Outbuildings and conservatories
A workshop stove flue passes through a felt roof. Does the home survey certify that flue, or only note the hole it could see?
Only the hole the survey could see is noted: the home survey does not certify the workshop stove flue through the felt roof. It can record that a pipe passes through the covering and what the junction looked like from the available view. It does not certify the flue, the stove, the terminal or the clearance. Approved Document J is England guidance for combustion appliances. It is not a certificate this inspection has issued for that workshop flue.
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?
A felt roof with a pipe through it shows a hole and a flashing, or the lack of one. That is a roof detail. The flue itself is a combustion path: liner, joint, support and outlet, which a visual note does not sign off. If the surveyor could see scorching, a gap or a poor collar, those are observations. They are not a certificate that the stove is safe to light, and they are not a pass because the felt looked tidy.
Ask the surveyor which part was actually in view: the collar on the felt, the pipe in the roof space, or only a terminal outside. Then, if the stove matters, instruct someone competent to inspect the flue as a flue. Do not read the home survey as that certificate. Document J does not become a pass mark because a hole was photographed. The report has noted the opening it could see.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Which parts of the flue did you actually see, and from where?
- Did you note the hole and the collar, rather than certify the flue?
- Is any scorch or gap a condition note, not a safety certificate?
What are the typical next steps?
- Read the note as a hole through the felt, not a certified flue.
- Ask what was visible at the collar, the pipe and the terminal.
- Instruct a competent flue inspection if the stove is to be used.
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
If the felt around the pipe looks new, is the flue approved?
No. New felt around a pipe shows a roof repair or a collar. It does not certify the flue, the stove or the way the appliance burns.
Does a capped workshop stove still need the hole recorded?
Yes, if the pipe still passes through the felt. A cap on the stove does not remove the hole the survey could see.