Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Chaulden, Hertfordshire
A careful look at the chimney stack at your property in Chaulden, and put it all in a written report with photographs.
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
What we do, step by step
We do not take risks to get a closer look. Everything that can safely be seen is inspected, and if part of the roof can’t be seen, the report says so. The survey normally takes an hour or two at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Some parts of a survey depend on the weather, so a visit to Chaulden is booked with the forecast in mind: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from the ground and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- 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.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before we arrive
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
Booking a survey
A quick phone call is normally the easiest start: call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
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Chimney survey in Chaulden: what you get
Our survey covers the structure of the stack and its weathering details. It’s not a flue inspection, a chimney sweep or a gas safety inspection. If you use a fire or a gas appliance, the flue should be checked by a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer as appropriate. If something we see points to the flue, we will say so. We survey flaunching, shared and party-wall stacks and lead flashings, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are flashings pulling away from the stack and damaged chimney pots and cowls.
In a smaller place like Chaulden, homes range from older cottages to bungalows and newer houses. Coverings range from slate and clay tiles on older homes to concrete tiles on many later ones. Chimneys, valleys and gutters on older homes often need the most attention, and the fixings under the coverings matter too. The fixings under an older roof often fail before good slates or tiles do.
We keep jargon out of it: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, and where it can wait, that is said too.
- Place
- Chaulden (HP1, HP3)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips from our surveys
Nothing here needs a ladder. A few suggestions:
- Don’t use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
If anything in the report isn’t clear, just ask us. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. With binoculars, you can often see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
Nearby places to Chaulden
What else we do in Chaulden
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Chaulden
Chaulden is part of Hemel Hempstead, one of the post-war new towns. Many homes in the new towns date from the post-war decades, with concrete interlocking tiles, low-pitched roofs and flat-roofed garages and porches. Low-pitched roofs shed water more slowly, and older concrete tiles, felt and gutters on these homes may be nearing the end of their life. Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it is listed or in a conservation area. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas.
If you live near a park like Gadebridge Park, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. The streets around a church such as St Stephen are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Chaulden is about 2 miles west of Hemel Hempstead, in Hertfordshire. We survey roofs in Chaulden and the rest of Hertfordshire. Our area takes in places right across Hertfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Milton Keynes is in our area too.
We work across HP1 and HP3 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Local streets include Furze Road, London Road and Sundew Road. With the A41 close by, Chaulden is simple for us to get to for chimney surveys. We also cover the places around Chaulden: Bourne End (1 mile west), Fields End (1 mile north-west), Potten End (2 miles north-west), Frithsden (2 miles north-west) and Bulstrode (2 miles south). Further out, we also cover Watford (7 miles south-east), St Albans (7 miles east), Welwyn Garden City (14 miles east), Harpenden (8 miles north-east), Hatfield (12 miles east) and Borehamwood (12 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Chaulden
Around Chaulden, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Three Horse Shoes Public House, John F Kennedy Catholic School and Gadebridge Park. The nearest railway station is Hemel Hempstead station, about 0.8 miles south-east. A little further out are Hemel Hempstead Hospital (1.4 miles east). For a walk, there’s Long Deans.
FAQs for Chaulden
Are flat-roofed garages and porches in Chaulden worth including?
It’s often worth it, as these roofs are easy to forget. Cement sheet roofs on buildings from before 2000 may contain asbestos, so a specialist asbestos surveyor should check before they’re disturbed.
Will you come out to Chaulden?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
What do I do with the report?
You will receive the report by email, and what you do next is up to you: raise it with a seller, send it to an insurer, brief a roofer or share it with a managing agent.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, across 20+ years of surveying roofs.
What should I do with a chimney I do not 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 is capped and its condition, so you can decide with a builder what to do.
When does the report arrive?
Report times are set by the package. Basic: within 48 hours. Standard: 24 to 48 hours. Premium: the same day. Mention any deadline as you book.
What if it rains on the day?
A survey can normally go ahead in light rain. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so if conditions aren’t right we will arrange another day with you.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Chaulden
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work with less disruption.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends, which can make access easier.
When to book a survey in Chaulden
Lots of homes have redundant stacks. A stack sealed without ventilation can trap damp. That can lead to damp patches on chimney breasts, even with the roof in good order.
Problems we come across often include:
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Cracked or missing flaunching
Take a building like Chaulden Junior School: its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
What to check before booking
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- When you will get the report
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
What this survey can’t tell you
Some things cannot be seen without opening up the roof, so a survey has limits:
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- Hidden damage within the stack
- A structural engineer’s assessment
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will tell you. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
Roof by roof
Chimney breasts and the loft
If a chimney breast has been removed below, we note what we can see of the support above. A structural engineer should confirm whether it’s adequate.
Rendered stacks
We cannot see the bricks behind render without it being opened up, so the report explains what we could and couldn’t assess.