Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Tyttenhanger
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Tyttenhanger. We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Cracked or missing flaunching
How a chimney survey works in Tyttenhanger
Chimney stacks take more weather than almost any other part of a house. In time, flaunching cracks, mortar washes out and flashings come loose. That lets water into the brickwork, which can show up as damp on a chimney breast or in the roof space. We record what we find with photos and recommendations. If you are worried about signs that a stack is leaning and unused flues sealed without airflow, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
In a small place like Tyttenhanger, many roofs stand in the open, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A roof report shows what needs attention first. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
The report is written in plain words, so you do not need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photograph where possible, and recommendations are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
- Location
- Tyttenhanger (AL4)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Do you need a chimney survey in Tyttenhanger?
Aerials and dishes are often fixed to stacks. Their weight and the wind on them can loosen bricks and pointing. Any fixings on the stack are checked and recorded.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- A stack that appears to lean
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
Anyone responsible for a site like Nicholas Breakspear School will know that a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
Useful tips for Tyttenhanger property owners
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
If the report recommends a structural engineer, a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer, it will say why. That helps you brief them.
Get small mortar repairs done while they’re small. It’s far simpler than rebuilding a stack later.
Towns and villages near Tyttenhanger
What else we do in Tyttenhanger
How the survey works
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. That way we can focus on what matters to you. Most visits take about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Older roofs in small places like Tyttenhanger can have low, tight loft spaces, so it helps to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. 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.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there is access.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Before we arrive
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Keep pets in another room
Getting a price
When you are ready to go ahead, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.
Related advice
What you can safely check yourself
You can learn a lot from ground level. 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.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Tyttenhanger
About 3.3 miles north-west lies Batchwood Hall, a reminder of how long the area around Tyttenhanger has been built on. 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. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Whatever the covering, it is frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
For landlords with property near St Albans station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. If you run a business near The Maltings, knowing the roof’s condition lets you budget for work rather than pay for emergencies.
Tyttenhanger is about 2 miles south-east of St Albans, in Hertfordshire. Anywhere in Tyttenhanger, we can carry out chimney surveys at your property. Our area takes in places right across Hertfordshire. For surveys nearby, see our London page.
All of AL4 is within our area for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on Highfield Lane and Tyttenhanger Green or anywhere close by, we can survey it. We also cover the places around Tyttenhanger: London Colney (1 mile south), Sleapshyde (1 mile north-east), Smallford (2 miles north-east), Broad Colney (2 miles south) and Colney Heath (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Watford (7 miles south-west), Hemel Hempstead (7 miles west), Stevenage (13 miles north), Welwyn Garden City (6 miles north-east), Harpenden (6 miles north-west) and Hitchin (15 miles north).
Landmarks near Tyttenhanger
We work in homes and buildings around The Plough pub, Highfield Park and Windermere Primary School and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is St Albans station, about 1.7 miles north-west of the centre. A little further out are Hill End Hospital (0.9 miles north-west) and St Albans Musical Museum (1.9 miles north-west). Not far away are Colney Heath Local Nature Reserve and Verulamium Lake.
Tyttenhanger: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Tyttenhanger?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s 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.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near St Albans station?
Yes, that is a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
How long is the visit?
It normally takes about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. We will confirm the timing when booking.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime. Just say which days work for you.
Do you use drones?
Where it helps and the rules allow, yes. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
What insurance do you have?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. For the rest of the building, a RICS home survey is a separate job.
How the survey changes by roof type
Lead flashings
Over time, lead can lift or come away from the brickwork. Any loose or split flashings are recorded.
Rendered stacks
Water can get in through cracks and then struggle to dry out. We record any cracking and where it is.
What affects the price in Tyttenhanger
All our prices include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- The shape of the roof and its details
- Roof area
- Basic, Standard or Premium
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Getting in touch
Here’s what helps us most when you contact us:
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- The address and postcode of the property
- The kind of building and roof involved
If you are buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form when you are ready.