Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Digswell Chimney Survey
We carry out chimney surveys in Digswell and the rest of Hertfordshire. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends.
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Bricks with flaking faces
What a chimney survey doesn’t cover
A survey is a proper look at the chimney stack, but it can’t do everything. The main limits are:
- Conditions inside walls
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- A structural engineer’s assessment
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Digswell
Many homes have chimneys that are no longer used. Even when it isn’t used, a stack has to stay weathertight. Capping a stack without ventilation can trap moisture and lead to damp inside. We check how redundant stacks have been capped and look for damp in the chimney breasts. The report sets out what we found and what we recommend. If you’ve noticed signs that a stack is leaning and damaged chimney pots and cowls, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In a smaller place like Digswell, some roofs stand more exposed to wind and rain than in a built-up town. Ridge tiles, verges, chimney stacks and flashings take the worst of it. Checking those edges shows whether anything has begun to work loose. A loose ridge tile or slate gives the wind something to catch, and others soon follow.
We keep jargon out of it: where something needs attention, it says so plainly.
- Location
- Digswell (AL8, AL7, AL6)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Your questions about chimney surveys in Digswell
I let a flat near Welwyn North station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, letting agents and landlords book with us as well as owners. You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and a few details.
How do I find out if my home in Digswell is listed?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a 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.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, so it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
What does the report include?
A written report with photos, explaining the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our recommendations. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check, and the Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable and structural analysis.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, over more than 20 years, with 98% customer satisfaction.
Will you photograph what you find?
Yes. We photograph the roof as we go, and the report uses them to show each finding alongside our recommendations.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, if the building owner or managing agent agrees access. We check the parts we are given access to, and the report makes that clear.
How the survey works
Safety comes first on every visit. Everything that can be seen safely is inspected, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. Most visits take about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In a smaller place like Digswell, as anywhere, the forecast plays a part: the parts that need calm, dry weather are planned around it.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can safely be seen.
- 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Find any records of previous roof work
How to book
Most bookings start with a short call: call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. You will have a price before anything is arranged.
Read more
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Digswell
Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. About 0.3 miles west lies Digswell House, a reminder of how long the area around Digswell has been built on. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs.
Trees in and around Danesbury Park shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters. Anyone responsible for a site like Harwood Hill Junior Mixed Infant and Nursery School will know that a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Digswell is about 1 mile north of Welwyn Garden City, in Hertfordshire. We provide chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Digswell and the surrounding area. Across Hertfordshire, we cover Digswell. You can also see our page for London.
Every address in AL8, AL7 and AL6 is within our area for chimney surveys. We offer chimney surveys to properties on Adele Avenue, Station Road and Hertford Road. We also cover Haldens (1 mile south-east), Harmer Green (1 mile north-east), Burnham Green (2 miles north-east), Oaklands (2 miles north) and Tewin (2 miles east). We also work in nearby towns such as Watford (14 miles south-west), Hemel Hempstead (12 miles west), Stevenage (6 miles north), St Albans (7 miles south-west), Harpenden (6 miles west) and Hitchin (10 miles north).
Local landmarks in Digswell
Typical jobs here are in homes near Hedgehog pub, Monk's Walk School and Danesbury Park. There’s a railway station in Digswell itself: Welwyn North station. Other landmarks nearby include Howard Centre (1.3 miles south) and Datchworth Museum (2.6 miles north-east). Open spaces near Digswell include Tewin Orchard and Hopkyns Wood.
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney pots and cowls
Pots sit in the flaunching on top of the stack, and cowls or caps sit on the pots. The survey looks for cracked, loose or missing pots and cowls.
Brick stacks
Many older stacks were built with lime mortar. Repairs should suit the original materials, which we mention where relevant.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Chimneys are easy to forget because you rarely see the top of them. Problems often go unnoticed until damp appears inside. Surveying the stack now can catch problems first. In a smaller place like Digswell, wherever a roof is exposed, a loose ridge or flashing doesn’t stay loose for long. Wind gets under it and lifts more.
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
What you get with us
- An independent look at the roof
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or our case studies.
What else we do in Digswell
Tips from our surveys
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Some pointers:
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Check your stacks from ground level after strong winds
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
With a shared stack, the report can help when talking to next door. It shows what we found and where from the viewpoints we used.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.
What we are asked to look at in Digswell
The flaunching on top of a stack holds the pots in place and sheds water. Cracked flaunching lets water in, and each winter makes it worse. In time, the pots can become loose.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Flaunching that has broken away
Take an older house close to Digswell Village Church: its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- What experience they bring
- Whether VAT is added on top
- How long the report takes to arrive