Thurrock · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in North Stifford
A careful look at the chimney stack at your property in North Stifford, and put it all in a report with photographs.
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
Before and after the survey
You do not need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Check unused flues are capped with ventilation
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Check fixings on the stack are sound, and moved if they’re working it loose. Removing unused fixings takes strain off the brickwork.
About our chimney survey in North Stifford
A chimney survey looks at the stack and everything around it: the pots and cowls, the flaunching on top, the pointing, the brickwork and the flashings where it meets the roof. We also look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access. The findings come in a written report with photos and recommendations. It suits a single stack on a house as well as several on a larger building. We’re often asked to look into disused chimneys trapping moisture and flaunching that has broken away, across chimney breasts, flaunching and lead flashings.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, 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. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
The report is written in plain words, so you do not need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photo where possible, and recommendations are put in order of urgency where relevant.
- Where
- North Stifford (RM16)
- Region
- Thurrock
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes between one and two hours for most houses, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Older roofs in small places like North Stifford can have low, tight loft spaces, so it helps to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Preparing for the visit
- Keep pets in another room
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Arrange a survey
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the details.
Advice
Should I look at the roof myself first?
A lot can be seen from ground level. 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. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That’s where a survey comes in.
Nearby places to North Stifford
Other services in North Stifford
North Stifford homes and their roofs
The coast is about 5 miles or less from North Stifford, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Near the sea, metal fixings wear faster and loose pieces on a roof are more likely to lift, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. About 5 miles west lies Rainham Hall, a reminder of how long the area around North Stifford has been built on. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If you own a rental within reach of Chafford Hundred station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints. The streets around a church such as Church of St Mary the Virgin are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. Take a building like Tudor Court Primary School: its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
North Stifford is about 2 miles north-west of Grays, in Thurrock. If you’re in North Stifford, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. We cover towns and villages across Thurrock, large and small. For surveys nearby, see our London page.
Surveys in RM16 are booked the same way as anywhere else. That includes homes and businesses on Guardian Avenue, Birchfield and Elvin Close. Close by, we survey roofs in Chafford Hundred (1 mile south-east), Grays (2 miles south-east), Little Thurrock (2 miles east), Orsett Heath (3 miles east) and Chadwell St Mary (3 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Stanford-le-Hope (6 miles east), Balstonia (6 miles east), Corringham (7 miles east), Tilbury (4 miles south-east), Purfleet-on-Thames (3 miles west) and East Tilbury (5 miles east).
Near you in North Stifford
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Chafford Hundred Business and Enterprise College, Belhus and The Dog and Partridge pub. The nearest railway station is Chafford Hundred station, roughly 1 mile south-west. Other landmarks nearby include Thameside Centre (1.6 miles south-east) and Lakeside Shopping Centre (1 mile south-west). For a walk, there is Sawyers Lake and Chafford Gorges Nature Park.
What this survey cannot tell you
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
- Flue inspections or sweeping
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in North Stifford
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
What affects the price in North Stifford
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- Height and safe access
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- House, block, shop or office
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Helping us price your survey
You do not need to know any roofing terms. Just let us know:
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Anything about access we should know
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
If you’re buying, it’s useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form when you’re ready.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Loose pots and bricks on a stack are a safety concern. Finding them early means they can be dealt with before they come down by a roofer. In a place like North Stifford, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
A Basic Survey starts from £150, with VAT included. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, both including VAT. We confirm the price for your survey before you book.
Why book us in North Stifford
- Plain-English reports with photos
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
Common questions in North Stifford
Will you come out to North Stifford?
Yes, we do. Our area covers London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Is the coastal weather around North Stifford hard on roofs?
It can do. North Stifford is within about 5 miles of the sea, and coastal roofs tend to see faster wear on metal parts and more wind lifting loose pieces.
Can you find out why my chimney breast is damp?
There are a few common causes: water getting in at the top, through the brickwork or at the flashings, or moisture trapped in a stack with no ventilation. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause.
My chimney looks like it is leaning. What should I do?
A leaning stack should be looked at. We record the lean, the brickwork and the pointing, and recommend a structural engineer where it may be a structural concern.
How long is the visit?
Expect it to take about 1–2 hours at a typical home; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. You will then get the report by email, on the timescale of your package.
Will you check the loft?
Yes, where the survey calls for it and there’s safe access. We look for staining, damp, daylight and signs of movement, as far as the space allows.
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 the South East.