Essex · London and the South East
Latton Chimney Survey
A careful look at the chimney stack at your property in Latton, and put it all in a report with photographs.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- A chimney out of line
- Cracked or missing flaunching
The survey, step by step
We check the roof from outside and, where it is relevant and there is safe access, from inside the loft space too. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging, as far as the space allows. All in, the survey normally takes an hour or two for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Cottages and farmhouses around Latton often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- You let us know how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Where there’s safe access, we check the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- The findings are written up with photographs and recommendations and emailed to you.
Preparing for the visit
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Keep pets in another room
Arrange a survey
A quick phone call is typically the easiest start: call 07833 053749 or email us. The price is agreed before a date is set.
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How a chimney survey works in Latton
Our chimney survey covers the stack and the details that keep water out around it: the pots and cowls, the flaunching on top, the pointing, the brickwork and the flashings where it meets the roof. We also look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access. The findings come in a written report with photos and recommendations. We survey single stacks on houses and groups of stacks on bigger buildings. We are often asked to look into damaged chimney pots and cowls and disused chimneys trapping moisture, across brick chimney stacks, lead flashings and flaunching.
In a village or hamlet like Latton, older cottages and farmhouses frequently sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few 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.
If any part of the chimney stack couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. That way, it is clear what was covered and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Place
- Latton (CM17, CM18, CM20)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Latton
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Harlow Town station?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. You can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you need.
Do you cover smaller places like Latton?
Yes, Latton is covered. Our area covers London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
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, and the report makes that clear.
What does the report include?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos, and ends with what we recommend. The most urgent items are made clear.
Which parts of the chimney do you look at?
The whole stack, as far as it can safely be seen: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings. We also note leaning, redundant stacks and damp inside.
Why is my chimney breast damp?
There are a few common causes: cracked flaunching, worn pointing, failed flashings, uncapped pots, or damp trapped in an unventilated stack. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause.
How much is a survey?
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. We confirm the exact price before you book, based on the roof’s size, access and package. To get a price, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Chimney surveys in Latton: local notes
Weatherboarded walls and clay tile roofs are typical of older Essex buildings, and lots of post-war and modern estates besides. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. Harlow, which Latton is part of, is one of England’s post-war new towns. Many homes in the new towns date from the post-war decades, with concrete interlocking tiles, low-pitched roofs and flat-roofed garages and porches. Low-pitched roofs shed water more slowly, and older concrete tiles, felt and gutters on these homes may be nearing the end of their life.
Take an older house close to Church of St Andrew: old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs. If you own a rental within reach of Harlow Town station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at. If you look after a building such as Church Langley Community Primary School, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Latton is about 1 mile south-east of Harlow, in Essex. Bookings from Latton are handled just like any other: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Latton is one of the places in Essex where we work. You can also see our page for Chelmsford.
We cover every part of the CM17, CM18 and CM20 postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. That includes homes and businesses on London Road, Minton Lane and Tumbler Road. Latton sits on or near the A414, so getting to you is simple. If you’re just outside Latton, we cover Harlow (1 mile north-west), Mark Hall South (1 mile north-west), Newhall (1 mile north-east), Bush Fair (1 mile south-west) and Netteswell (1 mile north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Brentwood (12 miles south-east), Loughton (8 miles south), Waltham Abbey (7 miles south-west), Great Dunmow (13 miles north-east), Epping (5 miles south) and Stansted Mountfitchet (10 miles north).
What’s near Latton
Around Latton, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Passmores Academy, Harlow Marsh and Purple Emperor pub and the streets around them. Latton’s nearest station is Harlow Town station, about 1.7 miles north-west. Nearby you’ll also find Princess Alexandra Hospital (1.7 miles west) and Mark Hall Cycle Museum (0.9 miles north). The countryside around Latton includes Hunsdon Mead.
Practical tips
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
If the stack is shared, you can pass the report to your neighbour. It shows what we found and where from the viewpoints we used.
Get small mortar repairs done while they’re small. It’s far simpler than rebuilding a stack later.
What this survey cannot tell you
To be straight with you, there are limits to any roof survey:
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Parts of the stack that cannot be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we cannot access
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
Nearby places to Latton
What else we do in Latton
What we look for on each type of roof
Flaunching
Cracked flaunching is one of the most common chimney defects we record. It’s usually a modest repair when it’s caught early.
Brick stacks
Brick stacks rely on sound pointing to keep water out. We check the bricks for spalling and the joints for erosion.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Latton
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer, and they’re priced for the size.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photographs included.
What a survey costs
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before you book. This is what makes a difference:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- The size of the roof
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Booking your survey
A little information up front helps. Please include:
- When you need the report by
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- What kind of property and roof it is
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
We confirm the exact price before you book, so you know where you stand. Our price is from £150, including VAT. To book, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.