Essex · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Sewards End
A careful look at the chimney stack at your property in Sewards End, and put it all in a report with photos.
- Worn or missing pointing
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
What happens if roof problems are left?
A leaning stack should be looked at sooner rather than later. Our survey records it and says when a structural engineer should look at it, so you can decide what to do next. Older cottages and farmhouses around Sewards End can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
Prices start 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
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Clear package prices, including VAT
- PI and public liability insurance
- Surveys seven days a week
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or what we found on two real jobs.
About our chimney survey in Sewards End
A damp patch on a chimney breast doesn’t 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. Moisture trapped inside a stack with no ventilation can also cause damp. We check each possibility and record what we find. That points the work in the right direction. If you’ve noticed damaged chimney pots and cowls and mortar washing out of the joints, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Older buildings in small places like Sewards End may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are frequently matched when work is done.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Location
- Sewards End (CB10)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Prices for chimney surveys in Sewards End
All our prices include VAT. What changes the price is:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The size of the roof
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
Every price we give includes VAT. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. You will know the price for your survey before booking.
Getting in touch
A little information up front helps. Please include:
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- What’s prompted the survey
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price before you book.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Landlords, agents and building managers in Sewards End and across Essex can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.
Your questions about chimney surveys in Sewards End
Can a landlord with a rental near Audley End station book a roof survey?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. You can phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you need.
Will you come out to Sewards End?
Yes, Sewards End is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Do you use drones?
Where it helps and it is safe, yes. Flights depend on the weather on the day and airspace rules. We are a CAA-registered drone operator.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs such as sagging are noted, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. The report will say if you need an engineer.
Will you check the loft?
If it is needed and safe to reach, yes. We look for staining, damp, daylight and signs of movement.
How do I book a survey in Sewards End?
The quickest way is to call 07833 053749 or send us an email. Let us know the address and a little about the roof, and we will take it from there. Surveys run seven days a week.
What will the report tell me?
Written findings with photos, covering the condition of the chimney stack, the defects we found and what we recommend, in order of urgency where relevant. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check, and the Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable and structural analysis.
Signs you need a chimney survey in Sewards End
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Mortar can deteriorate unevenly from flue gases and moisture, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
People normally book a survey after spotting one of these:
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Cracked or missing flaunching
Landlords with a home close to Audley End station may find that the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
What to check before booking
- What experience they bring
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
How the survey works
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available, including by drone where it is applicable and the weather allows. Most surveys take about 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Cottages and farmhouses around Sewards End often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before we arrive
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Book a survey
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Advice
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Sewards End
Audley End House, about 2.7 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Sewards End. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. In Essex, older buildings are frequently clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Whatever the covering, it’s often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
If you look after a building such as Saffron Walden County High School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. Take an older house close to St James' Church: its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Sewards End is about 2 miles east of Saffron Walden, in Essex. From houses to flats and shops in Sewards End, the roof can be surveyed. We cover towns and villages across Essex. For surveys nearby, see our Chelmsford page.
Surveys in CB10 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We cover properties on Walden Road, Tylers and Radwinter Road and the roads around them. Close by, we survey roofs in Cole End (1 mile south), Saffron Walden (2 miles west), Little Walden (3 miles north-west), Audley End (3 miles west) and Littlebury (3 miles west). We also work in nearby towns like Braintree (15 miles south-east), Great Dunmow (11 miles south), Stansted Mountfitchet (9 miles south-west), Great Notley (15 miles south-east), Bocking (15 miles south-east) and Elsenham (8 miles south).
What’s near Sewards End
For rail, the closest station is Audley End station, about 3.5 miles west of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Saffron Walden Museum (1.9 miles west) and Saffron Walden Community Hospital (1.2 miles west). Open spaces near Sewards End include Hales and Shadwell Woods.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.