Essex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Rettendon, Essex
Find out the condition of the chimney stack at your property in Rettendon from an independent roof surveyor. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
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.
Rendered stacks
We cannot see the bricks behind render without it being opened up, so the report explains what we could and couldn’t assess.
Chimney survey in Rettendon: 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. Inside, we check chimney breasts and the stack in the loft where it’s safe to reach. 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. Typical surveys look at unused flues sealed without airflow and gaps in the mortar around the pots, across lead flashings, flaunching and chimney pots and cowls.
Somewhere as small as Rettendon, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are often old. We report on what can safely be seen, and thatch is a specialist material. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs often need the most attention.
Most points in the report come with a picture, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Location
- Rettendon (CM3)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work around your tenants.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. We survey on weekdays and at weekends, which can make access easier.
Honest limits
Before booking, it is worth knowing what a survey won’t do:
- Conditions inside walls
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Rettendon
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
Chimney surveys around Rettendon
Weatherboarded walls and clay tile roofs are typical of older Essex buildings, alongside plenty of post-war and newer estates. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. Historic houses like Danbury Place, about 4.2 miles north, show how far back building in the area around Rettendon goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
If you own a rental within reach of Battlesbridge station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Rettendon is about 4 miles north of Wickford, in Essex. Bookings from Rettendon are handled just like any other: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Our area takes in places right across Essex. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
Every address in CM3 is covered for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Local streets include East Hanningfield Road, Old Bell Lane and Salforal Close, all of which we cover. Close by, we survey roofs in Coalhill (1 mile west), South Hanningfield (1 mile west), East Hanningfield (2 miles north), Woodham Ferrers (2 miles north-east) and Brock Hill (2 miles south-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Chelmsford (6 miles north-west), Basildon (7 miles south-west), Brentwood (11 miles west), Maldon (7 miles north-east), Canvey Island (9 miles south) and Billericay (6 miles west).
Around Rettendon
In Rettendon, that means homes and buildings near The Rettendon Bell pub. The closest station to Rettendon is Battlesbridge station, roughly 2.2 miles south of the centre. A little further out are Battlesbridge Motorcycle Museum (2.3 miles south) and Baddow Hospital (4.2 miles north-west). The countryside around Rettendon includes Woodham Fen.
How it works
We work from the outside in: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the loft space where it can be reached. In total, it takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Around Rettendon, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it is useful to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it is safe.
- 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.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
Before we arrive
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
How to book
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email to find out.
Read more
Why act early in Rettendon
Cracked flaunching and worn pointing are frequently modest repairs when they’re caught early. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks, and the work grows. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. That is one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
Every price we give includes VAT, and the report isn’t charged as an extra. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
What you get with us
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Clear package prices, inc. VAT
- Every finding written up with photos
Take a look at what a roof survey costs and our case studies.
Also near Rettendon
What else we do in Rettendon
What you can safely check yourself
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date.
You can learn a lot from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
Rettendon: your questions answered
Do you cover smaller places like Rettendon?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
I let a flat near Battlesbridge station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, letting agents and landlords book with us as well as owners. Just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us about the building, including who will give access on the day.
How do I arrange a chimney survey in Rettendon?
Simply call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address. After a few questions, we confirm the price and fix a day, weekday or weekend.
What should I do with a chimney I don’t use?
A redundant chimney needs looking after like any other. Capping without airflow can lead to damp. We check how it’s capped and its condition, so you can plan what to do with it.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
No. A flue inspection, sweep or gas safety check is a separate job. We check the structure and weathering of the stack and any damp and flag anything that suggests the flue needs a look.
How long does the survey take?
Expect it to take about one to two hours for a house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. The written report follows by email, on the timescale of your package.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. Many houses share stacks with a neighbour. We survey what we can see safely, and note anything that seems to involve next door.