Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Cottered
An experienced roof surveyor for chimney surveys in Cottered. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys.
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
How a chimney survey works in Cottered
We inspect chimneys from wherever they can be seen safely: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the roof space where it’s safe. A drone inspection is part of our Premium Survey where applicable. If we cannot see part of the stack, the report makes that clear. Every defect we find is photographed and described in plain words. We survey lead flashings, flaunching and shared and party-wall stacks, and common reasons people get in touch are spalled or crumbling bricks and loose, cracked or missing pots.
In a village or hamlet like Cottered, older cottages and farmhouses frequently sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are often old. We report on whatever is safely visible, and thatch is a specialist material. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs frequently need the most attention.
After the visit, you get a written report with photographs, sent by email. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Location
- Cottered (SG9)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Cottered
How do I find out if my home in Cottered is listed?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Will you come out to Cottered?
Yes, Cottered 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.
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, and it’s agreed before booking.
Do you use drones?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
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 is capped with ventilation. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need consent.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
What causes damp on a chimney breast?
Normally 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 records the likely cause.
Other services in Cottered
When to book a survey in Cottered
A stack takes the weather from every direction. Frost works into cracks in the flaunching and pointing, and rain soaks into worn brickwork. Most people book after spotting damp or a loose pot, or before buying.
It’s worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- A chimney out of line
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Parish Church of St John the Baptist, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Questions to ask before you book
- What follow-up you get after the report
- What the survey will not cover
- When you’ll get the report
- Will the report include photos?
Roof by roof
Chimney breasts and the loft
Stains on timbers or brickwork around the stack can point to a leak. What we find is photographed and described.
Lead flashings
Mortar fillets are sometimes used where lead would usually be. They tend to crack, so we look at them closely.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when you book, as it helps us focus the survey.
Why it is worth a survey now in Cottered
For a buyer, the best time to learn about a chimney is before exchange. After that, any work is yours to arrange and pay for. A report gives you something specific to put to the seller. Older cottages and farmhouses around Cottered can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
All our prices include VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. You will know the price for your survey before you book.
What you get with us
- Visits on any day of the week
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- 98% of clients satisfied
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
See what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
Cottered homes and their roofs
Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. 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 check with the council.
If you look after a building like Freman College, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Cottered is about 5 miles north-east of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire. We carry out chimney surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Cottered. Cottered is one of the towns and villages in Hertfordshire where we work for chimney surveys. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
We cover every part of the SG9 postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Whether your property is on Peasecroft, The Crescent and Warren Lane or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Other places close to Cottered include Throcking (1 mile north-east), Rushden (2 miles north-west), Chipping (2 miles north-east), Buntingford (2 miles east) and Aspenden (2 miles east). We also work in nearby towns such as Stevenage (5 miles south-west), Bishop's Stortford (11 miles south-east), Welwyn Garden City (11 miles south-west), Harpenden (15 miles south-west), Hitchin (8 miles west) and Hoddesdon (13 miles south).
Around Cottered
We work in homes and buildings around The Bull Public House. Nearby you’ll also find Clothall Castle (3.5 miles north-west). Open spaces near Cottered include Hawkins Wood.
Tips that help
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out:
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Check unused flues are capped with ventilation
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Unused stacks should be capped in a way that still lets air through. That helps stop damp building up inside.
What happens on the day
A survey visit follows a simple order: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. In a hamlet or village like Cottered, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can be seen safely.
- 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.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Preparing for the visit
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
Arrange a survey
We confirm the price for your survey before booking, so you know the cost up front. Prices start from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or email us.