Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Mackerye End, Hertfordshire
A careful look at the chimney stack at your property in Mackerye End, and put it all in a report with photographs.
- A stack that appears to lean
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
How the survey changes by roof type
Rendered stacks
Some stacks are rendered, which can hide the condition of the brickwork beneath. The survey checks for cracking, bulging and staining in the render.
Brick stacks
Frost can damage bricks that have soaked up water, making the faces flake away. Any spalling is noted with photos.
How a chimney survey works in Mackerye End
A leaning chimney stack is worth having looked at. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down, frequently after years of flue gases and damp. We record the lean and the condition of the brickwork and pointing. Where it may be a structural concern, we’ll recommend a structural engineer. We survey shared and party-wall stacks, lead flashings and chimney breasts, and the problems we are asked to look at most are a stack that appears to lean and damp patches on chimney breasts.
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 roof report shows what needs attention first. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are frequently where weather gets in first.
It is not only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Where
- Mackerye End (AL5)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Landlords, agents and block managers in Mackerye End
With a portfolio of properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the addresses.
We survey roofs for letting agents and landlords as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the chimney stack, with photographs.
Signs you need a chimney survey in Mackerye End
Flaunching is the mortar bed that holds the pots and throws water off the top. Once it cracks, water gets in and frost makes the cracks bigger. In time, the pots can become loose.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- A chimney out of line
Take a building like Sauncey Wood Primary School: its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Is VAT included in the price?
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- What experience they bring
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
To price your survey, we check:
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- The roof’s overall size
- House, block, shop or office
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. The price is always agreed first.
Booking your survey
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It’s useful to include:
- The address and postcode of the property
- When you need the report by
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
Most bookings start with a short call: call 07833 053749 or email us, and we’ll ask about the building and what you need. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Towns and villages near Mackerye End
What else we do in Mackerye End
Chimney surveys around Mackerye End
The wider area around Mackerye End has a long history of building, with Shaw's Corner about 2.3 miles east. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Whatever the covering, it is frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
Homes near green spaces like Lydekker Park can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. For landlords with property near Harpenden station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Mackerye End is about 1 mile north-east of Harpenden, in Hertfordshire. Mackerye End gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful look at whatever is safely visible, photographs and a clear written report. Across Hertfordshire, we cover Mackerye End and the places around it. We also survey roofs in Milton Keynes.
All of AL5 is covered for chimney surveys. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Lea Valley (1 mile south), Porter's End (1 mile north), The Folly (1 mile south-east), Blackmore End (1 mile north-east) and Bower Heath (1 mile north-west). Further out, we also cover Watford (12 miles south), Hemel Hempstead (8 miles south-west), Stevenage (8 miles north-east), St Albans (5 miles south), Welwyn Garden City (6 miles east) and Hitchin (9 miles north).
Local landmarks in Mackerye End
We work in homes and buildings around The Cherry Trees pub, Sir John Lawes School and Lydekker Park. The closest station to Mackerye End is Harpenden station, about 1.7 miles south-west. Nearby you’ll also find St Albans City Hospital (4.8 miles south) and Harpenden Museum (1.9 miles south-west). The countryside around Mackerye End includes Wheathampstead Local Nature Reserve.
How the survey works
The visit has one job: to look at the chimney stack as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photographs go into the written report. It usually takes about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In a small place like Mackerye End, access is typically the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We check the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Getting ready for the survey
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Getting a price
If you’re buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or email us when you are ready.
Related advice
Useful tips for Mackerye End property owners
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
If the stack is shared, you can pass the report to your neighbour. The photos show the problem and which side it is on from the viewpoints we used.
Get small mortar repairs done while they’re small. Small repairs now can save bigger work later.
FAQs for Mackerye End
How do I find out if my home in Mackerye End is listed?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Will you come out to Mackerye End?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Do you use drones?
Yes, where it applies and safe. We fly a sub-250g drone and we’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where it applies.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. It’s a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first, with the building owner or managing agent. Let us know about it when you book and we will explain what’s needed.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It can, depending on the survey. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. We will rearrange with you if the weather isn’t right.