Buckinghamshire · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Latimer
We carry out chimney surveys in Latimer and the rest of Buckinghamshire. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends.
- A chimney out of line
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
Chimney survey in Latimer
Each stack is looked at from the safest viewpoints available: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the roof space where it’s safe. A drone inspection is part of our Premium Survey where applicable. If we can’t see part of the stack, the report makes that clear. Every defect we find is photographed and described in plain words. Typical surveys look at bricks with flaking faces and pots or cowls that look unsafe, across flaunching, shared and party-wall stacks and chimney breasts.
Somewhere as small as Latimer, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are often old. 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.
Nothing in the report is left vague: where something needs attention, it says so plainly, along with how urgent it is.
- Place
- Latimer (HP5)
- Wider area
- Buckinghamshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How it works
We do not take risks to get a closer look. Everything that can safely be seen is inspected, and anything we can’t see is noted in the report. The survey usually takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. For a village or hamlet like Latimer, the journey is planned ahead of time: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there’s safe access and from the roof where it’s safe.
- First you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We check the chimney breasts and the stack in the roof space where we can reach them.
- The findings are written up with photos and recommendations and emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Booking a survey
We confirm the price for your roof before booking, so you know the cost up front. Prices start from £150, including VAT. To book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
What we look for on each type of roof
Rendered stacks
We can’t see the bricks behind render without it being opened up, so the report says what can and can’t be judged.
Chimney breasts and the loft
In the loft, staining around the stack frequently shows where water is getting in. We record what we see with photos.
What you can safely check yourself
A lot can be seen 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.
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Chimney surveys in Latimer: local notes
Thatch survives on some older buildings in Buckinghamshire’s villages. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters. Chenies Manor House, about 1.1 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Latimer. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If you look after a building such as Little Chalfont Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. If you live in an older home near Church of St Mary Magdalene, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. For landlords with property near Chalfont & Latimer station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Latimer is about 2 miles east of Amersham, in Buckinghamshire. We provide chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Latimer. Latimer is one of the towns and villages in Buckinghamshire we cover for chimney surveys. For surveys nearby, see our London page.
All of HP5 is covered for chimney surveys. Local streets include Spring Close, The Grove and The Ridings. We also cover the places around Latimer: Little Chalfont (1 mile south-west), Chenies (1 mile east), Flaunden (2 miles north-east), Belsize (2 miles north-east) and Chorleywood (3 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns like Aylesbury (15 miles north-west), High Wycombe (9 miles south-west), Chesham (3 miles north-west), Marlow (12 miles south-west), Beaconsfield (6 miles south-west) and Chalfont St Peter (5 miles south).
What’s near Latimer
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Dr Challoner's High School. For rail, the closest station is Chalfont & Latimer station, about 1 mile south of the centre. Nearby you will also find Amersham Hospital (3.1 miles south-west) and Amersham Fair Organ Museum (1.7 miles west). For a walk, there is Sarratt Bottom nature reserve.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Latimer
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Latimer. For a price for a let property or a block, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Your questions about chimney surveys in Latimer
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Chalfont & Latimer station?
Yes, that’s a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Latimer?
We cannot confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Our survey is not a structural engineer’s report, and it does not include calculations. We will recommend an engineer if we see signs that call for one.
Are you insured?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
How much is a survey?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Our Basic Survey starts from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all with VAT included.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
No. We survey the stack and its weathering, not the flue. For the flue, you’ll need a sweep or, for gas, a Gas Safe registered engineer.
What’s in the survey report?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos, finishing with recommendations. Points are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
Leave it or get it looked at?
If you’re buying, find out about the stacks before you exchange. After that, any work is yours to arrange and pay for. Our report gives you facts to raise with the seller or agent. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Latimer, driving rain gets into any weakness, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Why book with us
- A written report with photographs
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Over 20 years’ experience
- PI and public liability insurance
See what a roof survey costs or what we found on two real jobs.
Before and after the survey
Nothing here needs a ladder. A few suggestions:
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
Where another specialist is needed, such as a structural engineer or sweep, we explain why. It gives them a clear starting point.
Make sure redundant flues are capped with ventilation. Ventilation helps keep the stack dry.