Essex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Bures Green
Chimney surveys in Bures Green and the rest of Essex. We survey seven days a week.
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- A chimney out of line
- Bricks with flaking faces
DIY checks: what’s safe
You can learn a lot from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Do not go up yourself.
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Bures Green
Chimney stacks take more weather than almost any other part of a house. Over the years, the flaunching cracks, the pointing wears and flashings lift. That lets water into the brickwork, which can show up as damp on a chimney breast or in the roof space. A survey finds these problems and records them with photographs. Typical surveys look at staining on walls around the chimney and lifted or split lead flashings, on chimney pots and cowls, shared and party-wall stacks and chimney breasts.
In a village or hamlet like Bures Green, older cottages and farmhouses frequently sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. On older roofs, it’s normally the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Place
- Bures Green (CO8)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Why act early in Bures Green
Loose pots and bricks on a stack are a safety concern. Finding them early means they can be dealt with before they come down by a roofer. For an older or listed building in a place like Bures Green, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so leaving a defect until it is urgent leaves less time to plan.
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all with VAT included. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Why book us in Bures Green
- Drones and thermal imaging where applicable
- An independent look at the roof
- Surveys seven days a week
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
See how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
The survey, step by step
When we arrive, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you need to know. After that, we look at everything we can see safely, using the ground, windows, the loft and a drone where it applies. The survey usually takes about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Somewhere like Bures Green needs a little journey planning: 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.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- 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.
Before we arrive
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
Booking a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Signs you need a chimney survey in Bures Green
Removing a chimney breast inside can leave questions about how the stack is supported. We record what we can see in the loft and outside, and the report recommends a structural engineer if support is a concern.
Look out for signs like these:
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Signs that a stack is leaning
Take a building like Bures Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School: a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
What to check before booking
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Whether you get a written report with photos
Prices for chimney surveys in Bures Green
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
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where it applies) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, including VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Helping us price your survey
The more you tell us, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, let us know:
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- When you need the report by
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
If you are buying, it’s useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply ring 07833 053749 or email us whenever suits you.
Different roofs, different checks
Flaunching
Flaunching takes the worst of the weather. We look for cracks, gaps around the pots and missing pieces.
Brick stacks
Older brick stacks frequently have soft lime mortar. Repairs should suit the original materials, which we mention where relevant.
Bures Green questions
Will you come out to Bures Green?
Yes, Bures Green is covered. We survey roofs across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Bures Green?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
How experienced are you?
We have completed more than 5,000 surveys, across 20+ years of surveying roofs.
What insurance do you have?
We are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
Yes. Many houses share stacks with a neighbour. We survey what we can see safely, and note anything that seems to involve next door.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
No. A flue inspection, sweep or gas safety check is a separate job. We check the structure and weathering of the stack and any damp and flag anything that suggests the flue needs a look.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We note visible signs such as sagging or deflection, but we’re not structural engineers and do not carry out calculations. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
What a chimney survey looks like in Bures Green
In Essex, older buildings are frequently clay-tiled, many with 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. Gainsborough's House, about 4.5 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Bures Green. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Living close to Tiger Hill is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. If you own a rental within reach of Bures station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Bures Green is in Essex. We cover Bures Green and the rest of Essex. Across Essex, we cover Bures Green. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
Chimney surveys in CO8 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Bures (1 mile south-west), Lamarsh (1 mile west), Mount Bures (2 miles south), Alphamstone (2 miles west) and Cross End (3 miles west). Larger places within reach include Colchester (8 miles south-east), Braintree (12 miles south-west), Witham (14 miles south-west), Camulodunum (8 miles south-east), Halstead (7 miles south-west) and Greenstead (9 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Bures Green
Around Bures Green, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Tiger Hill and Angel Inn, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Bures station, about 1 mile south-west. Well-known places in the area include Mount Bures (1.7 miles south). Not far away are Arger Fen.