Hertfordshire · London and the South East
The Folly Chimney Survey
Chimney surveys around The Folly, with a written report you can act on. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Worn or missing pointing
What happens if roof problems are left?
If a stack seems to lean, do not leave it. Our survey records it and says when a structural engineer should look at it, so you know where you stand. For older village homes like those around The Folly, the right replacement materials aren’t always easy to find quickly. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. You will know the figure before booking.
Why book us in The Folly
- An independent look at the roof
- Every finding written up with photos
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Package prices that include VAT
Take a look at our cost guide or what we found on two real jobs.
About our chimney survey in The Folly
A leaning chimney stack is worth having looked at. A stack may lean because the mortar on one side has weakened, which can happen over many years of use. The survey notes how the stack looks, how far it seems to lean and the state of the bricks and joints. Where it may be a structural concern, we’ll recommend a structural engineer. If you are worried about worn or missing pointing and flashings pulling away from the stack, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A roof report shows what needs attention first. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, sent by email. It explains the condition of the chimney stack, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Location
- The Folly (AL4)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Also near The Folly
Also in The Folly
The Folly: your questions answered
Can a landlord with a rental near Harpenden station book a roof survey?
Yes, landlords and agents book with us as well as owners. Just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the building.
Will you come out to The Folly?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Are you insured?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and details are available on request.
What happens next?
You receive the written report by email, with photos and recommendations. It’s yours to share with a seller, insurer, roofer or managing agent, whichever applies.
My chimney looks like it’s leaning. What should I do?
Have it checked rather than leaving it. Leaning frequently comes from mortar breaking down unevenly. The survey records what we can see, and a structural engineer can assess whether it needs work.
What’s in the survey report?
It explains what we saw, what it means and what we’d suggest, backed by photos. It also says if any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs such as sagging are noted, but we don’t provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. If one is needed, the report says so.
Surveys for landlords and agents in The Folly
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.
Practical tips
Nothing here needs a ladder. A few suggestions:
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Don’t use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
After the visit, we write up the report with photographs of each stack. It explains the condition of each part of the stack and any damp inside. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24 to 48 hours and Premium reports the same day.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. With binoculars, you can often see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in The Folly
Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters. With Shaw's Corner about 2 miles north-east, The Folly sits in an area with a long building history. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If you own a rental within reach of Harpenden station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints. Anyone responsible for a site like St Helen's Church of England Primary School will know that its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. If you live in an older home near St Helen's Church, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
The Folly is about 2 miles east of Harpenden, in Hertfordshire. Bookings from The Folly are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. The Folly is one of the towns and villages in Hertfordshire where we work for chimney surveys. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
Every address in AL4 is covered for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Streets in the area include Folly Fields and Lower Luton Road. Close by, we survey roofs in Lea Valley (1 mile west), Amwell (1 mile south), Mackerye End (1 mile north-west), Blackmore End (1 mile north) and Batford (1 mile west). Larger places within reach include Watford (11 miles south), Hemel Hempstead (8 miles south-west), Stevenage (8 miles north-east), St Albans (5 miles south), Welwyn Garden City (5 miles east) and Hitchin (9 miles north).
Near you in The Folly
We work in homes and buildings around Sir John Lawes School and The Cherry Trees pub. The closest station to The Folly is Harpenden station, about 2 miles west of the centre. A little further out are St Albans City Hospital (4.2 miles south) and Harpenden Museum (2.2 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Wheathampstead Local Nature Reserve.
How the survey changes by roof type
Flaunching
Sitting at the very top, flaunching is fully exposed. The survey checks for cracking and gaps around each pot.
Rendered stacks
We cannot see the bricks behind render without it being opened up, so the report says what can and cannot be judged.
How the survey works
Before we start, tell us why you’ve booked: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. Most visits take about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, and longer for a large or complex roof. Rural addresses near The Folly can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- 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.
Getting ready for the survey
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
Getting a price
We confirm the exact price before booking, so you know the cost up front. Our price is from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The size of the roof
- The shape of the roof and its details
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, inc. VAT.
Booking your survey
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- When you need the report by
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- What kind of property and roof it is
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.