Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Whempstead Chimney Survey
We carry out chimney surveys in Whempstead and the rest of Hertfordshire. We survey on weekdays and at weekends.
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
What this survey can’t tell you
Before booking, it is worth knowing what a survey won’t do:
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Parts of the stack that cannot be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we can’t access
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll recommend the right survey. What our survey covers.
What we check
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
Chimney survey in Whempstead
For buyers, a chimney survey before exchange can flag work you may want to raise. On older stacks, we often find cracked flaunching, loose flashings and worn pointing. You get photographs and findings you can take back to the seller or agent. It works alongside a RICS home survey, not instead of one. We survey brick chimney stacks, chimney breasts and chimney pots and cowls, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are disused chimneys trapping moisture and gaps in the mortar around the pots.
Some older homes in villages like Whempstead are 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. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is often expected.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Location
- Whempstead (SG12)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to Whempstead
More services for Whempstead
Tips that help
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. Because everyone is pricing the same findings, the quotes are easier to compare.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.
Roof by roof
Flaunching
Sitting at the very top, flaunching is fully exposed. We look for cracks, gaps around the pots and missing pieces.
Chimney pots and cowls
For unused flues, we check whether caps or cowls allow ventilation. Capping without ventilation can trap moisture.
How we price chimney surveys
Not every roof costs the same to survey, and it comes down to:
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all inc. VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
What to let us know when you get in touch
What helps most when you contact us:
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
A quick phone call is typically the easiest start: ring 07833 053749 or email us, and we’ll ask about the building and what you need. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Why act early in Whempstead
If you’re thinking of removing or reducing a stack, it is useful to know its condition first. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need permission from the council, so check with them first. Around Whempstead, older homes often have old roof timbers, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where it applies) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, with VAT included. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Why us?
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- An independent look at the roof
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Photos and a written report every time
Read how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
How it works
It helps to start with what’s prompted the survey: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit usually takes about 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Older rural homes like those around Whempstead can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can safely be seen.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft space.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Before the survey
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
Getting a price
Not sure which survey you need? It’s easiest to call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Related advice
Your questions about chimney surveys in Whempstead
Do you cover smaller places like Whempstead?
Yes, Whempstead is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Is my home in Whempstead listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. It’s a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
What will the report tell me?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos. Points are put by urgency where it matters.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only when it’s safe. Safety comes first, and fragile or steep roofs cannot always be walked on. Safe viewpoints, the loft and a drone where applicable let us see the rest.
Should a redundant chimney be removed?
There is no single answer. The survey shows its condition and how it’s been capped. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need consent.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Mention it when you contact us and we will explain what’s needed.
Chimney surveys in Whempstead: local notes
Aston Bury, about 2.6 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Whempstead. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
If you live in an older home near Parish Church of All Saints, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. For landlords with property near Watton-At-Stone station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak. Anyone responsible for a site like Munden Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School will know that long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Whempstead is about 5 miles south-east of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire. We cover Whempstead and the rest of Hertfordshire. We cover towns and villages across Hertfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. London is in our area too.
Here we cover the SG12 postcode area for chimney surveys. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Whempstead Road and Mill Lane or anywhere close by, we can survey it. We also cover Dane End (1 mile east), Burn's Green (1 mile north-west), Sacombe (1 mile south-east), Haultwick (2 miles north-east) and Sacombe Green (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Stevenage (5 miles north-west), St Albans (13 miles south-west), Bishop's Stortford (10 miles east), Welwyn Garden City (7 miles south-west), Harpenden (12 miles west) and Hitchin (9 miles north-west).
Around Whempstead
For rail, the closest station is Watton-At-Stone station, about 1.8 miles south-west. Well-known places in the area include Hertford County Hospital (5.4 miles south) and Benington Castle (2 miles north-west). For a walk, there’s Astonbury Wood.