they bring
For landlords and managing agents
Landlords, agents and building managers in Brick End and across Essex can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Tell us about it as you book and we’ll plan the survey around it.
What happens on the day
Where it is relevant and can be reached safely, the loft space is checked as well as the outside. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. All in, the survey usually takes about 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In a small place like Brick End, access is normally the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Getting ready for the survey
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
Getting a price
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
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Chimney surveys in Brick End: local notes
The wider area around Brick End has a long history of building, with Horham Hall about 2.4 miles north-east. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Older buildings in Essex often have clay tiles and weatherboarding, while many towns grew with post-war and newer estates. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters.
For landlords with property near Stansted Airport station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Brick End is about 6 miles north-east of Bishop's Stortford, in Essex. Wherever you are in Brick End, we can come and survey your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Brick End is one of the places in Essex where we work. There is also a page for Chelmsford.
We survey roofs across the CM6 postcode area for chimney surveys. Close by, we survey roofs in Broxted (1 mile north), Henham (2 miles north-west), Fuller's End (2 miles west), Elsenham (3 miles west) and Ugley Green (3 miles west). Further out, we also cover Chelmsford (15 miles south-east), Braintree (12 miles east), Harlow (12 miles south-west), Saffron Walden (8 miles north), Halstead (15 miles east) and Great Dunmow (4 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Brick End
The nearest railway station is Stansted Airport station, roughly 1.7 miles south-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Herts and Essex Hospital (5.6 miles south-west) and House On The Hill Toy Museum (3.6 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Aubrey Buxton Nature Reserve and Portingbury Hills.
Why it is worth a survey now in Brick End
For a buyer, the best time to learn about a chimney is before exchange. After that, any work is yours to arrange and pay for. A report gives you something specific to put to the seller. Older and listed buildings around Brick End may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so leaving a defect until it is urgent leaves less time to plan.
A Basic Survey starts from £150, including VAT. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400. You will know the price for your roof before booking.
Why book with us
- Surveys seven days a week
- Plain-English reports with photos
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- An independent view of the roof
See our cost guide or our case studies.
What a survey costs
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. That comes down to:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Which survey package you book
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
One thing that affects the price is the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, inc. VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Booking your survey
What helps most when you contact us:
- Anything about access we should know
- Your timetable, like an exchange date
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We will confirm the price before booking.
Brick End: your questions answered
Do you cover smaller places like Brick End?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
How do I find out if my home in Brick End is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
What insurance do you have?
We are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
Does someone need to be in?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that ahead of time, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
How soon will I get the report?
Report times are set by the package. Basic is within 48 hours, Standard is 24–48 hours and Premium is the same day. If you have a deadline, such as an exchange date, let us know as you book.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We point out what can be seen, such as sagging or deflection, but we are not structural engineers and do not carry out calculations. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
What will the report tell me?
A photo-illustrated written report, covering the condition of the chimney stack, the defects we found and what we recommend. Standard adds moisture detection and a structural check; Premium adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable and structural analysis.