Essex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Little Horkesley, Essex
Need a chimney survey in Little Horkesley? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Little Horkesley
Older buildings in Essex often have clay tiles and weatherboarding, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look. What can be done to an older roof may depend on listing or a conservation area. The council is the place to check, along with Historic England’s list, before anyone quotes for re-roofing.
Landlords with a home close to Bures station may find that a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Little Horkesley is about 5 miles north-west of Colchester, in Essex. Little Horkesley is one of many places we visit across Essex, for homes and businesses alike. We cover towns and villages across Essex, from the larger towns to small villages. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: CO6. Streets in the area include London Road, Nayland Road and School Road, all of which we cover. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Wissington (1 mile north), Nayland (2 miles north-east), Wormingford (2 miles west), Great Horkesley (2 miles south-east) and Cock Street (3 miles north). Larger places within reach include Colchester (5 miles south-east), Braintree (13 miles west), Witham (14 miles south-west), Camulodunum (5 miles south), Halstead (9 miles west) and Greenstead (6 miles south-east).
What’s near Little Horkesley
We work in homes and buildings around The Beehive pub. For rail, the closest station is Bures station, about 3.8 miles west. Well-known places in the area include Mount Bures (3.6 miles west) and Severalls Hospital (2.9 miles south-east). The countryside around Little Horkesley includes Arger Fen.
How a chimney survey works in Little Horkesley
On terraced and semi-detached houses, a chimney stack is frequently 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. Everything is written up with photos and what we recommend. If you’ve noticed damp patches on chimney breasts and spalled or crumbling bricks, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are frequently where weather gets in first.
Findings are set out part by part, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, each with a short note and a photo. You will see the good as well as the bad.
- Where
- Little Horkesley (CO6)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out in order of urgency where relevant, which helps with budgets and planning.
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the addresses.
Questions from Little Horkesley
How do I find out if my home in Little Horkesley is listed?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
Do you cover smaller places like Little Horkesley?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling are not something we do. Where a material might contain it, like old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it.
Which parts of the chimney do you look at?
The whole stack, as far as it can be seen safely: from the pots and flaunching down to the flashings. We also note leaning, redundant stacks and damp inside.
Are you insured?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
Yes. We look at the parts we can see safely and the parts you can give us access to. Where a problem appears to be on next door’s side, we note it and you can raise it with them.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not unless it is safe. Most of what we need can be seen from safe viewpoints, the loft and, where it applies, a drone, and the report notes anything we couldn’t see.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date, which helps when we look at the roof.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That part is for a survey.
Why act early in Little Horkesley
A damp chimney breast seldom dries out until the cause is found. It can spoil decoration and plaster. Knowing whether it is the flaunching, flashings, brickwork or ventilation means the right fix can be planned. In a place like Little Horkesley, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Every price we give includes VAT. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for your roof before you book.
Why us?
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Surveys seven days a week
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
What a survey costs
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. That comes down to:
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- The shape of the roof and its details
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- How big the roof is
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Helping us price your survey
The more you tell us, the easier it is to price the survey. When you get in touch, it helps to mention:
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- What’s prompted the survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Places near Little Horkesley
What else we do in Little Horkesley
Do you need a chimney survey in Little Horkesley?
Lots of homes have redundant stacks. If a stack is capped or blocked without ventilation, moisture can build up inside. That can lead to damp patches on chimney breasts, even with the roof in good order.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Worn or missing pointing
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Church of St Peter and St Paul, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
What to check before booking
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Which limits apply to the survey
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
How the survey works
The aim of the visit is simple: to see as much of the chimney stack as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Notes and photos go into the written report. It normally takes about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Older rural homes like those around Little Horkesley can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen, and anything we can’t 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.
- We check the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Preparing for the visit
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Let us know about parking before the day
Arrange a survey
We survey roofs seven days a week. To arrange a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and the days you’d prefer.