Essex · London and the South East
Fordham Heath Chimney Survey
Get a clear view of the chimney stack at a property in Fordham Heath. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- A chimney out of line
- Flaunching that has broken away
Chimney survey in Fordham Heath
Redundant chimneys are common, particularly where fires have been replaced by central heating. A disused stack still needs looking after. If it has been capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside it. Our survey looks at how each unused stack has been capped and checks the breasts for damp. The report sets out what we found and what we recommend. We’re frequently asked to look into disused chimneys trapping moisture and signs that a stack is leaning, on chimney pots and cowls, shared and party-wall stacks and chimney breasts.
In a small place like Fordham Heath, many roofs stand in the open, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A roof report shows what needs attention first. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are frequently where weather gets in first.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Place
- Fordham Heath (CO3, CO6)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How it works
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so you can see in the report what we found and where. We take close-ups from wherever is safe, including by drone where it’s applicable and the weather allows. A typical visit takes between one and two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In a small place like Fordham Heath, access is typically the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
How to prepare
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
Arrange a survey
To get a price for chimney surveys in Fordham Heath, phone 07833 053749 or email us. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us price the survey accurately.
Advice
Can I check my roof myself?
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Towns and villages near Fordham Heath
What else we do in Fordham Heath
What this survey can’t tell you
Before you book, it is worth knowing what a survey won’t do:
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer before you book. What a survey covers and does not.
What we look at
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
Chimney surveys around Fordham Heath
Listing and conservation areas can both shape what roof work is allowed on an older home. The council is the place to check, along with Historic England’s list. In Essex, older buildings are frequently clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, while many towns grew with post-war and newer estates. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
If you run a business near Lion Walk, a roof report helps plan work around trading rather than after a leak. If you let a flat or house near Marks Tey station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. If you live in an older home near All Saints Church, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Fordham Heath is about 3 miles north-west of Camulodunum, in Essex. Whether the building in Fordham Heath is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, the roof can be surveyed on a weekday or at the weekend. Across Essex, we cover Fordham Heath. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
Surveys in CO3 and CO6 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Heath Road, Halstead Road and Porter's Lane or anywhere close by, we can help. Close by, we survey roofs in Gallows Green (1 mile west), Fordham (1 mile north), West Bergholt (2 miles east), Great Horkesley (3 miles north-east) and Wormingford (3 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Colchester (4 miles east), Braintree (11 miles west), Maldon (13 miles south-west), Witham (10 miles south-west), Camulodunum (3 miles south-east) and Halstead (8 miles west).
Landmarks near Fordham Heath
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Cricketers pub and The Stanway School. For rail, the closest station is Marks Tey station, roughly 2.1 miles south-west. Other landmarks nearby include Colchester Castle (3.9 miles east) and Social History Museum (3.8 miles east). Not far away are Iron Latch.
What a survey costs
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. That comes down to:
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on how big and how high the roof is, how it can safely be seen and which survey you book.
Booking your survey
These details help when you get in touch:
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- The address and postcode of the property
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Chimneys are easy to forget because you rarely see the top of them. Defects tend to go unseen until there’s a stain. A survey gives you a clear picture before that happens. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Fordham Heath, driving rain gets into any weakness, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where it applies, from £400 inc. VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you need to know.
What you get with us
- Over 20 years’ experience
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
Take a look at our cost guide or what we found on two real jobs.
Fordham Heath questions
Can a landlord with a rental near Marks Tey station book a roof survey?
Of course. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Is my home in Fordham Heath listed or in a conservation area?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. Shared stacks are common on terraced and semi-detached houses. We survey what we can see safely, and note anything that seems to involve next door.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
That depends on the survey. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Just tell us the days that suit you.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only when it is safe. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. Safe viewpoints, the loft and a drone where it applies let us see the rest.
How long will you be at the property?
That depends on the size and shape of the roof; most visits take about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. The written report follows by email.
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney breasts and the loft
If a chimney breast has been removed below, we note what we can see of the support above. Confirming the support is a job for a structural engineer.
Chimney pots and cowls
On redundant flues, we look at how the pots are capped. Capping without ventilation can trap moisture.