Essex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Old Heath, Essex
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Old Heath, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photos.
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Old Heath
A damp patch on a chimney breast does not always come from the same place. It might come in at the top, through worn pointing or porous bricks, or where the flashings meet the roof. Condensation inside an unventilated stack is another common cause. We look at each possibility and record what we find. You then know where to start. If you’ve noticed cracked or missing flaunching and spalled or crumbling bricks, we can find out what’s behind it, on chimney pots and cowls, brick chimney stacks and lead flashings alike.
In a smaller place like Old Heath, some roofs stand more exposed to wind and rain than in a built-up town. That weather tells first on ridges, verges, chimneys and flashings. A close look shows whether anything has started to loosen. Once one ridge tile or slate moves, wind gets under the next one too.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Where
- Old Heath (CO2, CO1, CO4)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Practical tips
Small things make a difference, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Some pointers:
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Check unused flues are capped with ventilation
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
You get the report by email and can pass it to whoever does the work. Each defect is described in plain words and shown in a photo, so it’s easy to follow.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. Early signs are easier to trace.
Chimney surveys around Old Heath
Old Heath lies within about 4 miles of the sea, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, and strong wind lifts anything already loose on a roof, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. Older buildings in Essex often have clay tiles and weatherboarding, and lots of post-war and modern estates besides. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
If you live in an older home near St Barnabas, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. If you let a flat or house near Hythe station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Old Heath is about 1 mile south of Greenstead, in Essex. Old Heath is one of many places we visit across Essex, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Our Essex coverage includes Old Heath. There’s also a page for Chelmsford.
Every address in CO2, CO1 and CO4 is covered for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Whether your property is on Wick Road, Haven Road and D'arcy Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. We also cover The Hythe (1 mile north), Berechurch (1 mile south-west), Rowhedge (1 mile south-east), Greenstead (1 mile north) and Wivenhoe Cross (2 miles east). We also work in nearby towns such as Clacton-on-Sea (11 miles south-east), Maldon (14 miles south-west), Witham (13 miles west), Harwich (15 miles east), Halstead (13 miles west) and Heybridge (13 miles south-west).
Around Old Heath
Around Old Heath, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Bell pub, Thomas Lord Audley School and Language College and Donyland Lodge, among other places. The nearest railway station is Hythe station, roughly 1 mile north of the centre. A little further out are Essex County Hospital (1.9 miles north-west) and Grandad's Photography Museum (1.5 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Cockaynes Wood.
How we price chimney surveys
Not every roof costs the same to survey, for these reasons:
- Height and safe access
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
We offer three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, all inc. VAT. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you need to know.
Booking your survey
When you call or email, these details help:
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- The property’s address and postcode
- When you need the report by
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Checking the roof from ground level
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
You can learn a lot 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.
FAQs for Old Heath
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Old Heath, take more of a battering?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there is more wind, and more salt in the air. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch, and Old Heath is within about 4 miles of the coast.
Can a landlord with a rental near Hythe station book a roof survey?
Yes, landlords and agents book with us as well as owners. You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and a few details.
How long will you be at the property?
Most surveys take about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. The report follows by email.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, across 20+ years of surveying roofs, with 98% customer satisfaction.
How do you inspect a chimney without scaffolding?
We use safe viewpoints rather than climbing onto the stack. A drone inspection is part of the Premium Survey where it applies. The report is clear about anything that couldn’t be seen.
Do you inspect the flue?
No. It isn’t a flue, sweep or gas safety inspection. We check the structure and weathering of the stack and any damp, and we will say if anything suggests the flue needs checking.
How much does a chimney survey cost in Old Heath?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the exact price before booking, and it depends on the roof’s size, access and the package you choose. For a price, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
What we do, step by step
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a written report with photos. On timing, most surveys take an hour or two at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In a smaller place like Old Heath, parking is seldom the issue; lanes, gates and long drives are worth mentioning. On bungalows and lower roofs, much can be seen from ground level, with the loft showing the underside, while taller roofs may need other vantage points or the drone where applicable.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the roof space.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Keep pets in another room
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Booking a survey
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email to find out.
Related advice
Places near Old Heath
What else we do in Old Heath
Do you need a chimney survey in Old Heath?
Some owners book because a chimney breast has been removed below and they want to know about the stack above. We note what’s visible in the roof space and outside, and recommend a structural engineer where support is in question.
Look out for signs like these:
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- A chimney out of line
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
For businesses in and around places such as Lion Walk, knowing the roof’s condition lets you budget for work rather than pay for emergencies.
What to check before booking
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Will the report include photos?
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
How the survey changes by roof type
Flaunching
Flaunching takes the worst of the weather. The survey checks for cracking and gaps around each pot.
Brick stacks
Most chimney stacks are built of brick, with mortar joints that wear over time. The survey looks for crumbling bricks and worn or missing mortar.