Essex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Foxash Estate
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching across Foxash Estate, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Call or email for a price.
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
Chimney survey in Foxash Estate
For buyers, a chimney survey before exchange can flag work you may want to raise. Cracked flaunching, failed flashings and worn pointing are common findings on older stacks. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It works alongside a RICS home survey, not instead of one. If you’ve noticed mortar washing out of the joints and redundant stacks capped without ventilation, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Older buildings in small places like Foxash Estate may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. 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.
Where we cannot see part of the chimney stack, the report says so. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Location
- Foxash Estate (CO11, CO7)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
When to book a survey in Foxash Estate
The flaunching on top of a stack holds the pots in place and sheds water. Cracked flaunching lets water in, and each winter makes it worse. In time, the pots can become loose.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Bricks with flaking faces
- A chimney out of line
Living close to Ardleigh Park is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
What we look for on each type of roof
Flaunching
We often find flaunching that has cracked or broken away. Caught early, it is often a small job.
Lead flashings
Lead flashings seal the joint between the stack and the roof. We check for lifting, splits and gaps in the joints.
What we can’t see
It helps to know what a survey won’t do before booking:
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- Whether the flue is safe to use
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
FAQs for Foxash Estate
Is Foxash Estate within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Is my home in Foxash Estate listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
What does the report include?
Written findings with photographs, explaining the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our recommendations, with the most urgent first where relevant. Standard adds moisture detection and a structural check; Premium adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable and structural analysis.
What happens next?
You receive the written report by email, with photos and recommendations. It is yours to share with a seller, insurer, roofer or managing agent, whichever applies.
How experienced are you?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
Are you insured?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
How long will you be at the property?
Time on site depends on the roof; most visits take an hour or two at most homes, and longer for a large or complex roof. The written report follows by email.
For landlords and managing agents
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work around your tenants.
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the addresses.
DIY checks: what’s safe
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
It’s useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
What happens on the day
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. A typical visit takes about 1–2 hours for a house, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Cottages and farmhouses around Foxash Estate often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. 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 check every stack from wherever it can safely be seen.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there is access.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Preparing for the visit
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
Getting a price
If you are buying, it’s 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 ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.
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Chimney surveys around Foxash Estate
Foxash Estate lies within about 3 miles of the sea, 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, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. Older buildings in Essex often have clay tiles and weatherboarding, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
If you live in an older home near Church of St Mary, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look. If you let a flat or house near Manningtree station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Foxash Estate is about 6 miles north-east of Colchester, in Essex. We provide chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Foxash Estate. Our area takes in places right across Essex, from the larger towns to small villages. Chelmsford is in our area too.
Surveys in CO11 and CO7 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include Harwich Road, Tile Barn Lane and Cherry Orchard. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Burnt Heath (1 mile south), Bromley Cross (2 miles south), Lawford (2 miles east), Little Bromley (2 miles south-east) and Manningtree (3 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Colchester (6 miles south-west), Clacton-on-Sea (11 miles south-east), Harwich (11 miles east), Camulodunum (7 miles south-west), Greenstead (4 miles south-west) and Tiptree (14 miles south-west).
Local landmarks in Foxash Estate
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Ardleigh Park and The Anchor Inn, among other places. The closest station to Foxash Estate is Manningtree station, about 1.9 miles north-east. Well-known places in the area include The Munnings Museum (1.2 miles north) and Colchester Hospital (4.9 miles west). The countryside around Foxash Estate includes Cattawade Marshes.