Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Nettleden Chimney Survey
Chimney surveys in Nettleden, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. You get a clear report with photographs.
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
Tips that help
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. It is far simpler than rebuilding a stack later.
Chimney survey in Nettleden: what you get
Our chimney survey covers the stack and the details that keep water out around it: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and the flashings at the roof line. We also look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access. You get a report with photographs and our recommendations. It suits a single stack on a house as well as several on a larger building. If you’ve noticed mortar washing out of the joints and gaps where the stack meets the roof, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
In a village or hamlet like Nettleden, older cottages and farmhouses often sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. 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.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Each point is backed by a photo where possible.
- Place
- Nettleden (HP1)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Nettleden homes and their roofs
Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look. If your home is older, it is worth knowing whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before planning roof work. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas.
For an older house near a landmark like Church of St Lawrence, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look. For landlords with property near Berkhamsted station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant. Anyone responsible for a site like Great Gaddesden Church of England Primary School will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Nettleden is about 3 miles north-east of Berkhamsted, in Hertfordshire. From houses to flats and shops in Nettleden, we can survey the roof on a weekday or at the weekend. Nettleden is one of the towns and villages in Hertfordshire where we work for chimney surveys. You can also see our page for Milton Keynes.
Every address in HP1 is covered for chimney surveys. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Frithsden (1 mile south-west), Great Gaddesden (1 mile north-east), Potten End (1 mile south), Fields End (2 miles south) and Ashridge (2 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Watford (10 miles south-east), Hemel Hempstead (3 miles south-east), St Albans (9 miles east), Welwyn Garden City (14 miles east), Harpenden (8 miles east) and Hatfield (12 miles east).
Local landmarks in Nettleden
In Nettleden, that means homes and buildings near John F Kennedy Catholic School. Nettleden’s nearest station is Berkhamsted station, about 2.2 miles south-west of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Hemel Hempstead Hospital (3.1 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Long Deans.
Nearby places to Nettleden
More services for Nettleden
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:
- Hidden damage within the stack
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
- A structural engineer’s assessment
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll point you to the right survey. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
What you can safely check yourself
You can learn a lot from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That is where a survey comes in.
How it works
We look at the roof from outside and, where it’s relevant and there’s 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 typically takes between one and two hours at most homes, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. In a hamlet or village like Nettleden, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- You let us know how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can be seen safely.
- Every part we can see is checked: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Where there’s safe access, we check the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- You get a report with photographs and our recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Keep pets in another room
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
Getting a price
Getting a price is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email, let us know about the property and we will point you to the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Read more
Landlords, agents and block managers in Nettleden
Landlords, agents and building managers in Nettleden and across Hertfordshire can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, putting the urgent items at the top.
FAQs for Nettleden
I let a flat near Berkhamsted station. Can you check the roof?
Of course. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
How do I find out if my home in Nettleden 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.
What’s in the survey report?
It explains what we saw, what it means and what we’d suggest, backed by photos. Anything we couldn’t see safely is noted too.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Light rain doesn’t normally stop a survey. Strong wind or heavy rain can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so we’ll agree a new date if the weather is not suitable.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
No. We survey the stack and its weathering, not the flue. For the flue, you will need a sweep or, for gas, a Gas Safe registered engineer.
How do I book a survey in Nettleden?
Simply phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. After a few questions, we confirm the price and fix a day, weekday or weekend.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only when it’s safe. Safety comes first, and fragile or steep roofs cannot always be walked on. Safe viewpoints, the loft and a drone where it applies let us see the rest, and the report records anything we couldn’t see.
What we look for on each type of roof
Brick stacks
Brick stacks rely on sound pointing to keep water out. We check the bricks for spalling and the joints for erosion.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Stains on timbers or brickwork around the stack can point to a leak. We record what we see with photos.