Essex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Chigwell Row, Essex
Find out what’s going on with the chimney stack before you decide what to do next. Chimney surveys in Chigwell Row.
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- A stack that appears to lean
Chimney survey in Chigwell Row: what you get
Each stack is looked at from the safest viewpoints available: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the roof space where it is safe. With our Premium Survey, a drone inspection is included where it applies. If we can’t see part of the stack, the report makes that clear. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. If you are worried about gaps in the mortar around the pots and flashings pulling away from the stack, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
The report is written in plain words, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photo where possible.
- Place
- Chigwell Row (IG7)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Practical tips
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out:
- Don’t use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
With a shared stack, the report can help when talking to next door. The photos show the problem and which side it’s on, as far as we could see.
Look at your chimneys from the ground now and then, especially after strong winds. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Chigwell Row
The wider area around Chigwell Row has a long history of building, with Valentines Mansion about 3.9 miles south-west. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Clay tiles and timber weatherboarding mark out many of the older buildings in Essex, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
Take a building like Chigwell Row Infant School: large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. If you let a flat or house near Chadwell Heath station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant. Trees in and around Chigwell Row Wood shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall.
Chigwell Row is about 3 miles south-east of Loughton, in Essex. Chigwell Row is part of the area we cover as part of our work across London and South East England. Our Essex coverage includes Chigwell Row and the places around it. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
Chimney surveys in IG7 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on All Saints Close, Romford Road and Lambourne Road or anywhere close by, we can help. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Lambourne End (1 mile north-east), Redbridge (1 mile south-east), Lambourne (2 miles north-east), Abridge (2 miles north) and Stapleford Abbotts (3 miles east). We also work in nearby towns such as Basildon (15 miles east), Harlow (10 miles north), Brentwood (8 miles east), Billericay (13 miles east), Loughton (3 miles north-west) and Waltham Abbey (6 miles north-west).
Around Chigwell Row
In Chigwell Row, that means homes and buildings near Forest Academy and Chigwell Row Wood, among other places. Chigwell Row’s nearest station is Chadwell Heath station, about 3.6 miles south. A little further out are Romford Shopping Hall (4 miles south-east) and Claybury Hospital (2.3 miles south-west). For a walk, there’s Lippitts Hill and Highams Park Lake.
What this survey cannot tell you
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will recommend the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
What we do, step by step
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit typically takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. In a small place like Chigwell Row, access is usually the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- The stacks are looked at from the ground, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
Preparing for the visit
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
How to book
We survey roofs on any day of the week. To arrange a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Read more
Different roofs, different checks
Brick stacks
Most chimney stacks are built of brick, with mortar joints that wear over time. The survey looks for crumbling bricks and worn or missing mortar.
Lead flashings
Flashings can lift in wind or pull out of their mortar joints. We photograph any we find that look loose or damaged.
Questions from Chigwell Row
Do you cover smaller places like Chigwell Row?
Yes. Chigwell Row is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Chigwell Row?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Why is my chimney breast damp?
Usually it’s water getting in from outside, or condensation in a sealed stack. We check the stack, the flashings and how unused flues are capped, and record what we find.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. If you need a full building survey, you will need a RICS survey as well.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime. Just say which days work for you.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
How long does the survey take?
Most surveys take an hour or two on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. We’ll confirm the timing when you book.
Leave it or get it looked at?
If you are buying, find out about the stacks before you exchange. After that, any work is yours to arrange and pay for. A report gives you something specific to put to the seller. Matching old materials, like handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. That’s one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
Prices start from £150, with VAT included, for a Basic Survey. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400, both inc. VAT. We confirm the price for your survey before you book.
Why us?
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- PI and public liability insurance
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Photographs and a written report every time
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
Nearby places to Chigwell Row
More services for Chigwell Row
Prices for chimney surveys in Chigwell Row
Prices vary from roof to roof, and it comes down to:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we can help you choose.
Getting in touch
When you call or email, these details help:
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
Most bookings start with a short call: phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will ask a few questions about the roof. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.