Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Redbourn Chimney Survey
We carry out chimney surveys in Redbourn and the rest of Hertfordshire. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Mortar washing out of the joints
What you can safely check yourself
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date, which helps when we check the roof.
About our chimney survey in Redbourn
Redundant chimneys are common, particularly where fires have been replaced by central heating. A disused stack still needs looking after. Capping a stack without ventilation can trap moisture and lead to damp inside. Our survey looks at how each unused stack has been capped and checks the breasts for damp. The report sets out what we found and what we recommend. Typical surveys look at staining on walls around the chimney and lifted or split lead flashings, across brick chimney stacks, chimney breasts and flaunching.
Around Redbourn, older cottages sit alongside bungalows and newer houses. Older roofs can have slate, clay tiles or other traditional coverings, while many later ones have concrete tiles. Chimneys, valleys and gutters on older homes often need the most attention, and the fixings under the coverings matter too. Nails and battens under older coverings frequently give out before the slates or tiles themselves.
We write the report in plain English, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photograph where possible, and recommendations are put by urgency where it matters.
- Where
- Redbourn (AL3)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Redbourn questions
Do you cover smaller places like Redbourn?
Yes. Redbourn is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Can a landlord with a rental near Harpenden station book a roof survey?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. Just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
What insurance do you have?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
Will you check the loft?
If there is a loft and safe access to it, yes. The roof space can show things the outside can’t, such as damp timbers, staining or daylight.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs such as sagging are noted, but we do not provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. If one is needed, the report says so.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof, not the whole building. For the rest of the building, a RICS home survey is a separate job.
What does a chimney survey cover?
Every part of the stack we can see from safe positions: from the pots and flaunching down to the flashings. Leaning, unused stacks and damp on chimney breasts are recorded too.
Practical tips
A little preparation and a few simple habits help, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Our tips:
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
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 is easy to follow.
Look at your chimneys from ground level now and then, especially after strong winds. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
The survey, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photographs as we go and make notes for the report. It typically takes between one and two hours at a typical home, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Parking around Redbourn is typically easier than in a town centre, but mention lanes, gates or long drives. On bungalows and lower roofs, much can be seen from the ground, with the loft showing the underside.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We check every stack from wherever it can be seen safely.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the roof space.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Book a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from ground level or a window; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Read more
Roof by roof
Rendered stacks
What’s behind the render can’t be seen without removing some, so the report explains what we could and couldn’t assess.
Flaunching
The sloping mortar around the pots is called flaunching. Cracks in it let water into the stack.
Why act early in Redbourn
If you are thinking of removing or reducing a stack, it helps to know its condition first. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need permission from the council, so check with them first. With lower homes, common in places like Redbourn, there’s little between a roof defect and the ceiling, so a small leak can mark a ceiling within a few storms. Finding the cause first saves a second job inside.
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and the package you choose.
What you get with us
- An independent look at the roof
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- 20+ years’ experience
- Prices that include VAT
See our cost guide and our case studies.
Towns and villages near Redbourn
What else we do in Redbourn
What we are asked to look at in Redbourn
Removing a chimney breast inside can leave questions about how the stack is supported. We record what we can see in the loft and outside, and the report recommends a structural engineer if support is a concern.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Signs that a stack is leaning
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Mount Zion Evangelical Church, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Before you book anyone
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- What follow-up you get after the report
- What they will not be able to tell you
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
Chimney surveys in Redbourn: local notes
Historic houses like Childwickbury Manor, about 2.6 miles south-east, show how far back building in the area around Redbourn goes. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
If you let a flat or house near Harpenden station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints. Living close to Rothamsted Park is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall.
Redbourn is about 2 miles south-west of Harpenden, in Hertfordshire. Roofs in Redbourn get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Hertfordshire. We cover towns and villages across Hertfordshire. We also survey roofs in Milton Keynes.
Here we cover the AL3 postcode area for chimney surveys. We offer chimney surveys to properties on High Street, The Square and Lords Meadow. Close by, we survey roofs in Holtsmere End (2 miles south-west), Highfield (3 miles south-west), Westwick Row (4 miles south), Leverstock Green (4 miles south) and Adeyfield (4 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover Watford (9 miles south), Hemel Hempstead (4 miles south-west), Stevenage (12 miles north-east), St Albans (4 miles south-east), Welwyn Garden City (9 miles east) and Hitchin (12 miles north-east).
Around Redbourn
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Bell And Shears Public House, Roundwood Park School and Rothamsted Park, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Harpenden station, about 2.3 miles north-east of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Redbourn Museum (under half a mile south-east) and St Albans City Hospital (3.6 miles south-east). For a walk, there is Grebe House Wildlife Garden and Verulamium Lake.