Chimney Survey
A specialist chimney survey inspecting chimney stacks, pots, flashings, flaunchings, pointing and internal flue condition. We assess structural stability, water ingress risk, damp penetration around chimney breasts and flue integrity to determine whether the chimney is safe and serviceable for continued use.
Chimney defects are one of the most common — and most overlooked — sources of damp and structural problems in UK homes. Our chimney survey gives you a complete picture of the condition of every chimney on the property, from the top of the pot to the fireplace opening, with clear recommendations for repair or maintenance.
Chimney Survey
Our Home Surveyor & Property Valuer Accreditation & Professional Membership
Our Chimney Surveys are carried out by qualified surveyors who belong to the professional bodies that set UK property standards. Every report is prepared to recognised guidance and is completely independent, so you can rely on the findings when you buy, sell or value a home.
What Is a Chimney Survey?
A chimney survey is a specialist inspection of the entire chimney structure — from the top of the chimney stack above the roofline down to the fireplace opening or flue termination inside the property. It examines the structural condition of the masonry, the integrity of the weatherproofing (flashings, flaunchings and pointing), the condition of the internal flue and any signs of damp penetration into the chimney breast or surrounding structure. Unlike a routine sweep, which only cleans the flue, a chimney survey provides a comprehensive structural and condition assessment.
What It Covers
- Visual inspection of the chimney stack — brickwork, stonework, pointing, cracks, bulges and structural integrity — from ground level and where accessible by ladder or binocular survey
- Assessment of chimney pots and terminals — condition, security of fixing, presence of bird guards or cowls and suitability for the appliance served
- Inspection of flashings at the roof abutment — including soakers, stepped flashings, apron flashings and back gutters — for corrosion, lifting, cracking or inadequate laps
- Examination of flaunching (the mortar fillet at the top of the stack that secures the pots and sheds water) for cracking, erosion, detachment or vegetation growth
- Damp assessment of the chimney breast internally using a moisture meter to identify penetrating damp caused by defective chimney weatherproofing
What It Does Not Cover
- A full chimney sweep or flue cleaning — we inspect condition, we do not clean the flue
- A smoke test or pressure test of the flue for gas appliance commissioning — this must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer
- A full structural survey of the entire property — we focus on the chimney and its immediate structure
- Internal CCTV flue survey beyond the accessible sections — specialist chimney CCTV companies can provide this if required
- Carrying out the actual chimney repairs, repointing or flashing replacement — we diagnose and specify, we do not contract
When Should You Commission a Chimney Survey?
A chimney survey is the right course of action in specific situations. Here is how to tell if it suits your circumstances.
Suitable For
- Homeowners who have noticed damp patches, staining or salt deposits on chimney breast walls in upstairs rooms or the loft
- Buyers whose home survey flagged chimney defects — such as defective flashings, cracked flaunching or spalling brickwork — and need a specialist assessment before exchange
- Owners of period or listed properties where the chimney is of significant age and may have hidden structural or damp-related issues
- Homeowners planning to bring a disused chimney back into service — for an open fire, wood burner or stove installation — and needing to confirm flue integrity
- Property owners who have noticed bits of mortar, brick fragments or chimney pot debris in the garden or on the roof after storms or high winds
- Anyone who has noticed a draught, birds nesting or debris falling into the fireplace from a disused chimney
Not Suitable For
- A chimney survey alone is not a substitute for a full building survey — especially on older or listed buildings
- Gas appliance commissioning or flue gas analysis — this must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Properties where the main concern is not chimney-related but general structural or damp issues elsewhere in the building
- Situations where you need a valuation or reinstatement cost assessment
- If you need the chimney repair, rebuild or repointing work carried out — we diagnose and specify, we do not contract
Not sure whether chimney damp is coming from the stack or from elsewhere? Speak to a surveyor for free, no-obligation advice.
What Is Included in a Chimney Survey
Every chimney survey we produce includes the following as standard.
Chimney Stack Visual Survey
Ground-level and elevated inspection of every chimney stack on the property, assessing brickwork condition, pointing, cracks, bulges and overall structural stability. Photographs taken of all significant defects.
Flashing Inspection
Detailed examination of all flashings at the roof abutment — soakers, stepped flashings, apron flashings and back gutters — checking for corrosion, lifting, cracking, inadequate laps and evidence of water penetration.
Flaunching & Pot Assessment
Inspection of the mortar flaunching at the top of each chimney stack, checking for cracks, erosion, detachment and vegetation growth. Chimney pots assessed for security, condition and suitability for the appliance served.
