Essex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Ford End, Essex
An experienced roof surveyor for chimney surveys in Ford End. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys.
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Bricks with flaking faces
Questions from Ford End
Do you cover smaller places like Ford End?
Yes, Ford End is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Is Ford End in the area you cover?
Yes, Ford End is within the area we cover. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know about the property.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. It is a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so we need permission from the building owner or managing agent. We can only inspect what we are given access to.
What insurance do you have?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
How much does a chimney survey cost in Ford End?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on its size, height, access and the package, and it is agreed before booking.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey seven days a week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Let us know which days suit you as you book.
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Ford End
We inspect chimneys from wherever they can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there is access. With our Premium Survey, a drone inspection is included where applicable. 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 lifted or split lead flashings and cracked or missing flaunching, on shared and party-wall stacks, flaunching and chimney pots and cowls.
Older buildings in small places like Ford End 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. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are frequently matched when work is done.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent.
- Location
- Ford End (CM3)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from every safe vantage point, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. Most visits take about 1–2 hours for most houses, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Older rural homes like those around Ford End can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- 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.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the roof space.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Preparing for the visit
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Book a survey
When you are ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or email us. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
Read more
Different roofs, different checks
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.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Where a breast has been taken out, we check what supports the stack. A structural engineer should confirm whether it’s adequate.
Checking the roof from the ground
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
A lot can be seen from ground level. 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.
Towns and villages near Ford End
What else we do in Ford End
Why get it checked now?
A loose pot or brick can fall from height. Finding them early means they can be dealt with before they come down by a suitable contractor. Around Ford End, older homes frequently have old roof timbers, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
To find out what your survey will cost, call 07833 053749 or email us and let us know about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Why book us in Ford End
- PI and public liability insurance
- 98% of clients satisfied
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
Local roofs in Ford End
If your home is older, it is worth knowing whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before planning roof work. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas. Weatherboarded walls and clay tile roofs are typical of older Essex buildings, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
Take a building like Ford End Church of England Primary School: long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. If you live in an older home near Church of St John the Evangelist, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Ford End is about 6 miles north of Chelmsford, in Essex. We provide chimney surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Ford End. Ford End is one of the places in Essex we cover for chimney surveys. You can also see our page for Chelmsford.
All of CM3 is covered for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. You will find streets like Woods Road, Pleshey Road and White Barns, all of which we cover. Ford End sits on or near the B1008, which makes travel easy. We also cover the places around Ford End: Hartford End (1 mile north-east), North End (1 mile north-west), Pleshey (2 miles south-west), Causeway End (2 miles north) and Howe Street (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Chelmsford (6 miles south), Braintree (7 miles north-east), Harlow (14 miles west), Brentwood (15 miles south), Maldon (13 miles south-east) and Billericay (14 miles south).
What’s near Ford End
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Butchers Arms Public House and the streets around them. Well-known places in the area include Broomfield Hospital (3.8 miles south-east). Open spaces near Ford End include Phyllis Currie Nature Reserve.
Tips from our surveys
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. Here’s what helps most:
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
Where another specialist is needed, such as a structural engineer or sweep, we explain why. It gives them a clear starting point.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.
What a survey costs
Not every roof costs the same to survey, for these reasons:
- The shape of the roof and its details
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- How big the roof is
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so the price reflects that. The price is confirmed before you book.
Booking your survey
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It is useful to include:
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
For a price for chimney surveys in Ford End, call 07833 053749 or send us an email. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us give you an accurate price.