Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Barking, Greater London
Chimney surveys in Barking from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Lifted or split lead flashings
Surveys for landlords and agents in Barking
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too. Larger roofs take longer, and they’re priced for the size.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work.
Chimney survey in Barking: what you get
Each stack is looked at from the safest viewpoints available: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the loft space where it is safe. With our Premium Survey, a drone inspection is included where applicable. If we cannot see part of the stack, the report makes that clear. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. If you are worried about worn or missing pointing and damp patches on chimney breasts, we can find out what’s behind it, on chimney pots and cowls, flaunching and shared and party-wall stacks alike.
Victorian and Edwardian terraces are found right across London, frequently with slate roofs, chimney stacks shared with neighbours and gutters hidden behind parapets. Good slates can last over a hundred years, yet the nails often give out first and let slates slip. In Barking, as across London, that’s why a roof needs a close look rather than a glance from the street. Lead flashings and shared chimney stacks on these houses need a close look too.
Report times depend on the survey you book: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Where
- Barking (IG11, RM9, RM8, E6)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we are asked to look at in Barking
Some owners book because a chimney breast has been removed below and they want to know about the stack above. We note what’s visible in the roof space and outside, and recommend a structural engineer where support is in question.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- A stack that appears to lean
Landlords with a home close to Barking station may find that the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Before you book anyone
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Which limits apply to the survey
- What happens after the report arrives
Why act early in Barking
A damp chimney breast seldom dries out until the cause is found. It can spoil decoration and plaster. Finding the cause means the right work can be planned. Blocked gutters and hoppers on London houses overflow and soak brickwork. A small blockage left for a few winters becomes a damp problem.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, from £400 with VAT included. We can help you choose the package that fits what you need to know.
Why us?
- An independent view of the roof
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- 20+ years’ experience
Roof by roof
Flaunching
Flaunching takes the worst of the weather. The survey checks for cracking and gaps around each pot.
Chimney pots and cowls
A loose or cracked pot can fall from height. We record their condition with photographs.
What else we do in Barking
What we do, step by step
On the day, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you want to find out. We then inspect everything that can safely be seen. The survey normally takes between one and two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In Barking, visits are available on weekdays and at weekends. It helps if you can point us to a visitor permit or a nearby bay, and to clear a path to the loft hatch. Upstairs rooms at the back are useful too, as they often give the best view of a rear addition.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can safely be seen.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access.
- You get a written report with photographs and our recommendations.
Before the survey
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
How to book
If you are buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or send us an email whenever suits you.
Related advice
Useful tips for Barking property owners
A little preparation and a few simple habits help, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Some pointers:
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
Where another specialist is needed, such as a structural engineer or sweep, we explain why. It gives them a clear starting point.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. Early signs are easier to trace.
Your questions about chimney surveys in Barking
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in Barking?
In much of London, parking needs planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day run more smoothly.
Can a landlord with a rental near Barking station book a roof survey?
Of course. We just need to know who will give access, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Do I need to be at home?
Not always. If we only need the outside, we can agree that beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We point out what can be seen, such as sagging or deflection, but we are not structural engineers and do not carry out calculations. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
How long will you be at the property?
Expect it to take an hour or two on an ordinary house, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. The written report follows by email.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it’s applicable. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Light rain is normally fine; heavy rain and wind are different. In strong wind or a downpour, a drone can’t fly and access may not be safe, and we’d agree another day.
Chimney surveys around Barking
Historic houses like Eastbury Manor House, about 0.1 miles east, show how far back building in the area around Barking goes. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Outer London has a good many Victorian and Edwardian terraces with slate roofs, but also a great many interwar semis, often with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles. Hips, bay roofs and later loft conversions are typical of those semis, if your home is one of them. Whatever the covering, it is frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
For an older house near a landmark such as St Patrick's Church, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look. Trees in and around Mayesbrook Park shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Barking is about 9 miles east of London, in Greater London. We provide chimney surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Barking and nearby. Across Greater London, we cover Barking. For surveys nearby, see our London page.
Chimney surveys in IG11, RM9, RM8 and E6 are booked the same way as anywhere else. You’ll find streets such as Eastbury Square, London Road and Church Road, all of which we cover. Other places close to Barking include Loxford (1 mile north-west), Creekmouth (1 mile south), Wallend (1 mile west), East Ham (2 miles west) and Beckton (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover London (9 miles west), City of Westminster (11 miles west), Marylebone (11 miles west), Kensington (13 miles west), St Pancras (9 miles west) and Shoreditch (8 miles west).
Near you in Barking
In Barking, that means homes and buildings near Mayesbrook Park, Greatfields School and The Barking Dog pub and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Barking station, roughly 0.8 miles north-west of the centre. A little further out are East End Women's Museum (0.9 miles west) and Barking Community Hospital (less than half a mile north). The countryside around Barking includes Ripple Nature Reserve and Hollow Pond.