Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Elstree Chimney Survey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Elstree and the rest of Hertfordshire. Surveys run on any day of the week.
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Signs that a stack is leaning
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Elstree
Damp on a chimney breast can have several causes. Water may be getting in at the top through cracked flaunching or an uncapped pot, through the brickwork, or at the flashings. Moisture trapped inside a stack with no ventilation can also cause damp. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause. That points the work in the right direction. We’re frequently asked to look into worn or missing pointing and a chimney out of line, across chimney pots and cowls, shared and party-wall stacks and brick chimney stacks.
Some older homes in villages like Elstree are listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is often expected.
Where we can’t see part of the chimney stack, the report says so. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Location
- Elstree (WD6)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Elstree questions
I let a flat near Elstree & Borehamwood station. Can you check the roof?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. Just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Do you cover smaller places like Elstree?
Yes, Elstree is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Do I need to be at home?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the roof space, someone has to give us access.
What do you check on a chimney?
The whole stack, as far as it can safely be seen: from the pots and flaunching down to the flashings. We also note leaning, redundant stacks and damp inside.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey seven days a week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Tell us which days suit you when you book.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof, not the whole building. If you need a full building survey, you will need a RICS survey as well.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
Useful tips for Elstree property owners
Getting the most from a chimney survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
You get the report by email and can pass it to whoever does the work. We use plain English and a photo for each defect, so it’s easy to follow.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. Early signs are easier to trace.
What you can safely check yourself
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
You can learn a lot from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
Prices for chimney surveys in Elstree
All our prices include VAT. What changes the price is:
- Height and safe access
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- The size of the roof
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
Prices start from £150, inc. VAT, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, both including VAT. You’ll know the price for your roof before booking.
What to tell us when you contact us
A little information up front helps. It helps to include:
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- The address and postcode of the property
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
We survey roofs on any day of the week. To arrange a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and the days you’d prefer.
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney pots and cowls
For unused flues, we check whether caps or cowls allow ventilation. Capping without ventilation can trap moisture.
Rendered stacks
Some stacks are rendered, which can hide the condition of the brickwork beneath. The survey checks for cracking, bulging and staining in the render.
What we do, step by step
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. You are welcome to ask questions while we are there. Older roofs in small places like Elstree can have low, tight loft spaces, so it’s useful to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it’s safe.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Preparing for the visit
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
Getting a price
Not sure which survey you need? It is easiest to call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Related advice
Towns and villages near Elstree
What else we do in Elstree
Local roofs in Elstree
In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters. Headstone Manor, about 4.1 miles south-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Elstree. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
For businesses in and around places such as Broadwalk Centre, a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions. If you live in an older home near Church of St Nicholas, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs. Take a building like St Nicholas Elstree Church of England VA Primary School: long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Elstree is about 2 miles south-west of Borehamwood, in Hertfordshire. We carry out chimney surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Elstree and the surrounding area. Our area takes in places right across Hertfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for London.
Here we cover the WD6 postcode area for chimney surveys. If you need a chimney survey at a property on High Street, West View Gardens and Summer Grove or anywhere close by, we can help. We also cover Deacon's Hill (1 mile east), Edgware Bury (1 mile south-east), Broadfields Estate (2 miles south-east), Borehamwood (2 miles north-east) and Edgware (2 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns like Watford (5 miles west), Hemel Hempstead (10 miles north-west), St Albans (8 miles north), Welwyn Garden City (12 miles north-east), Harpenden (12 miles north) and Hoddesdon (14 miles north-east).
Near you in Elstree
Around Elstree, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Holly Bush pub, London Academy and Aldenham Country Park and the streets around them. The closest station to Elstree is Elstree & Borehamwood station, about 1.1 miles north-east. Well-known places in the area include Elstree and Borehamwood Museum (1.4 miles north-east) and Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (0.8 miles south). For a walk, there’s Darland's Lake and Edgware Way Grassland.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Elstree
We survey roofs for landlords and agents as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the chimney stack, with photos.
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.