Pointing & Brickwork Condition
Assessment of mortar pointing across the stack, checking for erosion, missing mortar, spalling brick faces and frost damage. Recommendations for repointing or brick replacement where necessary.
Chimney Breast Damp Survey
Moisture meter readings taken across chimney breast walls in every room and the loft, identifying penetrating damp from defective chimney weatherproofing and distinguishing it from condensation or rising damp.
Flue Condition Assessment
Visual inspection of the accessible internal flue from the fireplace opening or inspection hatch, checking for obstructions, soot build-up, pargeting damage and ventilation provision to disused flues.
Colour Photographs
Photographs of all significant defects, including close-up images of the stack, flashings, flaunching and any internal damp staining. Included in your report for your own records and for obtaining repair quotes.
Repair & Maintenance Schedule
A clear, prioritised schedule of recommended repairs and maintenance, with enough detail for you to obtain comparable quotes from competent chimney repair contractors or roofing specialists.
How the Chimney Survey Process Works
From enquiry to report — straightforward and transparent.
Get a Quote
Contact us with the property details and a description of the chimney concerns — damp on chimney breasts, visible defects, plans to bring a chimney back into use. We respond within 24 hours with a fixed-price quote.
Book the Inspection
Choose a convenient date. We typically schedule within 5–10 working days of your instruction, subject to access and weather conditions — safe ladder access to the roof is required for a full inspection.
Surveyor Inspects
The surveyor attends and inspects every chimney on the property — from the top of the stack to the fireplace opening — using binoculars, ladders, moisture meters and where necessary a borescope or endoscope, usually taking 1–2 hours.
Receive Your Report
Your detailed chimney survey report — including findings, photographs of all defects, moisture readings and a prioritised repair schedule — is delivered within 5 working days.
The Three Most Common Chimney Defects We Find
Chimney defects are surprisingly common — even in properties that otherwise appear well maintained. These are the three issues we encounter most frequently.
Failed Flashings & Water Ingress
Flashings are the lead, zinc or other metal strips that form the weatherproof junction between the chimney stack and the roof covering. Over time, flashings can corrode, crack, lift in high winds or separate from the mortar joints into which they are set — creating a direct path for rainwater to enter the roof void and run down the chimney breast. Failed flashings are the single most common cause of chimney-related damp and can lead to extensive hidden damage in roof timbers, ceiling finishes and chimney breast plasterwork. The problem is often only noticed when damp staining appears on upstairs ceilings or chimney breast walls — by which point the flashing may have been leaking for months or years.
Common signs: damp patches on chimney breast walls in upstairs rooms or the loft, water staining on ceilings near the chimney, damp smells in upstairs rooms after heavy rain.
Deteriorated Pointing & Spalling Brickwork
The chimney stack is the most exposed part of any building — subject to full weathering from wind, rain, frost and sun. Mortar pointing gradually erodes over decades of exposure, and once the mortar joints are recessed or missing, water can penetrate into the core of the stack. In winter, trapped water freezes and expands — a process known as freeze-thaw action — causing the brick faces to spall (flake off), the mortar to crumble and the structural integrity of the stack to deteriorate. In severe cases, the chimney stack can become unstable, posing a risk of partial collapse. This is particularly common in properties built before the 1920s using lime mortar, which is softer and more permeable than modern cement-based mortars.
Common signs: missing or recessed mortar between bricks, spalled brick faces with the outer skin flaked off, mortar debris in gutters or on the ground, chimney stack visibly leaning.
Cracked or Missing Flaunching
Flaunching is the sloping mortar fillet at the very top of the chimney stack that surrounds and secures the chimney pots and sheds rainwater away from the top of the stack. When flaunching cracks, erodes or detaches — often due to frost action, poor original workmanship or simple age — water can penetrate directly into the top of the stack, saturating the masonry and accelerating the deterioration of pointing and brickwork. Loose or missing flaunching can also allow chimney pots to become unstable, posing a safety risk if a pot were to fall. This defect is often overlooked because it is not visible from ground level and can only be seen from above or with binoculars from a distance.
Common signs: vegetation growing from the top of the stack, loose or tilting chimney pots, damp high up on the chimney breast, water dripping into the fireplace opening in heavy rain.
Specialist Equipment We Use
We use professional-grade inspection equipment to assess chimney condition thoroughly — minimising the need for expensive access equipment such as scaffolding or cherry pickers while maximising the information we can gather.
High-Powered Binoculars
Professional-grade roofers' binoculars with high magnification and image stabilisation, enabling a detailed visual survey of the chimney stack, pots, flaunching and flashings from ground level without the need for scaffolding.
