Essex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Gaston Green
Chimney surveys in Gaston Green from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Flaunching that has broken away
- A stack that appears to lean
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
FAQs for Gaston Green
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Sawbridgeworth station?
Yes, letting agents and landlords book with us as well as owners. Just phone 07833 053749 or email us and tell us about the building.
Do you cover smaller places like Gaston Green?
Yes, Gaston Green is covered. Our area covers London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
What happens after the survey?
We email you the written report with photographs and recommendations. It is yours to share with a seller, insurer, roofer or managing agent, whichever applies.
Should a redundant chimney be removed?
There is no single answer. The survey shows its condition and how it’s been capped. If you’re thinking of removing it, check with the council first in a conservation area or on a listed building.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. We look at the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
Should I worry about a leaning stack?
It’s worth having a leaning stack checked. We record the lean, the brickwork and the pointing, and recommend a structural engineer where it may be a structural concern.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it helps and it is safe, yes. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator.
How a chimney survey works in Gaston Green
A chimney survey is about the outside of the stack and the roof around it. It’s not a flue inspection, a chimney sweep or a gas safety inspection. If you use a fire or a gas appliance, the flue should be checked by a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer as appropriate. If something we see points to the flue, we’ll say so. Typical surveys look at eroded joints in the brickwork and loose, cracked or missing pots, on brick chimney stacks, chimney breasts and chimney pots and cowls.
Somewhere as small as Gaston Green, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are often old. We report on whatever is safely visible, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it is normally the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
It is not only a list of defects. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Location
- Gaston Green (CM22)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How it works
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours for most houses, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Cottages and farmhouses around Gaston Green frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can be seen safely.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- 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.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Preparing for the visit
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
Booking a survey
We confirm the price for your survey before you book, so you know where you stand. Prices start from £150, including VAT. To book, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Read more
Also near Gaston Green
Other services in Gaston Green
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Gaston Green
Weatherboarded walls and clay tile roofs are typical of older Essex buildings, while many towns grew with post-war and newer estates. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters. The wider area around Gaston Green has a long history of building, with Barrington Hall about 3.2 miles east. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If you let a flat or house near Sawbridgeworth station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant. If you live in an older home near Church of St Mary the Virgin, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Gaston Green is about 3 miles south of Bishop's Stortford, in Essex. If you’re in Gaston Green, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Across Essex, we cover Gaston Green. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in CM22 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We offer chimney surveys to properties on Sawbridgeworth Road and Old Mill Lane and the roads around them. If you are just outside Gaston Green, we cover Little Hallingbury (1 mile north), Spellbrook (1 mile west), Thorley Street (1 mile north-west), Lower Sheering (2 miles south) and Thorley (2 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Chelmsford (15 miles south-east), Harlow (5 miles south-west), Brentwood (15 miles south), Loughton (14 miles south), Saffron Walden (13 miles north) and Waltham Abbey (12 miles south-west).
What’s near Gaston Green
Around Gaston Green, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Leventhorpe and The George pub and the streets around them. Gaston Green’s nearest station is Sawbridgeworth station, about 1.4 miles south-west of the centre. A little further out are Harlow Mill (3.5 miles south-west) and Herts and Essex Hospital (2.3 miles north). Not far away are Sawbridgeworth Marsh and Portingbury Hills.
What this survey cannot tell you
It helps to know what a survey will not do before you book:
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Hidden damage within the stack
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll recommend the right survey. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney pots and cowls
Pots sit in the flaunching on top of the stack, and cowls or caps sit on the pots. The survey looks for cracked, loose or missing pots and cowls.
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.
When to book a survey in Gaston Green
Many chimneys are no longer used. A stack sealed without ventilation can trap damp. Damp patches can appear on chimney breasts even when nothing is leaking.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Staining on walls around the chimney
Anyone responsible for a site like Spellbrook CofE Primary School will know that long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
What to check before booking
- What insurance they carry
- Will the report include photos?
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Whether VAT is added on top
Leave it or get it looked at?
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. Older cottages and farmhouses around Gaston Green can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: 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 book us in Gaston Green
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and two real surveys.
Tips from our surveys
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Some pointers:
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Don’t use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
You get the report by email and can pass it to whoever does the work. We use plain English and a photo for each defect, so it is easy to follow.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.