Essex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Lamarsh
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching around Lamarsh, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
Questions from Lamarsh
I let a flat near Bures station. Can you check the roof?
Of course. We just need to know who will give access, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Is my home in Lamarsh listed or in a conservation area?
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.
Do I need to be at home?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the loft space, someone has to give us access; we’ll agree the details when booking.
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.
Does the report include photographs?
Yes. Photographs are part of every report, so you can see each point for yourself.
How long will you be at the property?
That depends on the size and shape of the roof, but most surveys take between one and two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. The report is sent afterwards by email.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey seven days a week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Let us know which days suit you when you book.
Chimney survey in Lamarsh: what you get
If you’re buying a home with chimneys, it is worth knowing their condition before you exchange. On older stacks, we often find cracked flaunching, loose flashings and worn pointing. You get photos and findings you can take back to the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. If you’re worried about spalled or crumbling bricks and pots or cowls that look unsafe, we can find out what’s behind it.
In a village or hamlet like Lamarsh, older cottages and farmhouses often sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. We report on everything that’s safely in view, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it’s usually the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
Where we cannot see part of the chimney stack, the report says so. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Where
- Lamarsh (CO8)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near Lamarsh
Also in Lamarsh
The survey, step by step
We’ll ask a few questions first, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. In a small place like Lamarsh, access is normally the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
Before the survey
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- Jot down any questions you want answered
How to book
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Related advice
Chimney surveys in Lamarsh: local notes
In Essex, older buildings are often clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, and plenty of post-war and modern estates besides. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. Gainsborough's House, about 3.7 miles north, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Lamarsh. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters.
If you own a rental within reach of Bures station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints. For an older house near a landmark such as Church of the Holy Innocents, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Lamarsh is in Essex. If you’re in Lamarsh, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Our area takes in places right across Essex. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
We cover every part of the CO8 postcode area for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on Alphamstone Road, Henny Road and Bell Hill or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Alphamstone (1 mile west), Bures Green (1 mile east), Bures (1 mile south-east), Mount Bures (2 miles south) and Cross End (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover Colchester (9 miles south-east), Braintree (11 miles south-west), Witham (14 miles south), Camulodunum (9 miles south-east), Halstead (6 miles south-west) and Greenstead (10 miles south-east).
What’s near Lamarsh
Around Lamarsh, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Lamarsh Lion pub and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Bures station, roughly 1.3 miles south-east of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Sudbury Museum (3.5 miles north) and Mount Bures (2.1 miles south). The countryside around Lamarsh includes Cornard Mere.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date, which helps when we check the roof.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Tips that help
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
With a shared stack, the report can help when talking to next door. It shows what we found and where, as far as we could see.
Have aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked, and moved if they’re working it loose. Removing unused fixings takes strain off the brickwork.
How the survey changes by roof type
Flaunching
Flaunching takes the worst of the weather. The survey checks for cracking and gaps around each pot.
Lead flashings
Flashings can lift in wind or pull out of their mortar joints. We photograph any we find that look loose or damaged.
What affects the price in Lamarsh
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- The size of the roof
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we will tell you which fits.
Booking your survey
What helps most when you contact us:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Your timetable, like an exchange date
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- What made you get in touch
To book a survey, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Lamarsh
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. Surveys run seven days a week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.