Essex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Great Saling, Essex
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching across Great Saling, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Call or email for a price.
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Bricks with flaking faces
Questions from Great Saling
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Braintree station?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. Just call 07833 053749 or email us with the details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Is my home in Great Saling listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but we do not provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. If one is needed, the report says so.
Do you work in Great Saling?
Yes, we do. We carry out chimney surveys in Great Saling.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it applies and safe. We fly a sub-250g drone and we are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). It’s included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where applicable, the Premium Survey.
What do you check on a chimney?
The survey covers the pots and cowls, the flaunching, the pointing, the bricks and the flashings. Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access. Everything is written up with photos.
My chimney looks like it is leaning. What should I do?
Have it checked rather than leaving it. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down. The survey records what we can see, and a structural engineer can assess whether it needs work.
Chimney survey in Great Saling: what you get
Damp on a chimney breast can have several causes. It might come in at the top, through worn pointing or porous bricks, or where the flashings meet the roof. Moisture trapped inside a stack with no ventilation can also cause damp. We check each possibility and record what we find. That points the work in the right direction. If you’re worried about a chimney out of line and unused flues sealed without airflow, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A roof report shows what needs attention first. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
If any part of the chimney stack couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Place
- Great Saling (CM7)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
When you need someone else
It’s a careful look at the chimney stack, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Hidden damage within the stack
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- A structural engineer’s assessment
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll suggest the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
Landlords, agents and block managers in Great Saling
Letting agents and landlords in Great Saling book surveys as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the chimney stack, with photographs.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Great Saling and across Essex can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Common roof problems in Great Saling
Stacks that were used for open fires for many years can weaken from the inside. Flue gases and damp can break down the mortar, sometimes more on one side than the other, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
People normally book a survey when they’ve noticed one of these:
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- A chimney out of line
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Church of St James, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Their insurance cover
- What exactly goes into their report
- What they will not be able to tell you
Roof by roof
Brick stacks
Older brick stacks frequently have soft lime mortar. We note where repairs should match the original mortar.
Rendered stacks
Some stacks are rendered, which can hide the condition of the brickwork beneath. We look for cracks, hollow areas and staining.
Chimney surveys around Great Saling
If your home is older, it’s 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 frequently have clay tiles and weatherboarding, and lots of post-war and modern estates besides. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
If you let a flat or house near Braintree station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Great Saling is about 4 miles west of Braintree, in Essex. Roofs in Great Saling get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Essex. Across Essex, we cover Great Saling. There is also a page for Chelmsford.
Every address in CM7 is covered for chimney surveys. We also cover Crow's Green (1 mile north-west), Bardfield Saling (1 mile north), Great Bardfield (3 miles north-west), Wethersfield (4 miles north) and Little Bardfield (4 miles north-west). Further out, we also cover Chelmsford (11 miles south), Braintree (4 miles east), Maldon (15 miles south-east), Witham (10 miles south-east), Saffron Walden (13 miles north-west) and Halstead (8 miles east).
Landmarks near Great Saling
We work in homes and buildings around The White Hart Inn. Great Saling’s nearest station is Braintree station, roughly 4.1 miles south-east. Nearby you’ll also find Braintree Community Hospital (3.2 miles south-east) and Tudor House Museum (Braintree) (3.8 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Phyllis Currie Nature Reserve.
How we price chimney surveys
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. The main factors are:
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What to tell us when you contact us
These details help when you get in touch:
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Your timetable, like an exchange date
- The property’s address and postcode
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or email us. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.
How it works
You don’t need to do much on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we’ll take it from there. The survey itself takes about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Cottages and farmhouses around Great Saling frequently 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.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there’s access.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
Book a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from the ground or a window, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To get started, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.