Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Shenley, Hertfordshire
We carry out chimney surveys in Shenley and the rest of Hertfordshire. Surveys run on any day of the week.
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
What happens if roof problems are left?
Damp in a chimney breast typically gets worse while the cause is left. It can spoil decoration and plaster. Finding the cause means the right work can be planned. Blocked gutters on homes around Shenley overflow and soak walls, particularly where trees overhang. It is easy to sort the cause early and slow to dry a damp wall.
All our prices include VAT. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for your roof before you book.
Why us?
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Package prices that include VAT
Read our cost guide or our case studies.
How a chimney survey works in Shenley
Many terraced and semi-detached homes share their chimney stacks with a neighbour. We check whatever is safely visible and what the owner gives us access to. Where a problem seems to involve a neighbour’s side, the report records it and you can then discuss it with them. Everything is written up with photos and what we recommend. If you’ve noticed bricks with flaking faces and disused chimneys trapping moisture, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Around Shenley, gardens, hedges and nearby trees can mean leaves and moss end up on roofs and in gutters. Once gutters and outlets block, water spills over and soaks the walls, and moss holds water against tiles. A report spots that kind of slow problem before it becomes damp inside. Plants growing from a gutter or moss on the tiles are signs worth noting from ground level.
The report records the chimney stack as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, for example when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Where
- Shenley (WD7)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Common questions in Shenley
Is Shenley within the area you cover?
Yes, Shenley is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Is my home in Shenley listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
What do you check on a chimney?
We check the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings. We also check chimney breasts and the stack in the roof space where we can reach. You get a written report with photos.
How soon will I get the report?
That depends on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. Reports are sent by email.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. We inspect whatever is safely visible and what you give us access to. If a defect seems to be on your neighbour’s side, the report records it and you can raise it with them.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs like sagging are noted, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. If one is needed, the report says so.
Useful tips for Shenley property owners
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
The report is emailed to you, ready to share with a roofer or builder. Each defect is described in plain words and shown in a photo so anyone reading it can see what we saw.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.
When you need someone else
In fairness, a roof survey has limits:
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Hidden damage within the stack
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
What we do, step by step
We photograph the roof as we go, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. A typical visit takes an hour or two for most houses, and longer for a large or complex roof. For a survey in Shenley, we agree the time, the access and parking before the day. Weekday and weekend visits are both possible. If there are outbuildings or garages you want looked at, mention them.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- 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.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Before the survey
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Book a survey
To book a survey, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Advice
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- The size of the roof
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so the price reflects that. You will know the figure before booking.
Booking your survey
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- The kind of building and roof involved
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just ring 07833 053749 or email us when you are ready.
Towns and villages near Shenley
More services for Shenley
What a chimney survey looks like in Shenley
Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. With Wyllyotts Manor about 4.1 miles east, Shenley sits in an area with a long building history. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
Take a building like Shenley Primary School: a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. For an older house near a landmark like Church of St Martin, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Shenley is about 2 miles north of Borehamwood, in Hertfordshire. Anywhere in Shenley, we can come and survey your property. Shenley is one of the places in Hertfordshire where we work for chimney surveys. There’s also a page for London.
Every address in WD7 is covered for chimney surveys. We cover properties on London Road, Southerton Way and Juniper Gardens and the roads around them. Shenley is on the B5378, so it’s easy for us to get to. If you’re just outside Shenley, we cover Green Street (1 mile south-east), Ridge (2 miles east), Well End (2 miles south-east), Borehamwood (2 miles south) and South Mimms (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Watford (5 miles south-west), Hemel Hempstead (8 miles north-west), St Albans (4 miles north-west), Welwyn Garden City (8 miles north-east), Harpenden (9 miles north) and Hoddesdon (12 miles east).
Near you in Shenley
Typical jobs here are in homes near Manor Lodge School, Hertswood Academy and The Black Lion pub and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Radlett station, roughly 1.4 miles south-west of the centre. A little further out are Radlett and District Museum (1.5 miles south-west) and Shenley Hospital (within half a mile west). For a walk, there’s Verulamium Lake and Broad Colney Lakes.
Do you need a chimney survey in Shenley?
Flashings seal the gap where a stack passes through the roof. With age they can lift, split or come away from the joints. Failed flashings are one of the most common causes of damp around chimneys. Lead is also a target for theft.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed one of these:
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Mortar washing out of the joints
Landlords with a home close to Radlett station may find that a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
- Their insurance cover
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID