Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Botany Bay, Greater London
Find out the condition of the chimney stack at your property in Botany Bay from an independent roof surveyor. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Lifted or split lead flashings
Tips that help
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Don’t use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
You can send the report to roofers or builders for quotes. Because everyone is pricing the same findings, the quotes are easier to compare.
Look at your chimneys from ground level now and then, especially after strong winds. With binoculars, you can often see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Botany Bay
A chimney stands up above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. Over the years, the flaunching cracks, the pointing wears and flashings lift. That lets water into the brickwork, which can show up as damp on a chimney breast or in the roof space. We record what we find with photographs and recommendations. If you’re worried about mortar washing out of the joints and damp patches on chimney breasts, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Much of London’s housing is flats, in converted houses or purpose-built blocks, where the roof is normally a shared part of the building. Whoever looks after the building needs a clear picture of the roof, chimneys and gutters. Leaks from a shared roof rarely affect just one home. With a written report and photographs, everyone can plan from the same facts.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Place
- Botany Bay (EN2)
- Region
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
With a portfolio of properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, phone 07833 053749 or email us with the addresses.
Honest limits
It helps to know what a survey won’t do before booking:
- Areas we can’t view from safe positions
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will recommend the right survey before you book. What a survey covers and does not.
What we look at
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
Checking the roof from the ground
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
How the survey works
You do not need to do much on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes about one to two hours for most houses, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. In Botany Bay, as in much of London, lots of properties are flats or terraces without side access, so the back of the roof is frequently seen from upstairs windows, from inside or, where a flight is allowed, from the air. Mention any building rules, key holders or managing agents when booking.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We check the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
How to prepare
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
How to book
If you are buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.
Related advice
Places near Botany Bay
Also in Botany Bay
FAQs for Botany Bay
I let a flat near Crews Hill station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that’s a common request. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Is my home in Botany Bay listed or in a conservation area?
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.
What should I do with a chimney I don’t use?
A redundant chimney needs looking after like any other. Capping without airflow can lead to damp. Our survey records its condition and how it is capped, so you can decide with a builder what to do.
What’s in the survey report?
It explains what we saw, what it means and what we’d suggest, with photographs throughout. Anything we couldn’t see safely is noted too.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Light rain doesn’t typically stop a survey. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so we will agree a new date if the weather isn’t suitable.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. We look at the roof, not the whole building, so it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs such as sagging are noted, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. The report will say if you need an engineer.
How we price chimney surveys
Survey packages start from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- Height and safe access
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
All our prices include VAT. Prices start from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before booking.
Getting in touch
Before you get in touch, it’s useful to have:
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- What made you get in touch
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Chimney surveys around Botany Bay
Forty Hall, about 2.5 miles east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Botany Bay. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs. Further from the centre, London’s housing takes in interwar semis with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles as well as slate-roofed terraces. If your home in Botany Bay is one of them, bay roofs, hips and later dormers each have their own details. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
If you live near a park such as Trent Park, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys. For businesses in and around places like Spires Shopping Centre, a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions. As a London address, Botany Bay can be tricky for parking: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day easier, as a space near the door can’t be promised.
Botany Bay is about 3 miles south-east of Potters Bar, in Greater London. We carry out chimney surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Botany Bay and nearby. Botany Bay is one of the places in Greater London where we work for chimney surveys. We also survey roofs in London.
Every address in EN2 is within our area for chimney surveys. Local streets include The Ridgeway and East Lodge Lane, all of which we cover. Being close to the A1005, Botany Bay is simple for us to get to. We also cover the places around Botany Bay: Northaw Valley (1 mile north-west), Cockfosters (2 miles south-west), Grange Park (2 miles south-east), Hadley Wood (2 miles south-west) and World's End (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include London (12 miles south), City of Westminster (11 miles south), Marylebone (11 miles south), Kensington (13 miles south), St Pancras (10 miles south) and Shoreditch (11 miles south).
What’s near Botany Bay
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Robin Hood pub, Trent Park and Highlands School. The closest station to Botany Bay is Crews Hill station, about 1 mile north-east. Other landmarks nearby include Museum of Enfield (2.7 miles south-east) and Chase Farm Hospital (1.2 miles south-east). Open spaces near Botany Bay include Fir and Pond Woods and Bowyer's Water.