Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Charlton, Greater London
Know where you stand with the chimney stack before you decide what to do next. We carry out chimney surveys in Charlton.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Charlton
A chimney stands up above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. In time, flaunching cracks, mortar washes out and flashings come loose. Water then gets into the stack and can show as damp on a chimney breast or a stain in the loft. A survey finds these problems and records them with photos. If you’ve noticed eroded joints in the brickwork and flaunching that has broken away, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Much of London’s housing is flats, in converted houses or purpose-built blocks, so roofs are often shared between several households. Landlords, managing agents and residents’ companies need to know what condition it is in and what work is coming up, in Charlton as anywhere. A defect on a shared roof can reach more than one flat. With a written report and photos, everyone can plan from the same facts.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photographs, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Place
- Charlton (SE7, SE18)
- Region
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
When you need someone else
Every survey has limits, and it is better to know them up front. Bear these in mind:
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
What we check
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
Places near Charlton
Other services in Charlton
Your questions about chimney surveys in Charlton
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Charlton station?
Of course. 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 Charlton?
Sometimes, yes. If Charlton has controlled parking where you are, a visitor permit is the easiest answer.
What if it rains on the day?
It can, depending on the survey. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. If the conditions aren’t right, we’ll talk to you about another date.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so we need permission from the freeholder or managing agent. We inspect only the parts we’re allowed to reach.
When does the report arrive?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. All of them come by email.
Do you need to go on the roof to check the chimney?
We look from ground level, from windows and from the loft where it’s safe. A drone inspection is part of the Premium Survey where applicable. Any area we couldn’t view is noted.
Should I worry about a leaning stack?
A leaning stack should be looked at. We record the lean, the brickwork and the pointing, and recommend a structural engineer where it may be a structural concern.
What we do, step by step
Once we have finished looking, we write up our findings in a report with photographs. As for time on site, it normally takes about 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In converted houses and mansion blocks, the loft hatch is frequently on a shared landing. Where that is the case, access needs agreeing with whoever controls that landing. Otherwise, the visit in Charlton runs like any other.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Getting ready for the survey
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
How to book
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or email us, let us know about the property and we will recommend the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
Why get it checked now?
A small amount of repointing or new flaunching is usually a modest job. Leave it, and frost can work the stack loose, and the work grows. Blocked gutters and hoppers on London houses overflow and soak brickwork. A small blockage left for a few winters becomes a damp problem.
Price depends partly on the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, inc. VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
What you get with us
- Plain-English reports with photos
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
Read our cost guide and two real surveys.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Charlton
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. We survey on weekdays and at weekends, which can make access easier.
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.
Useful tips for Charlton property owners
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out:
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
Once we have been, the findings are written up with photos. It explains the condition of each part of the stack and any damp inside. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24 to 48 hours and Premium reports the same day.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Charlton
About 1.9 miles west lies Queen's House, a reminder of how long the area around Charlton has been built on. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Inner London’s Victorian and Edwardian terraces often have Welsh slate roofs. Behind many of their parapets sit butterfly roofs and valley gutters that can’t be seen from the pavement. In a house like that, shared stacks, party-wall upstands and lead flashings all need looking at as far as they can be seen. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near St Catherine Labouré, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs. Living close to Charlton Park is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn.
Charlton is about 2 miles west of Plumstead, in Greater London. We visit Charlton as part of our work across Greater London, for homes and businesses alike. Across Greater London, we cover Charlton. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
Every address in SE7 and SE18 is covered for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Local streets include Floyd Road, Guild Road and Priolo Road, all of which we cover. Other places close to Charlton include New Charlton (1 mile north-west), Westcombe Park (1 mile west), Woolwich (1 mile east), Vanbrugh Park Estate (1 mile south-west) and Kidbrooke (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover London (6 miles west), City of Westminster (8 miles west), Marylebone (8 miles west), Kensington (10 miles west), St Pancras (7 miles west) and Shoreditch (6 miles north-west).
Around Charlton
Typical jobs here are in homes near Charlton Park, Wildwood Montessori School and Royal Greenwich Trust School and the streets around them. There is a railway station in Charlton itself: Charlton station. Nearby you will also find British Hospital for Mothers and Babies (0.5 miles east) and Gallions Reach Shopping Park (2.3 miles north-east). For a walk, there is Gilbert's Pit.
Signs you need a chimney survey in Charlton
Aerials and dishes are often fixed to stacks. The extra load in wind can work bricks and joints loose. We check fixings on the stack as part of the survey.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
For businesses in and around places such as Gallions Reach Shopping Park, a written record of the roof’s condition helps you plan maintenance rather than react to leaks.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Will the report include photos?
- Whether VAT is added on top
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection