Essex · London and the South East
Far Thorpe Green Chimney Survey
An experienced roof surveyor for chimney surveys in Far Thorpe Green. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys.
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
About our chimney survey in Far Thorpe Green
Each stack is looked at from the safest viewpoints available: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the loft space where it’s safe. A drone inspection is part of our Premium Survey where it applies. Where part of a stack cannot be seen, the report says so. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. Typical surveys look at a chimney out of line and frost-damaged brickwork on the stack, on chimney breasts, brick chimney stacks and chimney pots and cowls.
Older buildings in small places like Far Thorpe Green may be 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. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are frequently matched when work is done.
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 photograph where possible, and recommendations are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
- Place
- Far Thorpe Green (CO16)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Far Thorpe Green: your questions answered
Is my home in Far Thorpe Green listed or in a conservation area?
We cannot confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Is Far Thorpe Green within the area you cover?
Yes, Far Thorpe Green is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we’re allowed to reach.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. We look at the parts we can see safely and the parts you can give us access to. If a defect seems to be on your neighbour’s side, the report records it and you can raise it with them.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs such as sagging are noted, but we don’t provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. If one is needed, the report says so.
How do you inspect a chimney without scaffolding?
We inspect from wherever is safe: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the loft space. Our Premium Survey includes a drone inspection where applicable. If part of a stack cannot be seen, the report says so.
Why get it checked now?
If a stack seems to lean, do not leave it. We record its condition and recommend a structural engineer where needed, so you can decide what to do next. Matching old materials, like handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Why book us in Far Thorpe Green
- A report with photographs
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Surveys seven days a week
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and two real surveys.
How the survey changes by roof type
Brick stacks
Spalled bricks, where the face has flaked off, are a sign of water and frost. We record any we can see.
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.
Before and after the survey
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
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.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. Early signs are easier to trace.
What a chimney survey looks like in Far Thorpe Green
The coast is about 3 miles or less from Far Thorpe Green, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces. In Essex, older buildings are often clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, alongside lots of post-war and newer estates. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Andrew, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look. Thorpe Hall lies about 1.4 miles south-east, so building around Far Thorpe Green goes back a long way. On a period home nearby, the survey separates sound original work from tired later repairs.
Far Thorpe Green is about 4 miles north of Clacton-on-Sea, in Essex. Roofs in Far Thorpe Green get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Essex. Our Essex coverage includes Far Thorpe Green and the places around it. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: CO16. Local streets include Whitehall Lane and Colchester Road, and we cover them all. We also cover the places around Far Thorpe Green: Thorpe Green (1 mile east), Weeley (1 mile west), Thorpe-le-Soken (1 mile east), Tendring (1 mile north-west) and Weeley Heath (1 mile south-west). We also work in nearby towns like Colchester (10 miles west), Clacton-on-Sea (4 miles south), Harwich (7 miles north-east), Camulodunum (11 miles west), Greenstead (9 miles west) and Wivenhoe (8 miles west).
What’s near Far Thorpe Green
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Rose and Crown pub, among other places. The closest station to Far Thorpe Green is Weeley station, about 1.2 miles south-west. Green spaces nearby include Weeleyhall Wood.
How it works
Every visit follows the same pattern: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from every safe vantage point, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. It normally takes about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Older roofs in small places like Far Thorpe Green can have low, tight loft spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Before the survey
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
How to book
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine; never climb up to get a better view. To get started, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Read more
Landlord and commercial surveys in Far Thorpe Green
With a portfolio of properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Common roof problems in Far Thorpe Green
A stack takes the weather from every direction. Frost opens up cracks in the mortar, and rain gets into worn bricks and joints. Most people book after spotting damp or a loose pot, or before buying.
People typically book a survey when they’ve noticed something like this:
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- A chimney out of line
Landlords with a home close to Weeley station may find that a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Their report turnaround times
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Is VAT included in the price?