Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Highfield, Hertfordshire
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Highfield, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photos.
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
When we price a survey, we consider:
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Roof area
Every price we give includes VAT. Prices start from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your survey before booking.
Getting in touch
If you can, have these to hand when you contact us:
- What made you get in touch
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or email us and give us a few details about the property and we will explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Highfield
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. Condensation inside an unventilated stack is another common cause. We check each possibility and record what we find. That points the work in the right direction. If you are worried about a chimney out of line and lifted or split lead flashings, we can find out what’s behind it.
Around Highfield, older cottages sit alongside bungalows and newer houses. Older roofs can have slate, clay tiles or other traditional coverings, while many later ones have concrete tiles. Chimneys, valleys and gutters on older homes often need the most attention. Nails and battens under older coverings often give out before the slates or tiles themselves.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the coverings down to the gutters, each with a short note and a photograph. You will see the good as well as the bad.
- Location
- Highfield (HP2, HP1)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens if roof problems are left?
A small amount of repointing or new flaunching is typically a modest job. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks and the job gets bigger. On a bungalow or cottage around Highfield, the roof sits close to the rooms below, so a small leak can mark a ceiling within a few storms. Catching the cause first saves redecorating as well.
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all inc. VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Why us?
- 98% of customers satisfied
- An independent view of the roof
- Plain-English reports with photos
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and our case studies.
FAQs for Highfield
Is Highfield within the area you cover?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
How do I find out if my home in Highfield is listed?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
How long will you be at the property?
Expect it to take about 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. The written report follows by email, on the timescale of your package.
What do you check on a chimney?
We check the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings. Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access. Everything is written up with photographs.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
Are you insured?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We are roof surveyors, not structural engineers. We’ll recommend an engineer if we see signs that call for one.
Chimney surveys around Highfield
Batchwood Hall, about 4.4 miles east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Highfield. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Highfield is part of Hemel Hempstead, one of the post-war new towns. Homes from the post-war decades are common in the new towns, many with low-pitched roofs in concrete tiles and flat-roofed garages or porches. Low-pitched roofs shed water more slowly, and older concrete tiles, felt and gutters on these homes may be nearing the end of their life.
Trees in and around Gadebridge Park shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. If you live in an older home near St Paul's, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. If you let a flat or house near Hemel Hempstead station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Highfield is about 1 mile north of Hemel Hempstead, in Hertfordshire. If you are in Highfield, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Highfield is one of the towns and villages in Hertfordshire where we work. Our Milton Keynes page covers surveys nearby.
We work across the HP2 and HP1 postcode area for chimney surveys. We offer chimney surveys to properties on Juno Road, Great Road and Dione Road and the roads around them. Highfield is on the A4147, which makes it straightforward to reach. If you are just outside Highfield, we cover Adeyfield (1 mile south-east), Hemel Hempstead (1 mile south), Piccotts End (1 mile north-west), Grovehill (1 mile south-west) and Woodhall Farm (1 mile south-west). Larger places within reach include Watford (7 miles south), Stevenage (15 miles north-east), St Albans (6 miles east), Welwyn Garden City (12 miles east), Harpenden (6 miles north-east) and Hitchin (15 miles north-east).
What’s near Highfield
In Highfield, that means homes and buildings near Gadebridge Park, The Old Bell pub and The Astley Cooper School, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Hemel Hempstead station, about 2.1 miles south-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Redbourn Museum (3.3 miles north-east) and Hemel Hempstead Hospital (1.1 miles south-west). For a walk, there’s Verulamium Lake and Long Deans.
Checking the roof from ground level
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date, which helps when we look at the roof.
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That’s where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
Honest limits
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- Parts of the stack that cannot be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we can’t access
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- A structural engineer’s assessment
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
Practical tips
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Do not use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
After the visit, we write up the report with photographs 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.
Make sure fixings on the stack are sound and taken off if they’re no longer needed. Less load on the stack means less strain in wind.
The survey, step by step
Every roof is different; as a rough guide, the survey takes about one to two hours at a typical home; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. If you have questions on the day, just ask. For a survey in Highfield, we agree the time, the access and parking before the day. Weekday and weekend visits are both possible. If there are outbuildings or garages you want looked at, mention them.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We check the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
How to prepare
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
How to book
Once you know what you need, call 07833 053749 or send us an email. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.