Essex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Housham Tye
Wondering about the chimney stack at a property in Housham Tye? We carry out chimney surveys in Housham Tye and across Essex.
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
Chimney survey in Housham Tye: what you get
If you’re buying a home with chimneys, it’s worth knowing their condition before you exchange. Cracked flaunching, failed flashings and worn pointing are common findings on older stacks. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It works alongside a RICS home survey, not instead of one. Typical surveys look at gaps in the mortar around the pots and gaps where the stack meets the roof, across chimney breasts, chimney pots and cowls and lead flashings.
In a small place like Housham Tye, many roofs stand in the open, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A roof report shows what needs attention first. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
After the visit, you get a photo-illustrated written report, sent by email. It explains the condition of the chimney stack, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Where
- Housham Tye (CM17)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- House, block, shop or office
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and the package you choose.
What we need to know
The more you tell us, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, let us know:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
Not sure which survey you need? It is easiest to phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Common questions in Housham Tye
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Housham Tye?
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.
Will you come out to Housham Tye?
Yes, Housham Tye is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
How long will you be at the property?
Most surveys take an hour or two for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. The report follows by email.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we are allowed to reach.
Does the weather affect the survey?
A survey can typically go ahead in light rain, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Strong wind or a downpour can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so if conditions aren’t right we will arrange another day with you.
How can you see the top of the stack?
Each stack is viewed from the safest viewpoints: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the loft space. Our Premium Survey includes a drone inspection where it applies. If part of a stack can’t be seen, the report says so.
Practical tips
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Some pointers:
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Make sure unused flues are capped with ventilation
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
After the visit, we write up the report with photos of each stack. It covers the pots, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings, and any damp we found inside. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24 to 48 hours and Premium reports the same day.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.
How the survey changes by roof type
Flaunching
We frequently find flaunching that has cracked or broken away. It’s usually a modest repair when it’s caught early.
Chimney pots and cowls
For unused flues, we check whether caps or cowls allow ventilation. Poor capping can lead to damp inside the stack.
Also near Housham Tye
Also in Housham Tye
Housham Tye homes and their roofs
Older buildings in Essex often have clay tiles and weatherboarding, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. About 4.8 miles north-east lies Barrington Hall, a reminder of how long the area around Housham Tye has been built on. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If you let a flat or house near Harlow Mill 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 Mark Hall School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Housham Tye is about 3 miles east of Harlow, in Essex. We carry out chimney surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Housham Tye and nearby. Our area takes in places right across Essex, large and small. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
All of CM17 is within our area for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. If you’re just outside Housham Tye, we cover Matching Tye (1 mile east), Matching (1 mile north-east), Loyter's Green (1 mile south-east), Newman's End (1 mile north-east) and Foster Street (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Chelmsford (13 miles east), Harlow (3 miles west), Brentwood (12 miles south-east), Billericay (15 miles south-east), Loughton (10 miles south-west) and Waltham Abbey (10 miles south-west).
Local landmarks in Housham Tye
Typical jobs here are in homes near Gibberd Garden. Housham Tye’s nearest station is Harlow Mill station, roughly 2.2 miles west. A little further out are Harlow Mill (2.4 miles west) and Mark Hall Cycle Museum (2.5 miles west). For a walk, there is Sawbridgeworth Marsh.
What happens on the day
Where it’s relevant and can be reached safely, the roof space is checked as well as the outside. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging. All in, the survey typically takes about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Somewhere like Housham Tye needs a little journey planning: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect what can safely be seen, inside and out.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there is access.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Preparing for the visit
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Let us know about parking near the property
How to book
We survey roofs on weekdays and at weekends. To find a date that works for you, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Read more
What you can safely check yourself
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when booking.
You can learn a lot from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
Do you need a chimney survey in Housham Tye?
Some owners book because a chimney breast has been removed below and they want to know about the stack above. We note what’s visible in the loft space and outside, and recommend a structural engineer where support is in question.
Here are some of the things we see frequently:
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Signs that a stack is leaning
Trees in and around Gibberd Garden shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- How soon the report will arrive
- Will the report include photos?
- Whether VAT is added on top