Thurrock · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in West Tilbury
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for West Tilbury, from an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Bricks with flaking faces
What we cannot see
It’s a careful look at the chimney stack, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
- Parts of the stack that can’t be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we can’t access
- Whether the flue is safe to use
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
What we check
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
Chimney survey in West Tilbury: what you get
On terraced and semi-detached houses, a chimney stack is often shared with next door. We look at everything that’s safely in view and what the owner gives us access to. Where a problem seems to involve a neighbour’s side, the report records it, so you can talk to them. Everything is written up with photos and what we recommend. We survey shared and party-wall stacks, lead flashings and chimney pots and cowls, and common reasons people get in touch are bricks with flaking faces and unused flues sealed without airflow.
Older buildings in small places like West Tilbury may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. 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.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Location
- West Tilbury (RM18)
- Wider area
- Thurrock
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
We confirm the price for the job before you book. These are the things that affect it:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- Building height and the viewpoints available
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so they’re priced to match. The price is confirmed before you book.
What we need to know
Here’s what helps us most when you contact us:
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- The address and postcode of the property
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email, let us know about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
What happens on the day
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Cottages and farmhouses around West Tilbury often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- You tell us how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- The stacks are looked at from the ground, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access.
- The findings are written up with photos and recommendations and emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
Getting a price
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price before you book.
Advice
Checking the roof from ground level
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey.
It’s useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when booking and it will help the survey.
Do you need a chimney survey in West Tilbury?
Stacks that were used for open fires for many years can weaken from the inside. Mortar can deteriorate unevenly from flue gases and moisture, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
Typical things we are asked to look at include:
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Cracked or missing flaunching
Anyone responsible for a site like Herringham Primary Academy will know that its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Is VAT included in the price?
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- How soon the report will arrive
- What they will not be able to tell you
What a chimney survey looks like in West Tilbury
The coast is about 2 miles or less from West Tilbury, so there is more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles, while driving rain finds any gap. What can be done to an older roof may depend on listing or a conservation area. Your council and Historic England’s list will tell you where you stand, before anyone quotes for re-roofing.
For an older house near a landmark such as St James' Church, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. Landlords with a home close to East Tilbury station may find that a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
West Tilbury is about 3 miles east of Grays, in Thurrock. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in West Tilbury can all book chimney surveys, with a written report and photographs every time. Our Thurrock coverage includes West Tilbury. Maidstone is in our area too.
Surveys in RM18 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. That includes homes and businesses on Church Road, Blue Anchor Lane and Rectory Road. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Biggin (1 mile west), Chadwell St Mary (1 mile north-west), Tilbury (2 miles south-west), Orsett Heath (2 miles north-west) and Little Thurrock (2 miles west). We also work in nearby towns like Stanford-le-Hope (4 miles north-east), South Ockendon (5 miles north-west), Balstonia (3 miles north-east), Corringham (4 miles north-east), Aveley (6 miles west) and South Stifford (4 miles west).
What’s near West Tilbury
We work in homes and buildings around The Gateway Academy and The Kings Head pub and the streets around them. West Tilbury’s nearest station is East Tilbury station, about 1 mile north-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Orsett Hospital (2.4 miles north-west) and Walton Hall Museum (1.5 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Thurrock Thameside Nature Park and Sawyers Lake.
FAQs for West Tilbury
Is my home in West Tilbury listed or in a conservation area?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
I let a flat near East Tilbury station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and a few details.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
A redundant chimney needs looking after like any other. Capping without airflow can lead to damp. We check how it is capped and its condition, so you can decide with a builder what to do.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes, every report has them. Pictures sit next to the findings they show, so you can see what we mean.
Does someone need to be in?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you when booking.
What if it rains on the day?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drones cannot fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. If the conditions aren’t right, we will talk to you about another date.
Also near West Tilbury
More services for West Tilbury
Landlords, agents and block managers in West Tilbury
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Mention it when you get in touch and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
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.