Essex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Great Canfield, Essex
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Great Canfield. We have completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
Chimney survey in Great Canfield: what you get
Chimney stacks take more weather than almost any other part of a house. Over the years, the flaunching cracks, the pointing wears and flashings lift. Water then gets into the stack and can show as damp on a chimney breast or a stain in the loft. We record what we find with photos and recommendations. Typical surveys look at staining on walls around the chimney and disused chimneys trapping moisture, on brick chimney stacks, lead flashings and chimney breasts.
In a village or hamlet like Great Canfield, older cottages and farmhouses often sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, frequently with chimneys that have stood a long time. We report on everything that’s safely in view, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it is normally the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Place
- Great Canfield (CM6)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Great Canfield
Is Great Canfield within the area you cover?
Yes, Great Canfield is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
How do I find out if my home in Great Canfield is listed?
We cannot 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.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. The report will say if you need an engineer.
How long does the survey take?
That depends on the size and shape of the roof; most visits take an hour or two on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. The written report follows by email.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not always. Safety comes first, and fragile or steep roofs can’t always be walked on. Safe viewpoints, the loft and a drone where applicable let us see the rest, and the report records anything we couldn’t see.
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.
What does a roof survey cost?
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. We confirm the exact price before you book. For a price, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Places near Great Canfield
Also in Great Canfield
Tips that help
You do not need to be a roofer to help. What helps most:
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
After the visit, we write up the report with photos of each stack. It explains the condition of each part of the stack and any damp inside. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. Early signs are easier to trace.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Before deciding what to do with a redundant stack, a survey shows how it’s doing. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need permission from the council, so check with them first. In a place like Great Canfield, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. It is worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
Every price we give includes VAT. Prices start from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for your survey before booking.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Great Canfield
- Photos and a written report every time
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Clear package prices, with VAT included
See how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
How the survey works
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a photo-illustrated written report, emailed to you. On timing, most surveys take an hour or two at a typical home, and longer for a large or complex roof. Rural addresses near Great Canfield can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- 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.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
Book a survey
Chimney survey starts 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
Landlord and commercial surveys in Great Canfield
Landlords, agents and building managers in Great Canfield and across Essex can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait.
Chimney surveys in Great Canfield: local notes
With Barrington Hall about 2.9 miles west, Great Canfield sits in an area with a long building history. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. In Essex, older buildings are often 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.
Take an older house close to Parish Church of St Mary: corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. If you own a rental within reach of Stansted Airport station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Great Canfield is about 3 miles south-west of Great Dunmow, in Essex. We survey roofs in Great Canfield across London and South East England. Our Essex coverage includes Great Canfield and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Chelmsford page.
Chimney surveys in CM6 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. We cover properties on The Street and Canfield Road and the roads around them. If you are just outside Great Canfield, we cover High Roding (1 mile east), Roundbush Green (2 miles south), Keeres Green (2 miles south), High Easter (2 miles south-east) and Stagden Cross (3 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Chelmsford (10 miles south-east), Braintree (11 miles east), Harlow (10 miles south-west), Brentwood (14 miles south), Billericay (15 miles south) and Witham (14 miles east).
What’s near Great Canfield
In Great Canfield, that means homes and buildings near The Black Lion Public House and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Stansted Airport station, about 4.5 miles north-west of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Little Easton Moat (3.8 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Portingbury Hills.
Roof by roof
Rendered stacks
Water can get in through cracks and then struggle to dry out. We record any cracking and where it is.
Chimney pots and cowls
Each pot is bedded into the flaunching, often with a cowl or cap on top. The survey looks for cracked, loose or missing pots and cowls.
Prices for chimney surveys in Great Canfield
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. The main factors are:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Roof area
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, from £400 including VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you need to know.
Helping us price your survey
To price your survey accurately, we’ll ask about:
- What made you get in touch
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
For a price for chimney surveys in Great Canfield, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Some details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.