Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Gravesend, Hertfordshire
Need a chimney survey in Gravesend? We can help, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Worn or missing pointing
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
What happens on the day
Safety comes first on every visit. Everything that can be seen safely is inspected, and anything we can’t see is noted in the report. Most visits take an hour or two for a house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Cottages and farmhouses around Gravesend frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the roof space.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
Book a survey
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or email us to find out.
Read more
How a chimney survey works in Gravesend
Our chimney survey covers the stack and the details that keep water out around it: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and the flashings at the roof line. Inside, we check chimney breasts and the stack in the loft where it’s safe to reach. The findings come in a written report with photos and recommendations. It suits a single stack on a house as well as several on a larger building. We survey flaunching, lead flashings and chimney breasts, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are staining on walls around the chimney and worn or missing pointing.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, 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. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are frequently the first to give way.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Photos show what each point refers to, with the urgent items made clear.
- Place
- Gravesend (SG11)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we’re asked to look at in Gravesend
Removing a chimney breast inside can leave questions about how the stack is supported. We record what we can see in the loft and outside, and the report recommends a structural engineer if support is a concern.
People typically book a survey when they’ve noticed one of these:
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
Anyone responsible for a site like Albury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School will know that long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Their report turnaround times
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
Chimney surveys in Gravesend: local notes
With Much Hadham Palace about 3.6 miles south, Gravesend sits in an area with a long building history. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
If you let a flat or house near Bishops Stortford station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. If you live in an older home near Church of St Mary, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Gravesend is about 4 miles north-west of Bishop's Stortford, in Hertfordshire. Surveys in Gravesend work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photos and a written report. Gravesend is one of the towns and villages in Hertfordshire where we work for chimney surveys. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
All of SG11 is within our area for chimney surveys. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Albury (1 mile west), Clapgate (1 mile south-east), Furneux Pelham (2 miles north), Braughing (3 miles west) and Hay Street (3 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Stevenage (12 miles west), Bishop's Stortford (4 miles south-east), Welwyn Garden City (14 miles south-west), Hoddesdon (12 miles south-west), Cheshunt (15 miles south-west) and Hertford (11 miles south-west).
Landmarks near Gravesend
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Catherine Wheel pub. The nearest railway station is Bishops Stortford station, about 4.2 miles south-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Herts and Essex Hospital (4.6 miles south-east) and Bishops Stortford Local History Museum (3.1 miles south-east).
Why it is worth a survey now in Gravesend
If a stack seems to lean, don’t leave it. We record its condition and recommend a structural engineer where needed, so you know where you stand. Around Gravesend, older homes frequently have old roof timbers, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Why us?
- PI and public liability insurance
- Drones and thermal imaging where applicable
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
Tips from our surveys
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
Questions about the findings are always welcome. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.
FAQs for Gravesend
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Gravesend?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you cover smaller places like Gravesend?
Yes, Gravesend is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Does the report include photos?
Yes. Photos are part of every report.
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.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we’re allowed to reach.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only when it’s safe. Safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where it applies cover most of what’s needed, and anything out of sight is recorded in the report.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We do not sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, like old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it’s disturbed.
Nearby places to Gravesend
Also in Gravesend
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings
Lead flashings seal the joint between the stack and the roof. The survey looks at whether the lead is tight, sound and well fixed.
Brick stacks
Brick stacks rely on sound pointing to keep water out. The survey looks for crumbling bricks and worn or missing mortar.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Gravesend
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps with budgets and planning.
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, from shops and offices to industrial units. Bigger roofs take more time, so they’re priced to suit.