Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Throcking Chimney Survey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Throcking and the rest of Hertfordshire. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Mortar washing out of the joints
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Throcking
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. If the stack looks like a structural issue, the report recommends a structural engineer. If you’ve noticed a stack that appears to lean and loose, cracked or missing pots, we can find out what’s behind it, on shared and party-wall stacks, chimney pots and cowls and lead flashings alike.
Older buildings in small places like Throcking may be listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
We write the report in plain English, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Each point is backed by a photo where possible.
- Where
- Throcking (SG9)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- 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
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Useful tips for Throcking property owners
Most of what helps is simple and safe from ground level. A few suggestions:
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
You get the report by email and can pass it to whoever does the work. We use plain English and a photo for each defect, so it is easy to follow.
Look at your chimneys from the ground now and then, especially after strong winds. With binoculars, you can often see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out in order of urgency where relevant, which helps with budgets and planning.
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer, and they’re priced for the size.
What happens on the day
We don’t take risks to get a closer look. Everything that can be seen safely is inspected, and if part of the roof can’t be seen, the report says so. Most visits take about 1–2 hours for a house, and more on a big or complicated roof. Around Throcking, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it is safe.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft space.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Preparing for the visit
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Booking a survey
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or email us, tell us about the property and we will explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
What this survey can’t tell you
Before you book, it’s worth knowing what a survey won’t do:
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Whether the flue is safe to use
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll tell you before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Throcking
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
Chimney surveys around Throcking
Older houses in the South East frequently have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the council can say whether a street is in a conservation area. Re-roofing in different materials may need permission there.
If you look after a building such as Freman College, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Throcking is about 6 miles north-east of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire. Throcking is part of the area we cover as part of our work across London and the South East. We cover towns and villages across Hertfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. There is also a page for Chelmsford.
We survey roofs across the SG9 postcode area for chimney surveys. Other places close to Throcking include Cottered (1 mile south-west), Chipping (1 mile north-east), Buntingford (2 miles east), Aspenden (2 miles south-east) and Layston (2 miles east). Further out, we also cover Stevenage (6 miles south-west), Bishop's Stortford (11 miles south-east), Welwyn Garden City (12 miles south-west), Hitchin (9 miles west), Hoddesdon (14 miles south) and Hatfield (15 miles south-west).
Near you in Throcking
Other landmarks nearby include Clothall Castle (4.1 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Hawkins Wood.
How the survey changes by roof type
Flaunching
The sloping mortar around the pots is called flaunching. Once it cracks, water can get straight into the brickwork.
Chimney pots and cowls
On redundant flues, we look at how the pots are capped. Poor capping can lead to damp inside the stack.
Signs you need a chimney survey in Throcking
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.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
Take an older house close to Holy Trinity Church: corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Before you book anyone
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether the price includes VAT
Also in Throcking
Questions from Throcking
Is my home in Throcking listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Is Throcking in the area you cover?
Yes, Throcking is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs.
When does the report arrive?
Each package has its own report time. Basic is within 48 hours, Standard is 24–48 hours and Premium is the same day. If you have a deadline, like an exchange date, tell us as you book.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We carry out surveys on any day of the week. To find a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Can you find out why my chimney breast is damp?
Damp on a chimney breast typically means water is getting into the stack, or moisture is trapped inside it. The survey looks at the stack, the flashings and the capping and records the likely cause.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
No. Our survey covers the outside of the stack and the roof around it. For the flue, you will need a sweep or, for gas, a Gas Safe registered engineer.
What do I do with the report?
The report comes by email, and what you do next is up to you: raise it with a seller, send it to an insurer, brief a roofer or share it with a managing agent.