Buckinghamshire · London and the South East
Fern Chimney Survey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching around Fern, with a written report you can act on. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
About our chimney survey in Fern
A damp patch on a chimney breast does not always come from the same place. It might come in at the top, through worn pointing or porous bricks, or where the flashings meet the roof. Condensation inside an unventilated stack is another common cause. We look at each possibility and record what we find. That points the work in the right direction. Common reasons to book are a chimney out of line and flaunching that has broken away, across lead flashings, chimney breasts and shared and party-wall stacks.
Somewhere as small as Fern, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. We report on what can safely be seen, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it’s normally the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Where
- Fern (SL7)
- Wider area
- Buckinghamshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
Rendered stacks
What’s behind the render cannot be seen without removing some, so the report says what can and can’t be judged.
Flaunching
Flaunching is the mortar on top of a stack that holds the pots and sheds water. Cracks in it let water into the stack.
Leave it or get it looked at?
A leaning stack should be looked at sooner rather than later. Our survey records it and says when a structural engineer should look at it, so you know where you stand. In a small place like Fern, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
Why book with us
- Every finding written up with photos
- Visits on any day of the week
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
See our cost guide or two real surveys.
Prices for chimney surveys in Fern
When we price a survey, we consider:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
Prices start from £150, inc. VAT, for a Basic Survey. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400. You’ll know the price for your roof before booking.
What to tell us when you get in touch
You do not need to know any roofing terms. It is enough to tell us:
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Anything about access we should know
- The property’s address and postcode
If you are buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply phone 07833 053749 or email us whenever suits you.
How it works
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes an hour or two for a house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Somewhere as small as Fern, access is frequently the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Preparing for the visit
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Tell us about parking before the day
Book a survey
A quick phone call is normally the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or email us. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Read more
Useful tips for Fern property owners
Getting the most from a chimney survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
Once we have been, the findings are written up with photos. It explains the condition of each part of the stack and any damp inside. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. It’s far simpler than rebuilding a stack later.
Towns and villages near Fern
Also in Fern
Your questions about chimney surveys in Fern
Do you cover smaller places like Fern?
Yes, we do. Our area covers London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Fern?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
No. We survey the stack and its weathering, not the flue. For the flue, you’ll need a sweep or, for gas, a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing are not part of what we do. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, like cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings, and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
How experienced are you?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. We inspect everything that’s safely in view and what you give us access to. Where a problem appears to be on next door’s side, we note it and you can raise it with them.
Do you use drones?
Yes, where applicable and safe. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. It is included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where it applies, the Premium Survey.
Honest limits
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Hidden damage within the stack
- Areas we cannot view from safe positions
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we look at
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
What a chimney survey looks like in Fern
Historic houses such as Cliveden, about 2.7 miles south-east, show how far back building in the area around Fern goes. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof. A number of Buckinghamshire villages keep thatched roofs on their older buildings. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters.
Shop and office owners around Eden may find that a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions. For landlords with property near Bourne End station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant. The streets around a church such as Church of St John the Baptist are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Fern is about 2 miles north-east of Marlow, in Buckinghamshire. Anywhere in Fern, we can carry out chimney surveys at your property. Fern is one of the towns and villages in Buckinghamshire where we work. We also survey roofs in Reading.
Chimney surveys in SL7 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Coldmoorholme (1 mile south-east), Little Marlow (1 mile south-west), Well End (1 mile south-east), Bourne End (1 mile south-east) and Flackwell Heath (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover High Wycombe (3 miles north), Chesham (10 miles north-east), Amersham (8 miles north-east), Beaconsfield (4 miles east), Chalfont St Peter (8 miles east) and Southcourt (15 miles north).
What’s near Fern
Around Fern, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Bourne End Academy and The Black Lion pub. The closest station to Fern is Bourne End station, roughly 1.1 miles south-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include High Wycombe Castle (3.1 miles north) and Chiltern Sound Phonograph Museum (2.3 miles south-west). For a walk, there is Warren Nature Reserve.