Essex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Harwich, Essex
Chimney surveys in Harwich from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Lifted or split lead flashings
About our chimney survey in Harwich
Redundant chimneys are common, particularly where fires have been replaced by central heating. Even when it isn’t used, a stack has to stay weathertight. If it has been capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside it. We check how redundant stacks have been capped and look for damp in the chimney breasts. The report sets out what we found and what we recommend. If you’ve noticed a chimney out of line and gaps where the stack meets the roof, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In a town like Harwich, most homes are houses whose owners look after their own roofs. A slipped tile or blocked gutter costs far less to sort than the damp it causes later. The report sets out what needs attention, prioritised by urgency where relevant. The photographs let you see the parts of the roof you cannot get to.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Place
- Harwich (CO12)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Brick stacks
Spalled bricks, where the face has flaked off, are a sign of water and frost. Any spalling is noted with photos.
Rendered stacks
We cannot see the bricks behind render without it being opened up, so the report says what can and can’t be judged.
What a chimney survey looks like in Harwich
The coast is about 1 mile or less from Harwich, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Near the sea, metal fixings wear faster and loose pieces on a roof are more likely to lift. In Essex, older buildings are frequently clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, while many towns grew with post-war and newer estates. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
Landlords with a home close to Dovercourt station may find that knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints. Take an older house close to Church of All Saints: old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Harwich is in Essex. Wherever you are in Harwich, we can come and survey your property. Harwich is one of the towns and villages in Essex we cover for chimney surveys. Chelmsford is in our area too.
All of CO12 is covered for chimney surveys. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Station Road, High Street and Market Street or a nearby road, we can survey it. Being close to the A120 and B1352, Harwich is simple for us to get to for chimney surveys. If you’re just outside Harwich, we cover Parkeston (1 mile north-west), Little Oakley (2 miles south-west) and Ramsey (2 miles west). Further out, we also cover Clacton-on-Sea (10 miles south-west), Greenstead (14 miles west), Wivenhoe (14 miles west), Brightlingsea (13 miles south-west), Walton-on-the-Naze (6 miles south) and Bocking's Elm (11 miles south-west).
Local landmarks in Harwich
We work in homes and buildings around St Joseph's Catholic Primary School and The Trafalgar Public House, among other places. Harwich’s nearest station is Dovercourt station, about 0.9 miles north-east. Other landmarks nearby include Landguard Fort (2.5 miles east) and Harwich Museum (1.3 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Copperas Wood.
When to book a survey in Harwich
TV aerials, satellite dishes and their brackets are often fixed to chimneys. The extra load in wind can work bricks and joints loose. Any fixings on the stack are checked and recorded.
We are often asked to look at:
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
If you look after a building such as Harwich and Dovercourt High School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
What to check before booking
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- How long the report takes to arrive
FAQs for Harwich
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Harwich?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Is the coastal weather around Harwich hard on roofs?
It can do. Harwich is within about 1 mile of the sea, and coastal roofs tend to see faster wear on metal parts and more wind lifting loose pieces.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We are roof surveyors, not structural engineers. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we’ll recommend one.
What happens after the survey?
The report arrives by email, with photos and clear recommendations. With Standard there is a follow-up consultation; with Premium, an in-person consultation.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for the job before booking. To get a price, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
How many surveys have you done?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. We inspect everything that’s safely in view: from ground level, from windows, from inside the loft space, from the roof where it’s safe and by drone where applicable. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
How the survey works
We will ask a few questions first, like when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. A visit in Harwich runs most smoothly with the loft hatch clear, side gates open and a parking spot in mind. If you won’t be there yourself, let us know who will let us in.
- First you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- Every part we can see is looked at: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access.
- The findings are written up with photographs and recommendations and emailed to you.
Preparing for the visit
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Arrange a survey
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
What a survey costs
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Height and safe access
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- House, block, shop or office
All our prices include VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before booking.
Getting in touch
Some details help us suggest the right survey and price. When you contact us, tell us:
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- The address and postcode of the property
If you are buying, it is 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 call 07833 053749 or send us an email whenever suits you.
Places near Harwich
Other services in Harwich
What happens if roof problems are left?
Cracked flaunching and worn pointing are often modest repairs when they’re caught early. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks, and the work grows. Around Harwich, gutters that overflow soak the wall below, and damp follows inside. At roof level, a loose tile or tired flashing does the same. Neither gets better on its own.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Why us?
- Surveys seven days a week
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Every finding written up with photos
Read our cost guide and two real surveys.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Harwich
Landlords, agents and building managers in Harwich 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.
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 with less disruption.