Essex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Howe Street
A careful look at the chimney stack at your property in Howe Street, with photos and a written report.
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Worn or missing pointing
- Cracked or missing flaunching
How a chimney survey works in Howe Street
A chimney stands up above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. In time, flaunching cracks, mortar washes out and flashings come loose. Water then gets into the stack and can show as damp on a chimney breast or a stain in the loft. We record what we find with photos and recommendations. If you are worried about disused chimneys trapping moisture and a chimney out of line, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Somewhere as small as Howe Street, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, frequently with chimneys that have stood a long time. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs often need the most attention.
Where we cannot see part of the chimney stack, the report says so. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Place
- Howe Street (CM3)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the chimney stack as closely as is safe and record what we find. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. The visit typically takes an hour or two for most houses, and more on a big or complicated roof. In a small place like Howe Street, access is typically the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- 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 safely be seen.
- Every part we can see is looked at: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access.
- The findings are written up with photos and recommendations and emailed to you.
Before the survey
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Book a survey
You can call us seven days a week. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Your questions about chimney surveys in Howe Street
Can a landlord with a rental near Beaulieu Park station book a roof survey?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. Just phone 07833 053749 or email us and tell us about the building, including who will give access on the day.
How do I find out if my home in Howe Street is listed?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Will you check the loft?
If there’s a loft and safe access to it, yes. From inside, the underside of the roof frequently shows damp, staining or daylight that can’t be seen from outside.
Do you work in Howe Street?
Yes. We survey roofs across London and South East England, Howe Street included.
Is a leaning chimney dangerous?
A leaning stack should be looked at. Our survey notes how it looks and the condition of the bricks and joints, and if it may be a structural issue, we recommend a structural engineer.
What does a roof survey cost?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose, confirmed before anything is booked.
Our stack is shared. Can you still survey it?
Yes. We inspect whatever is safely visible and what you give us access to. If a defect seems to be on your neighbour’s side, the report records it, so you can discuss it with them.
How we price chimney surveys
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- How big the roof is
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
Every price we give includes VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for your roof before booking.
Helping us price your survey
A few details help us suggest the right survey and price. When you contact us, it’s useful to mention:
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- When you need the report by
- The address and postcode of the property
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You will know the price before anything is booked.
What a chimney survey doesn’t cover
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Hidden damage within the stack
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will recommend the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
What we look at
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
Local roofs in Howe Street
In Essex, older buildings are frequently clay-tiled, many with 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. Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it’s listed or in a conservation area. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas.
If you own a rental within reach of Beaulieu Park station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at. The streets around a church such as Church of SS Mary and Laurence are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Howe Street is about 5 miles north of Chelmsford, in Essex. We cover Howe Street and the rest of Essex. Howe Street is one of the places in Essex we cover.
Every address in CM3 is within our area for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We cover properties on Parsonage Lane and Bridge Croft and the roads around them. We also cover Chatham Green (1 mile north-east), Hartford End (2 miles north), Little Leighs (2 miles north-east), Ford End (2 miles north-west) and Pleshey (2 miles west). We also work in nearby towns such as Chelmsford (5 miles south), Braintree (7 miles north-east), Harlow (15 miles west), Brentwood (14 miles south-west), Maldon (11 miles south-east) and Billericay (12 miles south).
What’s near Howe Street
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Green Man Inn. For rail, the closest station is Beaulieu Park station, about 4 miles south-east. A little further out are Broomfield Hospital (2.1 miles south). The countryside around Howe Street includes Little Waltham Meadows.
Places near Howe Street
What else we do in Howe Street
When to book a survey in Howe Street
Chimney stacks stand above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. Frost works into cracks in the flaunching and pointing, and rain soaks into worn brickwork. People typically call us when they notice damp or a problem with the stack, or before a purchase.
Here are some of the things we see frequently:
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Worn or missing pointing
Anyone responsible for a site like Chelmer Valley High School will know that long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
What to check before booking
- What exactly goes into their report
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- What follow-up you get after the report
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
Roof by roof
Chimney pots and cowls
On redundant flues, we look at how the pots are capped. Capping without ventilation can trap moisture.
Chimney breasts and the loft
In the loft, staining around the stack frequently shows where water is getting in. What we find is photographed and described.
Why act early in Howe Street
If you’re thinking of removing or reducing a stack, it is useful to know its condition first. Changes to stacks in conservation areas or on listed buildings may need consent and the council can advise. In a place like Howe Street, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. It is worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
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.
Why book us in Howe Street
- 20+ years’ experience
- An independent view of the roof
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Surveys seven days a week
See what a roof survey costs and our case studies.