Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Ley Green Chimney Survey
Chimney surveys across Ley Green, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Staining on walls around the chimney
How a chimney survey works in Ley Green
If a chimney looks out of line, it is worth getting it checked. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down, often after years of flue gases and damp. The survey notes how the stack looks, how far it seems to lean and the state of the bricks and joints. Where it may be a structural concern, we will recommend a structural engineer. We survey brick chimney stacks, chimney pots and cowls and lead flashings, and the problems we are asked to look at most are pots or cowls that look unsafe and a chimney out of line.
In a small place like Ley Green, many roofs stand in the open, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Location
- Ley Green (SG4)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan.
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait.
What happens on the day
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. We then inspect everything that can be seen safely, from the ground, from windows, in the roof space and by drone where it applies. Most surveys take an hour or two at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Cottages and farmhouses around Ley Green frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Getting ready for the survey
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Keep pets in another room
- Tell us where we can park nearby
Getting a price
Most bookings start with a short call: call 07833 053749 or send us an email. You will have a price before anything is arranged.
Related advice
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings
Flashings can lift in wind or pull out of their mortar joints. Any loose or split flashings are recorded.
Rendered stacks
What’s behind the render can’t be seen without removing some, so the report says what can and can’t be judged.
Ley Green: your questions answered
Do you cover smaller places like Ley Green?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Hitchin station?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and some details, including who will give access on the day.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
No. It isn’t a flue, sweep or gas safety inspection. We look at the stack, pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings, and damp inside and flag anything that suggests the flue needs a look.
Does the report include photographs?
Yes, every report has them. Each finding is shown in a picture where possible, so you can see what we mean.
Our stack is shared. Can you still survey it?
Yes. We check the parts we can see safely and the parts you can 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.
Do I need to be at home?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. Access is agreed with you when booking.
How much does a chimney survey cost in Ley Green?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose, and it’s agreed before booking.
Can I check my roof myself?
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Do not go up yourself.
Signs you need a chimney survey in Ley Green
Where a chimney meets the roof, lead flashings keep water out. With age they can lift, split or come away from the joints. Failed flashings are one of the most common causes of damp around chimneys. Lead is also a target for theft.
People normally book a survey when they’ve noticed something like this:
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
Take an older house close to Church of St Mary: its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Questions to ask before booking
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Are they insured for the work?
What a chimney survey does not cover
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, so a survey has limits:
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Flue inspections or sweeping
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you before you book. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
Chimney surveys around Ley Green
Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. About 4.9 miles south-east lies Knebworth House, a reminder of how long the area around Ley Green has been built on. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Preston Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. Landlords with a home close to Hitchin station may find that a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Ley Green is about 4 miles south-west of Hitchin, in Hertfordshire. We survey roofs in Ley Green and the rest of Hertfordshire, as part of our work across London and the South East. We cover towns and villages across Hertfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. For surveys nearby, see our Milton Keynes page.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: SG4. Whether your property is on Plough Lane, Whitehall Road and School Lane or a nearby road, we can survey it. We also cover Great Offley (2 miles north-west), Temple End (2 miles north) and The Flints (2 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Hemel Hempstead (12 miles south-west), Stevenage (6 miles east), St Albans (11 miles south), Welwyn Garden City (9 miles south-east), Harpenden (6 miles south) and Hitchin (4 miles north-east).
Landmarks near Ley Green
The nearest railway station is Hitchin station, about 4 miles north-east. Other landmarks nearby include Wymondley Castle (4.3 miles north-east) and Lister Hospital (4.5 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Markham's Hill and Oughtonhead Nature Reserve.