Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Hitchin Chimney Survey
Find out what’s going on with the chimney stack before you spend money on it. Chimney surveys in Hitchin.
- A stack that appears to lean
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Cracked or missing flaunching
What a chimney survey does not cover
We only report whatever is safely visible on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- Areas we can’t view from safe positions
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- A structural engineer’s assessment
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will point you to the right survey before you book. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Hitchin
A damp patch on a chimney breast doesn’t always come from the same place. 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 look at each possibility and record what we find. You then know where to start. If you’ve noticed loose, cracked or missing pots and cracked or missing flaunching, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on lead flashings, brick chimney stacks and chimney pots and cowls alike.
Hitchin mixes older houses, often slate or clay tiled, with newer estates, many of them with concrete tiles. Older homes frequently keep chimney stacks long after the fireplaces went, and their flashings and pointing still matter. Later houses have their own typical faults, from loose ridge tiles to blocked gutters.
Where we cannot see part of the chimney stack, the report says so. That way, it is clear what was covered and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Where
- Hitchin (SG4, SG5)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we’re asked to look at in Hitchin
Aerials and dishes are often fixed to stacks. The extra load in wind can work bricks and joints loose. Any fixings on the stack are checked and recorded.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- A stack that appears to lean
- Worn or missing pointing
Living close to Butts Close is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- What happens after the report arrives
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- Their track record with similar roofs
What else we do in Hitchin
Practical tips
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Photograph damp patches with the date
If the stack is shared, you can pass the report to your neighbour. It shows what we found and where, as far as we could see.
Get small mortar repairs done while they’re small. Small repairs now can save bigger work later.
What happens on the day
When we arrive, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you need to know. After that, we look at everything we can see safely, using the ground, windows, the loft and a drone where it applies. The survey usually takes roughly 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. A visit in Hitchin runs most smoothly with the loft hatch clear, side gates open and a parking spot in mind. Someone needs to let us in, so tell us who that will be.
- 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.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the roof space.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
How to prepare
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
How to book
You can call us seven days a week. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
Why it’s worth a survey now in Hitchin
A small amount of repointing or new flaunching is normally a modest job. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks and the job gets bigger. Around Hitchin, 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.
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the size and height of the roof, how it can safely be seen and the package you choose.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Hitchin
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Visits on any day of the week
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Hitchin homes and their roofs
Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, so check with the council.
If you let a flat or house near Hitchin station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. Anyone responsible for a site like Hitchin Girls' School will know that a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Hitchin is about 5 miles north-west of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire. Anywhere in Hitchin, we can carry out chimney surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Our area takes in places right across Hertfordshire, large and small. We also survey roofs in Milton Keynes.
We survey roofs across the SG4 and SG5 postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Market Place, London Road and Harrison Close. You will find Hitchin on the A505 and A600, which makes it straightforward to reach. If you’re just outside Hitchin, we cover Benslow (1 mile east), Poets Estate (1 mile east), Bearton (1 mile north-west), Walsworth (1 mile north-east) and Westmill (1 mile north-west). Further out, we also cover Stevenage (5 miles south-east), St Albans (14 miles south), Welwyn Garden City (11 miles south), Harpenden (10 miles south), Hatfield (13 miles south) and Hertford (13 miles south-east). As one of the bigger places in Hertfordshire, Hitchin has homes, rented property and businesses of every kind.
Around Hitchin
We work in homes and buildings around Highbury Infant School and Nursery, Butts Close and Kingshott School, among other places. You’ll also find Radcliffe Arms (within half a mile north-east) and St Mary's Church (less than half a mile south-west). Hitchin has its own railway station: Hitchin station. Well-known places in the area include Wymondley Castle (1.7 miles east) and Lister Hospital (3.1 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Purwell Ninesprings and Markham's Hill.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Hitchin questions
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Hitchin station?
Yes, landlords and letting agents book with us as well as owners. You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and a few details, including who will give access on the day.
Is my home in Hitchin listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
Does the weather affect the survey?
It can, depending on the survey. Drones cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. If the conditions aren’t right, we will talk to you about another date.
What does a chimney survey cover?
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. You get a written report with photos.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends. To find a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
Yes. We look at the parts we can see safely and the parts you can give us access to. If a defect seems to be on your neighbour’s side, the report records it and you can raise it with them.
How do I arrange a chimney survey in Hitchin?
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know the address and what you’d like to know. We will confirm the price and find a day that suits.