Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Walkern, Hertfordshire
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Walkern. We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- A chimney out of line
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Walkern
Our survey covers the structure of the stack and its weathering details. It isn’t a flue inspection, a sweep or a gas safety check. For the flue itself, you’ll need a sweep or, for gas appliances, a Gas Safe registered engineer. We’ll tell you if we see anything that suggests they should take a look. We are often asked to look into mortar washing out of the joints and unused flues sealed without airflow, across chimney pots and cowls, chimney breasts and flaunching.
Somewhere as small as Walkern, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. On older roofs, it’s usually the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
We keep jargon out of it: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, and where it can wait, that is said too.
- Location
- Walkern (SG2)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Common roof problems in Walkern
Many chimneys are no longer used. A stack sealed without ventilation can trap damp. Damp patches can appear on chimney breasts even when nothing is leaking.
Most people get in touch after spotting something like this:
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
For an older house near a landmark such as Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Before booking anyone
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- What experience they bring
Towns and villages near Walkern
More services for Walkern
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Chimneys are easy to forget because you rarely see the top of them. Defects tend to go unseen until there is a stain. Surveying the stack now can catch problems first. Matching old materials, like handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you’d like to know.
What you get with us
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- 20+ years’ experience
- Photos and a written report every time
Take a look at our cost guide or what we found on two real jobs.
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings
Where the chimney meets the roof slopes, lead flashings keep water out. The survey looks at whether the lead is tight, sound and well fixed.
Chimney breasts and the loft
In the loft, staining around the stack often shows where water is getting in. What we find is photographed and described.
The survey, step by step
The visit normally starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the loft space if there’s safe access. In total, it takes between one and two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Older rural homes like those around Walkern can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. Each part is looked at from wherever it can be seen safely, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We check every stack from wherever it can be seen safely.
- 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Booking a survey
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Read more
Landlords, agents and block managers in Walkern
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed in advance. Surveys run seven days a week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Walkern and across Hertfordshire can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Walkern homes and their roofs
In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile, 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. Aston Bury, about 2.9 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Walkern. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
For site and facilities teams at buildings like Walkern Primary School, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. If you let a flat or house near Stevenage station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Walkern is about 2 miles east of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire. Bookings from Walkern are handled just like any other: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. We cover towns and villages across Hertfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Milton Keynes.
Every address in SG2 is within our area for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. You’ll find streets such as High Street, Walchra Court and Yew Tree Close, all of which we cover. If you’re just outside Walkern, we cover Aston End (2 miles south-west), Chells (2 miles west), St Nicholas (2 miles west), Stevenage (2 miles west) and Pin Green (3 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover St Albans (14 miles south-west), Bishop's Stortford (13 miles east), Welwyn Garden City (9 miles south), Harpenden (12 miles south-west), Hitchin (6 miles west) and Hoddesdon (12 miles south-east).
What’s near Walkern
We work in homes and buildings around The Nobel School and The Robin Hood Public House and the streets around them. The closest station to Walkern is Stevenage station, about 3.6 miles west. Nearby you’ll also find Lister Hospital (3.6 miles west) and Stevenage Museum (3.3 miles west). Not far away are Pryor's Wood.
FAQs for Walkern
Can a landlord with a rental near Stevenage station book a roof survey?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. Just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the details.
How do I find out if my home in Walkern is listed?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you cover Walkern for chimney surveys?
Yes. We survey roofs in Walkern and the rest of Hertfordshire. For a price, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. It is a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. Visible signs like deflection or sagging are recorded, but we do not provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. The report will say if you need an engineer.
Do you look in the roof space?
If there is a loft and safe access to it, yes. From inside, the underside of the roof often shows damp, staining or daylight that can’t be seen from outside.
How many surveys have you done?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.