Essex · London and the South East
Foster Street Chimney Survey
An experienced roof surveyor for chimney surveys in Foster Street. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
Chimney surveys in Foster Street: local notes
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. Older buildings in Essex often have clay tiles and weatherboarding, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Whatever the covering, it’s frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Henry Moore Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Church of All Saints, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Foster Street is about 2 miles east of Harlow, in Essex. Foster Street is one of many places we visit across Essex, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Foster Street is one of the places in Essex where we work. There’s also a page for Chelmsford.
Chimney surveys in CM17 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. You will find streets like Foster Street, Highfield Close and Hastingwood Park. We also cover the places around Foster Street: Hastingwood (1 mile south), Newhall (1 mile north-west), Latton (1 mile west), Magdalen Laver (1 mile east) and Housham Tye (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Chelmsford (14 miles east), Brentwood (11 miles south-east), Billericay (15 miles south-east), Loughton (9 miles south-west), Waltham Abbey (8 miles south-west) and Great Dunmow (12 miles north-east).
Near you in Foster Street
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to John Barleycorn Public House, Passmores Academy and Brays Grove and the streets around them. The closest station to Foster Street is Harlow Mill station, about 2.3 miles north-west. Other landmarks nearby include Princess Alexandra Hospital (3 miles west) and Harlow Mill (2.4 miles north-west). The countryside around Foster Street includes Gernon Bushes.
Chimney survey in Foster Street: what you get
On terraced and semi-detached houses, a chimney stack is often shared with next door. We check what can safely be seen and what the owner gives us access to. Where a problem seems to involve a neighbour’s side, the report records it, so you can talk to them. You get a written report with photos and our recommendations. Typical surveys look at damp patches on chimney breasts and gaps where the stack meets the roof, on chimney pots and cowls, flaunching and shared and party-wall stacks.
Some older homes in villages like Foster Street 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.
We write the report in plain English, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Photographs show what each point refers to, with the urgent items made clear.
- Location
- Foster Street (CM17)
- Region
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Why it is worth a survey now in Foster Street
A loose pot or brick can fall from height. Finding them early means they can be dealt with before they come down by a roofer. Older and listed buildings around Foster Street may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so leaving a defect until it’s urgent leaves less time to plan.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how it can be reached and seen safely. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Foster Street
- Visits on any day of the week
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or two real surveys.
Checking the roof from the ground
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, which helps when we look at the roof.
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level.
What a survey costs
Prices vary from roof to roof, and it comes down to:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- The roof’s overall size
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
A Basic Survey starts from £150, inc. VAT. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400. We confirm the exact price before you book.
Getting in touch
A few details help us point you to the right survey and price. When you contact us, tell us:
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
Once you know what you need, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
What we’re asked to look at in Foster Street
Flashings seal the gap where a stack passes through the roof. With age they can lift, split or come away from the joints. Failed flashings are one of the most common causes of damp around chimneys. Lead is also a target for theft.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Signs that a stack is leaning
If you let a flat or house near Harlow Mill station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Questions to ask before booking
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Their insurance cover
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- What experience they bring
Common questions in Foster Street
Should a flat-roofed garage or porch in Foster Street be checked too?
Yes, if you’d like it included, mention it as you book. On buildings from before 2000, cement sheet roofs may contain asbestos and should be checked by a specialist asbestos surveyor before anyone disturbs them.
Is my home in Foster Street listed or in a conservation area?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, including flight restriction zones near airports. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning. Mention it when you get in touch and we will explain what’s needed.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It depends on the weather and the survey. Strong wind or a downpour can make access unsafe and ground a drone, so we’d move the date with you.
How much is a survey?
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Our three packages are Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, inc. VAT.
How long is the visit?
It usually takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. The report follows by email.
How the survey works
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photos as we go and record our findings for the written report. It usually takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Somewhere like Foster Street needs a little journey planning: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We check the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Preparing for the visit
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Check pets are kept safely away
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Arrange a survey
We survey roofs on any day of the week. To find a date that works for you, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Related advice
Roof by roof
Chimney breasts and the loft
In the loft, staining around the stack often shows where water is getting in. What we find is photographed and described.
Rendered stacks
What’s behind the render can’t be seen without removing some, so the report explains what we could and couldn’t assess.