Surrey · London and the South East
Abinger Chimney Survey
Chimney surveys in Abinger from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and South East England.
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Cracked or missing flaunching
Chimney survey in Abinger: what you get
Each stack is looked at from the safest viewpoints available: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the roof space where it is safe. A drone inspection is part of our Premium Survey where applicable. If we can’t see part of the stack, the report makes that clear. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. We survey chimney pots and cowls, chimney breasts and brick chimney stacks, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are pots or cowls that look unsafe and damp on a chimney breast inside.
In a small place like Abinger, many roofs stand in the open, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
We keep jargon out of it: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, along with how urgent it is.
- Where
- Abinger (RH5)
- Region
- Surrey
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney breasts and the loft
Stains on timbers or brickwork around the stack can point to a leak. We record what we see with photographs.
Flaunching
Flaunching takes the worst of the weather. The survey checks for cracking and gaps around each pot.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Abinger
Historic houses such as Polesden Lacey, about 3.9 miles north-east, show how far back building in the area around Abinger goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Older houses across Surrey often have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging. A few of Surrey’s oldest buildings have heavy Horsham stone slab roofs. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
If you look after a building such as Belmont Prep School, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St James, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look. If you live near a park such as Wotton and Abinger Commons, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall.
Abinger is about 4 miles south-west of Dorking, in Surrey. Wherever you are in Abinger, we can carry out chimney surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Abinger is one of the places in Surrey we cover for chimney surveys. We also survey roofs in Guildford.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: RH5. Whether your property is on Raikes Lane, Sutton Lane and Abinger Lane or a nearby road, we can survey it. If you’re just outside Abinger, we cover Sutton Abinger (1 mile west), Abinger Hammer (1 mile north-west), Hoe (1 mile west), Gomshall (2 miles north-west) and Shere (3 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Guildford (8 miles west), Woking (10 miles north-west), Epsom (11 miles north-east), Horley (11 miles east), Redhill (11 miles east) and Ewell (12 miles north-east).
Near you in Abinger
Typical jobs here are in homes near Wotton and Abinger Commons, The Abinger Hatch Public House and Hurtwood House. Abinger’s nearest station is Gomshall station, about 1.7 miles north-west. Nearby you will also find Abinger Castle (under half a mile south-east) and Mesolithic Museum (less than half a mile south). The countryside around Abinger includes Leith Hill and Combe Bottom.
Towns and villages near Abinger
Also in Abinger
How the survey works
The visit normally starts outside and finishes in the loft: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the roof space where it can be reached. All told, expect an hour or two for a house, and more on a big or complicated roof. For a village or hamlet like Abinger, the journey is planned ahead of time: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Getting ready for the survey
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
How to book
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To get started, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Honest limits
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Abinger
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Shared and party-wall stacks
For landlords and managing agents
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out with the most urgent first where relevant.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work with less disruption.
Tips that help
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
You get the report by email and can pass it to whoever does the work. Each defect is described in plain words and shown in a photo so anyone reading it can see what we saw.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. Small repairs now can save bigger work later.
Abinger: your questions answered
How do I find out if my home in Abinger is listed?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you cover smaller places like Abinger?
Yes, we do. We work right across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it applies and safe. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where it applies.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We don’t sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it’s disturbed.
What’s the best way to book?
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know the address and what you want to find out. We’ll confirm the price and agree a day with you.
Is a leaning chimney dangerous?
Have it checked rather than leaving it. Leaning often comes from mortar breaking down unevenly. The survey records what we can see, and a structural engineer can confirm whether it is stable.
Do you look in the loft space?
If the survey needs it and the loft space can be reached safely, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Most people never get a proper look at their chimney stacks. Problems often go unnoticed until damp appears inside. Surveying the stack now can catch problems first. Around Abinger, older homes often have old roof timbers, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and which survey you book.
Why book with us
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Clear package prices, inc. VAT
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- 98% customer satisfaction
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.