Essex · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Roundbush, Essex
Chimney surveys in Roundbush and the rest of Essex. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends.
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- A stack that appears to lean
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
Checking the roof from ground level
You can learn a lot from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
How a chimney survey works in Roundbush
For buyers, a chimney survey before exchange can flag work you may want to raise. Cracked flaunching, failed flashings and worn pointing are common findings on older stacks. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. We survey chimney pots and cowls, flaunching and shared and party-wall stacks, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are gaps where the stack meets the roof and redundant stacks capped without ventilation.
Village roofs frequently face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. 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.
Nothing in the report is left vague: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, and where it can wait, that is said too.
- Place
- Roundbush (CM9)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
FAQs for Roundbush
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near North Fambridge station?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. You can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and what you need, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Is my home in Roundbush listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We don’t sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it’s disturbed.
How can you see the top of the stack?
We look from the ground, from windows and from the loft where it is safe. A drone inspection is part of the Premium Survey where applicable. Any area we couldn’t view is noted.
What if it rains on the day?
It can, depending on the survey. Drones cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. If the conditions aren’t right, we will talk to you about another date.
Do you cover Roundbush?
Yes. We carry out chimney surveys in Roundbush.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, so it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
What a chimney survey looks like in Roundbush
Roundbush is within about 3 miles of the coast, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. Weatherboarded walls and clay tile roofs are typical of older Essex buildings, alongside lots of post-war and newer estates. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
For an older house near a landmark such as Parish Church of All Saints, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Cold Norton Primary School, large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Roundbush is about 3 miles south of Maldon, in Essex. We provide chimney surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Roundbush. Our area takes in places right across Essex. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
All of CM9 is covered for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Local streets include Fambridge Road, Burnham Road and Roundbush Road. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Cold Norton (1 mile south-west), Farther Howegreen (1 mile west), Howegreen (1 mile west), Purleigh (1 mile west) and Great Canney (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Chelmsford (9 miles north-west), Basildon (12 miles south-west), Braintree (15 miles north), Maldon (3 miles north), Canvey Island (12 miles south) and Billericay (12 miles west).
Around Roundbush
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The White Horse Public House. The closest station to Roundbush is North Fambridge station, roughly 2.4 miles south. Open spaces near Roundbush include Stow Maries Halt.
What we can’t see
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Conditions inside walls
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in Roundbush
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
How the survey works
We do not take risks to get a closer look. Everything that can safely be seen is inspected, and if part of the roof cannot be seen, the report says so. Most visits take an hour or two for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. In a small place like Roundbush, access is normally the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Getting ready for the survey
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
Book a survey
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
Signs you need a chimney survey in Roundbush
The flaunching on top of a stack holds the pots in place and sheds water. Once it cracks, water gets in and frost makes the cracks bigger. In time, the pots can become loose.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed one of these:
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- A stack that appears to lean
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
If you own a rental within reach of North Fambridge station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
What to check before booking
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
Towns and villages near Roundbush
Other services in Roundbush
Roof by roof
Lead flashings
Some older stacks have mortar fillets instead of lead. They tend to crack, so we check them closely.
Chimney pots and cowls
A loose or cracked pot can fall from height. We record their condition with photos.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. Surveys run on any day of the week, which helps when tenants work during the week.