Chimneys and parapets
What should you ask if the lead saddle behind a chimney looks split?
Ask about the saddle, the lead that weathers the uphill side of the stack where the slope meets it. A split there lets rain in at the back of the chimney, which is not the same as soakers at the sides that sit under the tiles and can fail unseen. A surveyor sees a saddle only when it is in view, will not lift it, and a loft stain is a clue rather than a measurement of the lead.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
The saddle is a small, worked piece, often with a roll or a welt, and it is one of the first lead details to fatigue. From the street it is hidden by the stack. From a rear window it may be obvious. A home survey should say which stacks had a saddle in sight and which did not. Pointing over the edge of the saddle, or a mastic patch, is part of the description. It is not proof the lead underneath is continuous.
A leadworker prices a saddle by access and by whether the timber under it has rotted once the split is open. There is no RICS figure. Do not buy side soakers and forget the back, and do not buy a new stack because the saddle is tired. If the survey could not see the back, ask for that limit to stay in the quote request so nobody pretends the rear was passed. This is still not a flue test. Approved Document J does not describe this piece of lead.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Which stacks had the back visible?
- Is the saddle split, patched, or simply not seen?
- Are the side soakers a separate sentence?
What are the typical next steps?
- Name the saddle in the leadworker’s visit.
- Do not stand on the stack to look.
- Match any loft stain to the back of the stack before you blame the pots.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Is a cement fillet behind the stack a saddle?
No. A fillet is mortar. A saddle is lead or another sheet. If mortar was used instead, say that. It is a different repair.
Can a back gutter and a saddle be the same place?
They meet at the back of the stack. The gutter is the channel. The saddle is the weathering over the junction. Ask which one was seen.