Essex · London and the South East
Hill Green Chimney Survey
Chimney surveys in Hill Green from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Mortar washing out of the joints
What we look for on each type of roof
Brick stacks
Older brick stacks frequently have soft lime mortar. We note where repairs should match the original mortar.
Chimney pots and cowls
Pots sit in the flaunching on top of the stack, and cowls or caps sit on the pots. The survey looks for cracked, loose or missing pots and cowls.
How a chimney survey works in Hill Green
A chimney survey looks at the stack and everything around it: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and the flashings at the roof line. Inside, we check chimney breasts and the stack in the loft where it is safe to reach. The findings come in a written report with photos and recommendations. It suits a single stack on a house as well as several on a larger building. We survey chimney pots and cowls, brick chimney stacks and shared and party-wall stacks, and people most often book us about lifted or split lead flashings and staining on walls around the chimney.
Some older homes in villages like Hill Green 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. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Older materials like clay tiles, slate and stone are frequently matched when work is done.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Each point is backed by a photo where possible, with the urgent items made clear.
- Place
- Hill Green (CB11)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings as a photo-illustrated written report, emailed to you. On timing, it typically takes between one and two hours for most houses, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Rural addresses near Hill Green 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 you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can be seen safely.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- We check the chimney breasts and the stack in the loft space where we can reach them.
- The findings are written up with photographs and recommendations and emailed to you.
Before the survey
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
How to book
Booking is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or email us and give us some details about the property and we will recommend the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Advice
What this survey can’t tell you
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Conditions inside walls
- Parts of the stack that cannot be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we cannot access
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Brick chimney stacks
When to book a survey in Hill Green
Lots of homes have redundant stacks. A stack sealed without ventilation can trap damp. That can lead to damp patches on chimney breasts, even with the roof in good order.
Common reasons to book include:
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Bricks with flaking faces
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Mary and St Clement, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Their insurance cover
- How soon the report will arrive
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
Tips from our surveys
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
If the stack is shared, you can pass the report to your neighbour. The photos show the problem and which side it is on, as far as we could see.
Unused stacks should be capped in a way that still lets air through. That helps stop damp building up inside.
Local roofs in Hill Green
Older buildings in Essex often have clay tiles and weatherboarding, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. About 4.2 miles north-east lies Audley End House, a reminder of how long the area around Hill Green has been built on. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
Landlords with a home close to Newport (Essex) station may find that a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. Take a building like Clavering Primary School: large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Hill Green is about 5 miles south-west of Saffron Walden, in Essex. Hill Green is part of the area we cover as part of our work across London and South East England. Hill Green is one of the towns and villages in Essex where we work. You can also see our page for Chelmsford.
We survey roofs across the CB11 postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. We cover properties on Clatterbury Lane and Eldridge Close. We also cover Wicken Bonhunt (1 mile east), Clavering (1 mile south-west), Arkesden (1 mile north), Starling's Green (2 miles south-west) and Berden (2 miles south-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Harlow (14 miles south), Saffron Walden (5 miles north-east), Great Dunmow (11 miles south-east), Stansted Mountfitchet (5 miles south), Newhall (14 miles south) and Elsenham (5 miles south-east).
Near you in Hill Green
Around Hill Green, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Cricketers pub and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Newport (Essex) station, about 2.6 miles east. Other landmarks nearby include Brent Pelham (3.6 miles west) and Saffron Walden Community Hospital (5.5 miles north-east). For a walk, there’s Aubrey Buxton Nature Reserve.
Questions from Hill Green
How do I find out if my home in Hill Green is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Is Hill Green within the area you cover?
Yes, Hill Green is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
How long does the survey take?
Expect it to take about one to two hours at a typical home, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. The written report follows by email.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Will you photograph what you find?
Yes, every report has them. Pictures sit next to the findings they show, which makes the report easy to follow.
What happens next?
We email you the written report with photos and recommendations. You can use it to talk to a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent, whichever applies.
What insurance do you have?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and details are available on request.
Also near Hill Green
What else we do in Hill Green
Why it’s worth a survey now in Hill Green
If you’re thinking of removing or reducing a stack, it helps to know its condition first. Changes to stacks in conservation areas or on listed buildings may need consent, so check with them first. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
To find out what your survey will cost, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and some details. We will confirm the figure before booking.
Why us?
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Prices that include VAT
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- An independent view of the roof
Take a look at our cost guide and two real surveys.