Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Cranham, Greater London
Chimney surveys around Cranham, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
About our chimney survey in Cranham
If you are buying a home with chimneys, it’s worth knowing their condition before you exchange. Cracked flaunching, failed flashings and worn pointing are common findings on older stacks. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. If you’re worried about disused chimneys trapping moisture and bricks with flaking faces, we can find out what’s behind it, on chimney pots and cowls, lead flashings and shared and party-wall stacks alike.
Victorian and Edwardian terraces are found right across London, many with Welsh slate roofs, shared chimney stacks and parapet or valley gutters. Slates can last a century or more, but the nails holding them corrode, and slates slip. In Cranham, as across London, that is why a roof needs a proper look rather than a glance from the street. Shared chimney stacks and the lead around them are just as important to check.
Most points in the report come with a picture, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Place
- Cranham (RM14)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney breasts and the loft
Where a breast has been taken out, we look at what supports the stack. A structural engineer should confirm whether it’s adequate.
Lead flashings
Where the chimney meets the roof slopes, lead flashings keep water out. We check for lifting, splits and gaps in the joints.
Also near Cranham
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What we do, step by step
The visit usually starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the roof space if there’s safe access. All told, expect about one to two hours for most houses, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Many London properties are flats or terraces with no 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 as you book.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
How to prepare
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Booking a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll explain the options and the price.
Advice
What you can safely check yourself
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
FAQs for Cranham
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Cranham?
Sometimes, yes. If Cranham has controlled parking where you are, a visitor permit is the easiest answer.
I let a flat near Upminster station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, letting agents and landlords book with us as well as owners. Just phone 07833 053749 or email us and let us know about the building, including who will give access on the day.
Do you work in Cranham?
Yes. We survey roofs in Cranham and the rest of Greater London. To book, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Does someone need to be in?
It depends on what we need to see. For inside areas and the roof space, someone has to give us access.
What’s the best way to book?
Just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. We will ask a few questions, confirm the price and agree a date, weekday or weekend.
How long does the survey take?
It normally takes about 1–2 hours at a typical home, and more on a big or complicated roof. You will then get the report by email.
What’s in the survey report?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos. Points are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Cranham
Outer London has a good many Victorian and Edwardian terraces with slate roofs, but also a great many interwar semis, often with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles. Bay roofs, hip ridges and dormers from later loft conversions are the details that set these houses apart. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. The wider area around Cranham has a long history of building, with Hare Hall about 3 miles north-west. If you own one of the older houses, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for example near The Mercury Mall, a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions. The streets around a church like St Luke's Cranham are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. Take a building like Hall Mead School: a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Cranham is about 2 miles east of Hornchurch, in Greater London. Wherever you are in Cranham, we can come and survey your property. Our Greater London coverage includes Cranham and the places around it. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
Every address in RM14 is within our area for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on Avon Road, Moor Lane and Front Lane or a nearby road, we can help. We also cover Upminster (1 mile west), Puddle Dock (1 mile east), Upminster Bridge (1 mile west), North Ockendon (2 miles south-east) and Emerson Park (2 miles north-west). Larger places within reach include Shoreditch (15 miles west), Walthamstow (13 miles west), Hoxton (15 miles west), Whitechapel (15 miles west), Orpington (14 miles south-west) and Plaistow (11 miles west).
What’s near Cranham
We work in homes and buildings around The James Oglethorpe Primary School, The Crumpled Horn pub and St. Andrew's Park. For rail, the closest station is Upminster station, about 0.7 miles west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include The Mercury Mall (3.7 miles west) and Upminster Tithe Barn Museum of Nostalgia (0.6 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Cranham Brickfields.
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What to tell us when you contact us
These details help when you get in touch:
- The address and postcode of the property
- Anything about access we should know
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- What’s prompted the survey
Booking is simple: just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and give us some details about the property and we’ll suggest the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Most people never get a proper look at their chimney stacks. Problems frequently go unnoticed until damp appears inside. A survey gives you a clear picture before that happens. London’s older roofs frequently have bitumen felt underlay or none 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.
All our prices include VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. You will know the price for the job before you book.
What you get with us
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Clear package prices, including VAT
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- 98% customer satisfaction
Read how roof surveys are priced and our case studies.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with the building owner or managing agent. Mention it when you get in touch and we will plan the survey around it.
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out with the most urgent first where relevant, which helps when budgeting.