Essex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Broadley Common
Not sure what state the chimney stack is in? We carry out chimney surveys in Broadley Common and across Essex.
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- A stack that appears to lean
About our chimney survey in Broadley Common
Many terraced and semi-detached homes share their chimney stacks with a neighbour. We look at what can be seen safely and what the owner gives us access to. If a defect appears to be on the neighbour’s side, we note it, so you can talk to them. Everything is written up with photos and what we recommend. Typical surveys look at unused flues sealed without airflow and damp patches on chimney breasts, on shared and party-wall stacks, chimney breasts and lead flashings.
Some older homes in villages like Broadley Common are listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Broadley Common (EN9)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed ahead of time. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends, which can make access easier.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
The survey, step by step
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the loft space if there’s safe access. All told, expect roughly 1–2 hours for most houses, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. For a village or hamlet like Broadley Common, the journey is planned ahead of time: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. The roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Getting ready for the survey
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Arrange a survey
Getting a price is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email, let us know about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Advice
Roof by roof
Flaunching
Cracked flaunching is one of the most common chimney defects we record. Caught early, it is often a small job.
Lead flashings
Mortar fillets are sometimes used where lead would typically be. They tend to crack, so we look at them closely.
Broadley Common: your questions answered
Can a landlord with a rental near Roydon station book a roof survey?
Yes, that is 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.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Broadley Common?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
What does a roof survey cost?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on its size, height, access and the package.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
It depends on its condition and your plans. We record how the stack is doing and whether it’s capped with ventilation. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need consent.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
No. We survey the stack and its weathering, not the flue. The flue should be checked by a sweep, or by a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. We check the parts we’re given access to, and the report makes that clear.
How many surveys have you done?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have completed over 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
Places near Broadley Common
Also in Broadley Common
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Useful tips for Broadley Common property owners
Getting the most from a chimney survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Tips:
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
If the stack is shared, you can pass the report to your neighbour. It shows what we found and where from the viewpoints we used.
Make sure fixings on the stack are sound and taken off if they’re no longer needed. Less load on the stack means less strain in wind.
What a survey costs
To price your survey, we look at:
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Basic, Standard or Premium
One thing that affects the price is the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
What to tell us when you contact us
A little information up front helps. It is useful to include:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- The property’s address and postcode
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, so call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the details.
Chimney surveys in Broadley Common: local notes
Weatherboarded walls and clay tile roofs are typical of older Essex buildings, while many towns grew with post-war and newer estates. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. There are about 500,000 buildings on England’s list of listed buildings, and around 10,000 conservation areas. If your 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, so the council is the place to ask.
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of All Saints, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. If you let a flat or house near Roydon station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak. Homes near green spaces such as Nazeing Triangle can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn.
Broadley Common is about 3 miles south-west of Harlow, in Essex. If you’re in Broadley Common, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Across Essex, we cover Broadley Common and the places around it. We also survey roofs in London.
Every address in EN9 is covered for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on Common Road, Epping Road and Nazeing Common or anywhere close by, we can help. We also cover the places around Broadley Common: Tylerscross (1 mile north), Nazeing (1 mile south-west), Jack's Hatch (1 mile east), Roydon Hamlet (1 mile north-west) and Halls Green (1 mile north-west). Further out, we also cover Harlow (3 miles north-east), Brentwood (13 miles south-east), Loughton (7 miles south), Waltham Abbey (4 miles south-west), Epping (4 miles south-east) and Stansted Mountfitchet (12 miles north-east).
Near you in Broadley Common
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Nazeing Triangle, Stewards School and Black Swan Public House, among other places. The nearest railway station is Roydon station, roughly 2.4 miles north-west of the centre. A little further out are Nazeing Glass Museum (2.6 miles west) and Harlow Mill (4.4 miles north-east). The countryside around Broadley Common includes Cheshunt Lake and Hunsdon Mead.