Essex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Oaker Hill
Independent chimney surveys in Oaker Hill. We have completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- A stack that appears to lean
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- How big the roof is
- Basic, Standard or Premium
To find out what your survey will cost, phone 07833 053749 or email us and let us know about the roof. We will confirm the figure before booking.
What to tell us when you get in touch
Before you get in touch, it’s useful to have:
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- What kind of property and roof it is
To book a survey, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price before booking.
About our chimney survey in Oaker Hill
If you are buying a home with chimneys, it is worth knowing their condition before you exchange. On older stacks, we often find cracked flaunching, loose flashings and worn pointing. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. We’re often asked to look into a stack that appears to lean and redundant stacks capped without ventilation, across chimney breasts, brick chimney stacks and flaunching.
In a small place like Oaker Hill, many roofs stand in the open, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. 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. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
Where we cannot see part of the chimney stack, the report says so. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Location
- Oaker Hill (CO9)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to Oaker Hill
Other services in Oaker Hill
Checking the roof from the ground
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, which helps when we look at the roof.
What a chimney survey does not cover
Before booking, it is worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will suggest the right survey. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Oaker Hill
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney pots and cowls
Pots sit in the flaunching on top of the stack, and cowls or caps sit on the pots. The survey looks for cracked, loose or missing pots and cowls.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Inside, chimney breasts can show damp when water gets into the stack. We check the breasts and the stack in the loft space where we can reach.
Local roofs in Oaker Hill
Weatherboarded walls and clay tile roofs are typical of older Essex buildings, alongside plenty of post-war and newer estates. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. The wider area around Oaker Hill has a long history of building, with Hedingham Castle about 3.2 miles south-east. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
The streets around a church such as Parish Church of St Andrew are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. If you look after a building such as St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Oaker Hill is in Essex. Bookings from Oaker Hill are handled just like any other: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Across Essex, we cover Oaker Hill and the places around it. You can also see our page for Chelmsford.
All of CO9 is covered for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Great Yeldham (1 mile south-east), Tilbury Juxta Clare (1 mile north-east), Ridgewell (1 mile north-west), Toppesfield (1 mile south-west) and Little Yeldham (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Braintree (10 miles south), Saffron Walden (13 miles west), Halstead (7 miles south-east), Great Dunmow (13 miles south-west), Great Notley (11 miles south) and Bocking (10 miles south).
What’s near Oaker Hill
Around Oaker Hill, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Three Bottles Public House, among other places. Well-known places in the area include Hedingham Castle (3.2 miles south-east) and Toppesfield Museum of The Working Horse (1.5 miles south-west).
Oaker Hill: your questions answered
Do you cover smaller places like Oaker Hill?
Yes, Oaker Hill is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Do you cover Oaker Hill?
Yes, Oaker Hill is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Oaker Hill as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Should I worry about a leaning stack?
A leaning stack should be looked at. Our survey notes how it looks and the condition of the bricks and joints, and if it may be a structural issue, we recommend a structural engineer.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
It depends on its condition and your plans. We record how the stack is doing and whether it’s capped with ventilation. If you are thinking of removing it, check with the council first in a conservation area or on a listed building.
What insurance do you have?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose.
What’s in the survey report?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos, finishing with recommendations. The most urgent items are made clear.
For landlords and managing agents
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
We survey roofs for landlords and agents as well as householders. A photo-illustrated written report gives you a clear record of the chimney stack.
How the survey works
We photograph the roof as we go, so you can see in the report what we found and where. We take close-ups from wherever is safe, including by drone where it is applicable and the weather allows. Most surveys take about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Somewhere as small as Oaker Hill, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- First you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can be seen safely.
- Every part we can see is looked at: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Where there is safe access, we look at the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- You get a written report with photographs and our recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Leave side gates unlocked
Getting a price
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.