Essex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Chignall St James, Essex
We carry out chimney surveys in Chignall St James and the rest of Essex. We survey on weekdays and at weekends.
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- A stack that appears to lean
How a chimney survey works in Chignall St James
Redundant chimneys are common, particularly where fires have been replaced by central heating. A disused stack still needs looking after. Capping a stack without ventilation can trap moisture and lead to damp inside. Our survey looks at how each unused stack has been capped and checks the breasts for damp. The report sets out what we found and what we recommend. We survey shared and party-wall stacks, chimney breasts and chimney pots and cowls, and people most often book us about flashings pulling away from the stack and redundant stacks capped without ventilation.
Older buildings in small places like Chignall St James may be 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. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is often expected.
You receive the findings 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.
- Where
- Chignall St James (CM1)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Chignall St James: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Chignall St James?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
I let a flat near Chelmsford station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that is a common request. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling aren’t something we do. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
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.
How do I book a survey in Chignall St James?
It is easiest to ring 07833 053749 or send us an email. Give us the address and some details about the roof, and we’ll recommend the right survey. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
How experienced are you?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys, across London and South East England.
What happens after the survey?
The report arrives by email, with photos and clear recommendations. With Standard there is a follow-up consultation; with Premium, an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
Why act early in Chignall St James
A small amount of repointing or new flaunching is usually a modest job. Leave it, and frost can work the stack loose, and the work grows. Older cottages and farmhouses around Chignall St James can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
Every price we give includes VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Why us?
- An independent view of the roof
- 98% of customers satisfied
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Photographs and a written report every time
Take a look at what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
What we look for on each type of roof
Rendered stacks
Cracked render can let water in and trap it behind. We record any cracking and where it is.
Flaunching
Sitting at the very top, flaunching is fully exposed. The survey checks for cracking and gaps around each pot.
Local roofs in Chignall St James
Clay tiles and timber weatherboarding mark out many of the older buildings in Essex, and plenty of post-war and modern estates besides. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. About 3.5 miles south lies Hylands, a reminder of how long the area around Chignall St James has been built on. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters.
Landlords with a home close to Chelmsford station may find that a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant. Take a building like Newlands Spring Primary School: large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. For businesses in and around places like Bond Street Chelmsford, a roof report helps plan work around trading rather than after a leak.
Chignall St James is about 3 miles north-west of Chelmsford, in Essex. We cover Chignall St James and the rest of Essex, as part of our work across London and South East England. We cover towns and villages across Essex, from the larger towns to small villages.
We survey roofs across the CM1 postcode area for chimney surveys. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Chignall Smealy (1 mile north), Patching (2 miles east), Broomfield (2 miles east), Writtle (2 miles south) and Breeds (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Chelmsford (3 miles south-east), Basildon (13 miles south), Braintree (10 miles north-east), Harlow (13 miles west), Brentwood (11 miles south-west) and Maldon (11 miles east).
Local landmarks in Chignall St James
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Three Elms pub. The nearest railway station is Chelmsford station, about 2.6 miles south-east of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Peter Edwards Museum And Library (2.7 miles south-east) and Broomfield Hospital (2 miles north-east). Not far away are Newland Grove.
What you can safely check yourself
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
It is useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when booking, as it helps us focus the survey.
Towns and villages near Chignall St James
Other services in Chignall St James
Tips from our surveys
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
Where another specialist is needed, such as a structural engineer or sweep, we explain why. That helps you brief them.
Have aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked and taken off if they’re no longer needed. Less load on the stack means less strain in wind.
What we do, step by step
You don’t need to do much on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, like stains, drips or loose pieces, and we’ll get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes about one to two hours for a house, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. In a small place like Chignall St James, access is usually 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.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- We check every stack from wherever it can safely be seen.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there’s access.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before the survey
- Let us know about parking near the property
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Arrange a survey
For a price for chimney surveys in Chignall St James, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email. A few details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.
Read more
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- The roof’s overall size
- Building height and the viewpoints available
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, how it can safely be seen and which survey you book.
Booking your survey
When you call or email, these details help:
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Anything about access we should know
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
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.