Greater London · London and the South East
Childs Hill Chimney Survey
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Childs Hill. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
Chimney survey in Childs Hill
A chimney survey looks at the stack and everything around it: the pots and cowls, the flaunching on top, the pointing, the brickwork and the flashings where it meets the roof. We also look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access. You get a photo-illustrated written report and our recommendations. It suits a single stack on a house as well as several on a larger building. Typical surveys look at mortar washing out of the joints and damp patches on chimney breasts, across lead flashings, chimney breasts and brick chimney stacks.
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 Childs Hill with this kind of roof, the hidden gutter is one of the first things to check.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Place
- Childs Hill (NW2, NW3, NW11)
- Region
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Childs Hill
About 0.7 miles east lies Heath House, a reminder of how long the area around Childs Hill has been built on. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Many homes in inner London are Victorian and Edwardian terraces, often with Welsh slate roofs. Behind many of their parapets sit butterfly roofs and valley gutters that cannot be seen from the pavement. Lead flashings, party-wall upstands and shared chimney stacks are typical of these houses, if yours is one of them. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near All Saints, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. If you run a business near O2 Centre, a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions. Anyone responsible for a site like All Saints' CofE Primary School NW2 will know that its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Childs Hill is about 1 mile north-west of West Hampstead, in Greater London. We provide chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Childs Hill and nearby. Our area takes in places right across Greater London, large and small. London is in our area too.
Surveys in NW2, NW3 and NW11 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We cover properties on Nant Road, Ridge Road and Garth Road. We also cover Fortune Green (1 mile south), West Hampstead (1 mile south-east), Golders Green (1 mile north), North End (1 mile north-east) and Vale of Health (1 mile east). Larger places within reach include London (6 miles south-east), City of Westminster (4 miles south-east), Marylebone (4 miles south-east), Kensington (4 miles south), St Pancras (4 miles south-east) and Shoreditch (6 miles south-east).
What’s near Childs Hill
In Childs Hill, that means homes and buildings near St Vedasts School For Boys, Hampstead School and The Old Bull and Bush pub, among other places. The closest station to Childs Hill is Cricklewood station, about 0.7 miles south-west. Nearby you’ll also find O2 Centre (1.2 miles south-east) and New End Hospital (0.9 miles east). Not far away are Parliament Hill and Westbere Copse.
Nearby places to Childs Hill
What else we do in Childs Hill
DIY checks: what’s safe
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
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.
Questions from Childs Hill
Is parking a problem for a survey in Childs Hill?
Normally it’s manageable with a little notice. Let us know what parking is available nearby, and the visit is planned around it.
Is my home in Childs Hill listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Is Childs Hill in your area?
Yes, we do. Childs Hill is part of the area we cover, and the service is the same as everywhere else we work.
What should I do with a chimney I do not use?
There is no single answer. The survey shows its condition and how it’s been capped. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need consent.
How can you see the top of the stack?
We inspect from wherever is safe: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the loft space. A drone inspection is included in our Premium Survey where applicable. We note anything we couldn’t see.
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.
How long will you be at the property?
It typically takes about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. We will confirm the timing when you book.
What we do, step by step
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a written report with photos, emailed to you. As for time on site, it normally takes about one to two hours on an ordinary house, and more on a big or complicated roof. London terraces rarely offer a view of the whole roof from one spot, so in Childs Hill 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.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We check 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.
How to prepare
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Check pets are kept safely away
Booking a survey
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Related advice
Tips from our surveys
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
Where another specialist is needed, like a structural engineer or sweep, we explain why. It gives them a clear starting point.
Check fixings on the stack are sound, and moved if they’re working it loose. Removing unused fixings takes strain off the brickwork.
Why act early in Childs Hill
Cracked flaunching and worn pointing are frequently modest repairs when they’re caught early. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks and the job gets bigger. Many older London roofs have only old felt under the slates, or no underlay at all, so once the slates or flashings let water past, little stops it reaching ceilings. Left unchecked, water soaks into timber and plaster and the damage spreads.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where it applies, from £400 including VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you need to know.
Why book us in Childs Hill
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Packages from £150, with VAT included
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- PI and public liability insurance
Read how roof surveys are priced and our case studies.
What we look for on each type of roof
Flaunching
Sitting at the very top, flaunching is fully exposed. The survey checks for cracking and gaps around each pot.
Chimney breasts and the loft
If a chimney breast has been removed below, we note what we can see of the support above. A structural engineer should confirm whether it is adequate.
What a survey costs
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The size of the roof
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so they’re priced to match. The price is confirmed before booking.
What to let us know when you contact us
Some details help us recommend the right survey and price. When you get in touch, it is useful to mention:
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- What’s prompted the survey
Once you know what you need, call 07833 053749 or email us. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.