Surrey · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Caterham
We take a careful look at the chimney stack at your property in Caterham, with photos and a written report.
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Worn or missing pointing
- Signs that a stack is leaning
How a chimney survey works in Caterham
If a chimney looks out of line, it’s worth getting it checked. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down, often after years of flue gases and damp. We record the lean and the condition of the brickwork and pointing. If the stack looks like a structural issue, the report recommends a structural engineer. We are often asked to look into frost-damaged brickwork on the stack and gaps where the stack meets the roof, on brick chimney stacks, flaunching and shared and party-wall stacks.
In a town like Caterham, most homes are houses whose owners look after their own roofs. Small faults, such as a cracked ridge, a slipped tile or a blocked gutter, are cheaper to deal with early. A roof report gives you a list of what needs doing and how soon, whether you live in the house or let it. Photographs show you exactly what was seen, even on parts you can’t reach yourself.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Location
- Caterham (CR3)
- Wider area
- Surrey
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
The survey, step by step
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit normally takes an hour or two at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. For a home in Caterham, the main things we need are a way into the loft, a route to the back garden and somewhere to park. If you won’t be there yourself, let us know who will let us in.
- 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.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Getting ready for the survey
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Arrange a survey
Booking is simple: just call 07833 053749 or email us and give us a few details about the property and we’ll recommend the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Advice
Also near Caterham
What else we do in Caterham
Useful tips for Caterham property owners
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. Small repairs now can save bigger work later.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
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.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. Surveys run on any day of the week, which can make access easier.
Checking the roof from the ground
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date.
Caterham homes and their roofs
Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls are typical of Surrey’s older houses. Some old buildings in Surrey and Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. About 4.7 miles east lies Titsey Place, a reminder of how long the area around Caterham has been built on. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Living close to Dollypers Hill is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. Anyone responsible for a site like Hillcroft Primary School will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. If you own a rental within reach of Caterham station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Caterham is about 11 miles south-west of Orpington, in Surrey. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Caterham can all book chimney surveys. Our Surrey coverage includes Caterham. You can also see our page for Crawley.
Here we cover the CR3 postcode area for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on High Street, London Road and Park Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Caterham is on the B2030 and B2031, so it is easy for us to get to. We also cover the places around Caterham: Woldingham Garden Village (2 miles east), Tyler's Green (2 miles south-east), Woldingham (3 miles east), Godstone (3 miles south) and Church Town (3 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Epsom (8 miles north-west), Horley (8 miles south-west), Redhill (5 miles south-west), Ewell (8 miles north-west), Reigate (6 miles south-west) and Walton-on-Thames (15 miles north-west).
Landmarks near Caterham
Typical jobs here are in homes near Sunnydown School, The King And Queen Public House and de Stafford School. The nearest railway station is Caterham station, roughly 0.7 miles south-east. Well-known places in the area include Bletchingley Castle (3.4 miles south) and East Surrey Museum (0.6 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include South London Downs National Nature Reserve and Mercers Lake.
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings
Mortar fillets are sometimes used where lead would typically be. They tend to crack, so we check them closely.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Inside, chimney breasts can show damp when water gets into the stack. We check the breasts and the stack in the roof space where we can reach.
What happens if roof problems are left?
If you’re thinking of removing or reducing a stack, it helps to know its condition first. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need permission from the council and the council can advise. Once water reaches the loft insulation in a home in Caterham, it loses much of its value and is slow to dry. That’s an extra cost on top of the roof work itself.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, how it can be seen safely and which survey you book.
Why us?
- 98% customer satisfaction
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Package prices that include VAT
Questions from Caterham
Is Caterham in the area you cover?
Yes, Caterham is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Caterham as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
How do I find out if my home in Caterham is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
How experienced are you?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, over more than 20 years, and 98% of clients are satisfied.
How long is the visit?
Most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. The report follows by email.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We note visible signs like sagging or deflection, but we are not structural engineers and do not carry out calculations. If we think you need an engineer, the report says so.
Are you insured?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Where it helps and it is safe, yes. Flights depend on the weather on the day and airspace rules, including flight restriction zones near airports. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.