Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Ickleford Chimney Survey
Chimney surveys around Ickleford, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
How the survey works
Before we start, tell us why you’ve booked: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit typically takes between one and two hours for most houses, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. For a village or hamlet like Ickleford, the journey is planned beforehand: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- You tell us how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- 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’s safe access.
- The findings are written up with photographs and recommendations and emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Note where any stains or damp appear
Book a survey
Getting a price is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and give us a few details about the property and we will recommend the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Related advice
Chimney survey in Ickleford: what you get
On terraced and semi-detached houses, a chimney stack is often shared with next door. We inspect the parts we can see safely and the parts the owner gives us access to. If a defect appears to be on the neighbour’s side, we note it, so you can talk to them. You get a photo-illustrated written report and what we recommend. We survey chimney pots and cowls, chimney breasts and brick chimney stacks, and people most often book us about unused flues sealed without airflow and pots or cowls that look unsafe.
In a small place like Ickleford, many roofs stand in the open, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A roof report shows what needs attention first. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are frequently where weather gets in first.
If any part of the chimney stack couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. That way, it’s clear what was covered and what wasn’t.
- Place
- Ickleford (SG5)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Also in Ickleford
Questions from Ickleford
Do you cover smaller places like Ickleford?
Yes, we do. We work right across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
Can a landlord with a rental near Hitchin station book a roof survey?
Yes, landlords and agents book with us as well as owners. Just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know about the building, including who will give access on the day.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. Shared stacks are common on terraced and semi-detached houses. We record the stack as far as we can see it and flag anything on the neighbour’s side.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Not always. If we only need the outside, we can agree that ahead of time, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
No. Our survey covers the outside of the stack and the roof around it. For the flue, you’ll need a sweep or, for gas, a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends. To find a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney breasts and the loft
If a chimney breast has been removed below, we note what we can see of the support above. Confirming the support is a job for a structural engineer.
Brick stacks
Many older stacks were built with lime mortar. Repairs should suit the original materials, which we mention where relevant.
For landlords and managing agents
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To discuss a number of properties, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work.
Before and after the survey
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Check unused flues are capped with ventilation
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
Once we have been, the findings are written up with photos. It explains the condition of each part of the stack and any damp 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. Early signs are easier to trace.
Chimney surveys around Ickleford
Listing and conservation areas can both shape what roof work is allowed on an older home. Your council and Historic England’s list will tell you where you stand. Older houses in the South East frequently have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
If you own a rental within reach of Hitchin station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at. If you live in an older home near Church of St Katharine, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. Living close to Butts Close is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Ickleford is about 2 miles north of Hitchin, in Hertfordshire. Bookings from Ickleford are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Across Hertfordshire, we cover Ickleford and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Milton Keynes page.
Here we cover the SG5 postcode area for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on Greenfield Lane, Boswell Drive and Chambers Lane or a nearby road, we can help. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Bearton (1 mile south), Westmill (1 mile south), Walsworth (1 mile south-east), Hitchin (2 miles south) and Benslow (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Stevenage (6 miles south-east), St Albans (15 miles south), Welwyn Garden City (13 miles south), Harpenden (11 miles south), Hatfield (15 miles south) and Hertford (15 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Ickleford
Around Ickleford, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Priory School, Butts Close and Plume Of Feathers Public House. Ickleford’s nearest station is Hitchin station, about 1.5 miles south-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Garden City Collection Study Centre (1.4 miles north-east) and Fairfield Hospital (2.6 miles north-east). The countryside around Ickleford includes Oughtonhead Nature Reserve and Markham's Hill.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight.
You can learn a lot from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
How we price chimney surveys
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- The roof’s overall size
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
Every price we give includes VAT. Prices start from £150, including VAT. You will know the price for the job before you book.
Booking your survey
A little information up front helps. It is useful to include:
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- Dates you’re working to, like exchange
- What’s prompted the survey
- The property’s address and postcode
If you are buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.