Essex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Messing, Essex
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Messing, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Bricks with flaking faces
For landlords and managing agents
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Mention it when you get in touch and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work.
How a chimney survey works in Messing
Each stack is looked at from the safest viewpoints available: from ground level, from windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there’s access. With our Premium Survey, a drone inspection is included where it applies. Where part of a stack can’t be seen, the report says so. Every defect we find is photographed and described in plain words. We survey flaunching, chimney breasts and lead flashings, and people most often book us about spalled or crumbling bricks and lifted or split lead flashings.
Older buildings in small places like Messing may be listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Older materials like clay tiles, slate and stone are frequently matched when work is done.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Messing (CO5)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Common roof problems in Messing
Chimney stacks stand above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. Frost opens up cracks in the mortar, and rain gets into worn bricks and joints. Most people book after spotting damp or a loose pot, or before buying.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
Homes near green spaces such as Tiptree Parish Field can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn.
Questions to ask before booking
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
- Their report turnaround times
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- What happens after the report arrives
When you need someone else
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- Areas we cannot view from safe positions
- Conditions inside walls
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will tell you. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Messing
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching
How the survey changes by roof type
Flaunching
Cracked flaunching is one of the most common chimney defects we record. It’s normally a modest repair when it’s caught early.
Rendered stacks
A rendered stack can mask problems in the bricks below. We look for cracks, hollow areas and staining.
Messing questions
Is my home in Messing listed or in a conservation area?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Is Messing within the area you cover?
Yes, Messing is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Should I worry about a leaning stack?
Have it checked rather than leaving it. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down. The survey records what we can see, and a structural engineer can assess whether it needs work.
What will the report tell me?
It explains what we saw, what it means and what we’d suggest, backed by photographs. Anything we couldn’t see safely is noted too, so you know exactly what was covered.
What do you check on a chimney?
We check the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings. We also check chimney breasts and the stack in the roof space where we can reach. You get a written report with photos.
Do I need to be at home?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you as you book.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
The survey, step by step
The visit normally starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the roof space if there is safe access. All told, expect about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Rural addresses near Messing can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- You let us know how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- The stacks are looked at from the ground, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
Getting ready for the survey
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Book a survey
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the details.
Related advice
Nearby places to Messing
Other services in Messing
Why get it checked now?
Cracked flaunching and worn pointing are often modest repairs when they’re caught early. Leave it, and frost can work the stack loose and the job gets bigger. Older cottages and farmhouses around Messing can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
Prices start from £150, with VAT included, for a Basic Survey. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400. You will know the price for your survey before booking.
Why us?
- An independent view of the roof
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Package prices that include VAT
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
Take a look at our cost guide or what we found on two real jobs.
Chimney surveys around Messing
Older buildings in Essex often have clay tiles and weatherboarding, and plenty of post-war and modern estates besides. Whatever the covering, it’s frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. About 2.2 miles south-east lies Layer Marney Tower, a reminder of how long the area around Messing has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
If you own a rental within reach of Kelvedon station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at. For an older house near a landmark such as Church of All Saints (messing), corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Messing is about 5 miles north-east of Witham, in Essex. Wherever you are in Messing, we can carry out chimney surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. We cover towns and villages across Essex, from the larger towns to small villages. Chelmsford is in our area too.
We survey roofs across CO5 for chimney surveys. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Kelvedon Road, School Road and Lodge Road or a nearby road, we can help. We also cover the places around Messing: Tiptree (2 miles south), Feering (2 miles west), Windmill Hill (2 miles south-west), Stocks Green (2 miles north-west) and Easthorpe (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Colchester (7 miles north-east), Chelmsford (13 miles south-west), Braintree (9 miles west), Maldon (8 miles south), Witham (5 miles south-west) and Camulodunum (6 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Messing
Around Messing, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Thurstable School Sports College and Sixth Form Centre, Maypole Public House and Tiptree Parish Field and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Kelvedon station, about 2.1 miles west. Well-known places in the area include Anchor Press Museum (1.7 miles south) and Birch Castle (3 miles east). Not far away are Oxley Meadow.