Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Barkingside
Find out the condition of the chimney stack at your property in Barkingside. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Worn or missing pointing
Leave it or get it looked at?
A damp chimney breast seldom dries out until the cause is found. It can stain walls and damage plaster. Knowing whether it is the flaunching, flashings, brickwork or ventilation means the right fix can be planned. In Barkingside, as in much of London, water from a roof defect can reach a neighbour’s home as easily as yours: a blocked parapet gutter or slipped slate can let water into the flat below or the house next door. Dealing with it early is far less disruptive.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and the package you choose.
Why book with us
- Prices that include VAT
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Photographs and a written report every time
Read our cost guide and two real surveys.
Chimney survey in Barkingside: 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’s safe. With our Premium Survey, a drone inspection is included where it applies. If we cannot see part of the stack, the report makes that clear. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. We survey flaunching, brick chimney stacks and lead flashings, and common reasons people get in touch are eroded joints in the brickwork and spalled or crumbling bricks.
A London butterfly roof slopes down to a central valley gutter that drains to the back of the house. From the street you see only a parapet wall, so blocked outlets and split linings go unnoticed until water comes through a ceiling. For a house in Barkingside with this kind of roof, the hidden gutter is one of the first things to check.
The report records the chimney stack as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, such as when you want to compare after future work.
- Where
- Barkingside (IG6, IG2, IG5)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Useful tips for Barkingside property owners
Small things make a difference, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Some pointers:
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
Once we’ve been, the findings are written up with photos. It covers the pots, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings, and any damp we found inside. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24 to 48 hours and Premium reports the same day.
Look at your chimneys from ground level now and then, especially after strong winds. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Barkingside
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. We survey on weekdays and at weekends, which can make access easier.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait.
What we do, step by step
The visit has one job: to see as much of the chimney stack as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Notes and photos go into the written report. It normally takes an hour or two for most houses, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. London terraces rarely offer a view of the whole roof from one spot, so in Barkingside we work round the house, using the street, the windows, the loft and any safe vantage point behind it. Shared stairs or a basement flat? Let us know who holds the keys.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before the survey
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
How to book
Once you know what you need, call 07833 053749 or email us. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.
Related advice
Nearby places to Barkingside
More services for Barkingside
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney pots and cowls
On redundant flues, we look at how the pots are capped. Poor capping can lead to damp inside the stack.
Lead flashings
Some older stacks have mortar fillets instead of lead. They crack with age, and we check them too.
Barkingside homes and their roofs
About 1.2 miles south-west lies Valentines Mansion, a reminder of how long the area around Barkingside has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. 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. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters.
Barkingside is in London, so parking needs planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day easier. Anyone responsible for a site like Avanti Court Primary School will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. For landlords with property near Seven Kings station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Barkingside is about 3 miles south-east of Woodford, in Greater London. Wherever you are in Barkingside, we can carry out chimney surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Barkingside is one of the towns and villages in Greater London we cover. There is also a page for London.
Here we cover the IG6, IG2 and IG5 postcode area for chimney surveys. Local streets include Bute Road, Duke Road and Oaks Lane. If you’re just outside Barkingside, we cover Newbury Park (1 mile south), Fullwell Cross (1 mile north), Gants Hill (1 mile south-west), Fairlop (1 mile north) and Seven Kings (1 mile south-east). Larger places within reach include London (10 miles south-west), City of Westminster (11 miles south-west), Marylebone (11 miles south-west), Kensington (14 miles south-west), St Pancras (10 miles south-west) and Shoreditch (8 miles south-west).
Landmarks near Barkingside
Around Barkingside, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The New Fairlop Oak pub, Fairlop Waters and Ilford County High School. Barkingside’s nearest station is Seven Kings station, about 1.6 miles south of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include King George Hospital (1.2 miles east) and Redbridge Museum (2 miles south). Open spaces near Barkingside include Hollow Pond and Hainault Lodge.
FAQs for Barkingside
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Barkingside?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Is parking a problem for a survey in Barkingside?
Parking in Barkingside, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day run more smoothly.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
It depends on its condition and your plans. We record how the stack is doing and whether it’s capped with ventilation. If you are thinking of removing it, check with the council first in a conservation area or on a listed building.
Is a leaning chimney dangerous?
Do not ignore it. Leaning often comes from mortar breaking down unevenly. The survey records what we can see, and a structural engineer can assess whether it needs work.
Will you photograph what you find?
Yes. Photos are taken throughout the survey, and they go into the written report alongside our recommendations.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. Shared stacks are common on terraced and semi-detached houses. We record the stack as far as we can see it and flag anything on the neighbour’s side.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
How we price chimney surveys
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- The size of the roof
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- House, block, shop or office
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where it applies, from £400 with VAT included. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Helping us price your survey
If you can, have these to hand when you contact us:
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine, and please do not climb up for a closer look. To get started, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.