Ladder & Roof Access Equipment
Class 1 industrial-grade ladders and roof ladders, together with full fall-arrest safety equipment, allowing safe access to the chimney stack for close-up inspection where ground-level survey is insufficient.
Electronic Moisture Meter
A calibrated, pin-type moisture meter used to measure the moisture content of chimney breast walls internally at each floor level and in the loft, quantifying the extent of penetrating damp from chimney defects.
Borescope Inspection Camera
A small, flexible camera probe that can be inserted through the fireplace opening or inspection hatch to inspect the internal flue condition, revealing pargeting damage, soot build-up, obstructions or internal cracking.
Thermal Imaging Camera
An infrared camera that can detect moisture within chimney breast walls that may not yet be visible to the naked eye, by revealing the temperature differential caused by damp masonry behind plaster finishes.
Endoscope with Articulating Tip
A compact inspection camera with an adjustable head, used to view flashings from within the roof void, behind chimney breast plasterwork and in other confined spaces where direct visual access is not possible.
Chimney Survey Questions
Do you need to get onto the roof to survey the chimney?
Not always. The majority of our chimney surveys are carried out from ground level using professional-grade high-powered binoculars, which provide a detailed view of the stack, pots, flaunching and flashings. We will only access the roof using ladders where the ground-level survey is insufficient — for example, where the stack is partially obscured by the roof line, where close-up inspection of leadwork is required, or where we need to confirm a defect we have already identified from the ground. If roof access is required, we use full fall-arrest safety equipment and industrial-grade access ladders, and this is always discussed and agreed with you in advance. We will never access a roof without your consent or in unsafe weather conditions.
Do you inspect inside the flue?
We inspect the accessible sections of the flue visually using a borescope or endoscope camera inserted through the fireplace opening, inspection hatch or from the top of the stack where safe access permits. This allows us to assess the internal condition — including pargeting (flue lining render) damage, soot and creosote build-up, obstructions such as debris or bird nests, and any visible cracking or perforation of the flue walls. However, we do not carry out a full-length CCTV flue survey as standard — this requires specialist chimney scanning equipment that is typically provided by dedicated chimney surveying companies. If our visual inspection identifies concerns that warrant a full CCTV survey, we will tell you in our report and you can instruct a specialist. For gas appliances, flue integrity testing must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
How much does a chimney survey cost?
Our chimney survey starts from £200 plus VAT for a typical residential property with one or two chimney stacks. The exact price depends on the number of chimneys, the height and accessibility of the stacks, and whether roof access is required. We provide a fixed-price quote within 24 hours of your enquiry — the price we quote is the price you pay, with no hidden extras, no travel surcharges and no additional fees for any location within our seven counties (Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, Greater London and Oxfordshire). We are entirely independent — we do not carry out chimney repairs, repointing or flashing replacement — so our advice is always impartial and based solely on what your chimney needs.
Should a chimney breast be ventilated?
Yes — and this is one of the most common issues we identify. A disused chimney that has been sealed up at both the top (capped pot or flaunched over) and the bottom (blocked fireplace opening) without ventilation can trap moisture inside the flue. As the chimney stack warms and cools, condensation forms on the inside of the flue, saturating the masonry from within and leading to damp penetration into the chimney breast and adjoining walls. Building regulations and conservation guidance recommend that disused flues should be ventilated at both the top and the bottom — typically with a ventilated terminal at the top and an air brick or hit-and-miss vent at the bottom — to maintain a flow of air through the flue and keep the masonry dry. Our survey checks whether your disused chimneys are adequately ventilated and advises on the correct ventilation specification if they are not.
How long does a chimney survey take on site?
A chimney survey typically takes between 1 and 2 hours on site for a property with one or two chimney stacks. The surveyor will inspect every chimney from ground level (and from the roof where necessary), examine the chimney breast internally in every room at every floor level — including the loft — and take moisture meter readings to identify damp penetration. You are welcome to be present during the inspection — the surveyor can talk you through the findings as they go and answer your questions on the spot. If roof access is required, the inspection may take slightly longer due to the time required to set up access equipment safely.
Do you cover my area for a chimney survey?
We provide chimney surveys across all seven of our counties: Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, Greater London and Oxfordshire. Every surveyor who works with us is based locally and understands the local building types, common chimney construction methods, typical defects and climate conditions in their area. There are no travel surcharges for any location within our coverage area — the price we quote is the price you pay regardless of where you are within our seven counties.
Get a Fixed-Price Chimney Survey Quote
Free, no-obligation quote within 24 hours. Independent, impartial advice with no ties to chimney repair or roofing contractors.