Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Canning Town, Greater London
We carry out chimney surveys in Canning Town and the rest of Greater London. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Lifted or split lead flashings
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Canning Town
A chimney survey is about the outside of the stack and the roof around it. It’s not a flue inspection, a chimney sweep or a gas safety inspection. If you use a fire or a gas appliance, the flue should be checked by a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer as appropriate. We will tell you if we see anything that suggests they should take a look. Common reasons to book are loose, cracked or missing pots and frost-damaged brickwork on the stack, on lead flashings, flaunching and chimney pots and cowls.
A London butterfly roof slopes down to a central valley gutter that drains to the back of the house. Hidden behind the parapet, that gutter can block or split without anyone seeing it. For a house in Canning Town with this kind of roof, the hidden gutter is one of the first things to check.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Place
- Canning Town (E16, E13, E6)
- Region
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips that help
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Check unused flues are capped with ventilation
You get the report by email and can pass it to whoever does the work. We use plain English and a photo for each defect, so it’s easy to follow.
Make sure redundant flues are capped with ventilation. Ventilation helps keep the stack dry.
Chimney surveys around Canning Town
Many homes in inner London are Victorian and Edwardian terraces, often with Welsh slate roofs. Many have butterfly roofs draining to a central valley gutter, with parapet walls and gutters hidden behind them. If your home in Canning Town is one of them, lead flashings, party-wall upstands and shared chimney stacks are part of the picture too. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. The wider area around Canning Town has a long history of building, with Queen's House about 2.7 miles south-west. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Rosetta Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. If you let a flat or house near Custom House station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak. Homes near green spaces like Keir Hardie Park can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls.
Canning Town is about 5 miles east of London, in Greater London. Canning Town gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a proper look at what can safely be seen, photographs and a clear written report. Canning Town is one of the places in Greater London we cover.
We cover every part of E16, E13 and E6 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. That includes homes and businesses on Ivy Road, Star Lane and Bell Lane and the roads around them. With the A1020 close by, Canning Town is easy for us to reach for chimney surveys. If you are just outside Canning Town, we cover Custom House (1 mile south), Plaistow (1 mile north), Limmo Peninsula (1 mile west), West Silvertown (1 mile south) and Leamouth (1 mile west). Within a short drive, we also cover London (5 miles west), City of Westminster (8 miles west), Marylebone (7 miles west), Kensington (10 miles west), St Pancras (6 miles west) and Shoreditch (5 miles west).
Around Canning Town
In Canning Town, that means homes and buildings near Royal Docks Academy, Keir Hardie Park and The Royal Docks Community School and the streets around them. There is a railway station in Canning Town itself: Custom House station. Other landmarks nearby include Greenwich Castle (2.8 miles south-west) and West Ham United Football Club Museum (1.4 miles north-east). The countryside around Canning Town includes Gilbert's Pit and Hollow Pond.
What we look for on each type of roof
Brick stacks
Most chimney stacks are built of brick, with mortar joints that wear over time. The survey looks for crumbling bricks and worn or missing mortar.
Rendered stacks
Cracked render can let water in and trap it behind. Cracks are photographed and noted.
Also near Canning Town
What else we do in Canning Town
Your questions about chimney surveys in Canning Town
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Custom House station?
Yes, that’s a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Canning Town?
Parking in Canning Town, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a bay close to the door helps a lot, so mention what’s available as you book.
Will you photograph what you find?
Yes. Photos are part of every report, so you can see each point for yourself.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
No. Our survey covers the outside of the stack and the roof around it. The flue should be checked by a sweep, or by a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances.
Is a leaning chimney dangerous?
Don’t ignore it. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down. The survey records what we can see, and a structural engineer can confirm whether it is stable.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. Our survey is not a structural engineer’s report, and it doesn’t include calculations. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we will recommend one.
How long is the visit?
Most surveys take an hour or two at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. The report follows by email.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. Access is agreed with the tenant in advance.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, including offices, shops and units. Bigger roofs take more time, and they’re priced for the size.
Why it is worth a survey now in Canning Town
A small amount of repointing or new flaunching is typically a modest job. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks and the job gets bigger. In Canning Town, 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. Finding it early keeps the work smaller.
Price depends partly on the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Why book us in Canning Town
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Clear package prices, including VAT
- Every finding written up with photos
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
How the survey works
You don’t 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. A typical survey takes about 1–2 hours for most houses; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Many London properties are flats or terraces with no side access, so rear slopes are viewed from windows, the loft or, where a flight is allowed, by drone. If the building has a managing agent or access rules, let us know as you book.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there’s access.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Preparing for the visit
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Book a survey
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the details.
Related advice
Can I check my roof myself?
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
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.