Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in High Cross, Hertfordshire
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in High Cross, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Call or email for a price.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- A stack that appears to lean
FAQs for High Cross
Will you come out to High Cross?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Can a landlord with a rental near Ware station book a roof survey?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. Just call 07833 053749 or email us and tell us about the building, including who will give access on the day.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Where it’s relevant to the survey and there is safe access, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps, and if the loft cannot be reached safely, the report says so.
What will the report tell me?
It explains what we saw, what it means and what we’d suggest, with photographs throughout. It also says if any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely.
Should I worry about a leaning stack?
Have it checked rather than leaving it. Leaning often comes from mortar breaking down unevenly. The survey records what we can see, and a structural engineer can confirm whether it’s stable.
What should I do with a chimney I do not use?
A redundant chimney needs looking after like any other. Capping without airflow can lead to damp. We check how it is capped and its condition, so you can plan what to do with it.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
About our chimney survey in High Cross
Many homes have chimneys that are no longer used. A disused stack still needs looking after. Capping a stack without ventilation can trap moisture and lead to damp inside. We check how redundant stacks have been capped and look for damp in the chimney breasts. You get photos of each stack and our recommendations. We are often asked to look into lifted or split lead flashings and unused flues sealed without airflow, on flaunching, chimney pots and cowls and shared and party-wall stacks.
Some older homes in villages like High Cross are listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
The report doesn’t just list problems. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Where
- High Cross (SG11)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in High Cross. To discuss a property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client, photographs included.
What we can’t see
It helps to know what a survey won’t do before booking:
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll tell you. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in High Cross
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
Tips that help
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
If anything in the report isn’t clear, just ask us. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. Small repairs now can save bigger work later.
What we do, step by step
There isn’t much for you to do 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 an hour or two for most houses, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Rural addresses near High Cross can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Getting ready for the survey
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Book a survey
When you’re ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
Advice
Can I check my roof myself?
It is useful to keep a record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Chimney surveys around High Cross
Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. Much Hadham Palace, about 4.2 miles east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around High Cross. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If you own a rental within reach of Ware station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints. If you look after a building such as Thundridge Church of England Primary School, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St John the Evangelist, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
High Cross is about 2 miles north of Ware, in Hertfordshire. We cover High Cross and the rest of Hertfordshire, as part of our work across London and the South East. Our area takes in places right across Hertfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Chelmsford.
Chimney surveys in SG11 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Streets in the area include North Drive, Chestnut Grove and Poplar Close. Other places close to High Cross include Wadesmill (1 mile south-west), Standon Green End (1 mile north), Thundridge (1 mile south), Cold Christmas (1 mile south-east) and Barwick (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Stevenage (8 miles north-west), St Albans (15 miles south-west), Bishop's Stortford (8 miles east), Welwyn Garden City (8 miles south-west), Harpenden (14 miles west) and Hitchin (13 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in High Cross
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The White Horse Inn, among other places. The closest station to High Cross is Ware station, roughly 2.8 miles south. Other landmarks nearby include Museum of Street Lighting (3.4 miles south) and Hertford County Hospital (4.6 miles south-west). For a walk, there’s King's Meads.
Also near High Cross
What else we do in High Cross
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. We’ll give you the figure before anything is booked.
What we need to know
To price your survey accurately, we’ll ask about:
- When you need the report by
- The address and postcode of the property
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Anything about access we should know
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form to find out.