Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Deptford, Greater London
Chimney surveys around Deptford, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
Honest limits
We only report what can safely be seen on the day, so there are some things a survey can’t cover:
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Deptford
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Deptford
Chimney stacks take more weather than almost any other part of a house. Over the years, the flaunching cracks, the pointing wears and flashings lift. That lets water into the brickwork, which can show up as damp on a chimney breast or in the loft space. A survey finds these problems and records them with photos. We’re often asked to look into eroded joints in the brickwork and flaunching that has broken away, on brick chimney stacks, lead flashings and flaunching.
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 Deptford, as across London, that’s why a roof needs a proper look rather than a glance from the street. Lead flashings and shared chimney stacks on these houses need a proper look too.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Location
- Deptford (SE8, SE10, SE14)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Places near Deptford
More services for Deptford
Can I check my roof myself?
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us when booking.
What we’re asked to look at in Deptford
Where a chimney meets the roof, lead flashings keep water out. With age they can lift, split or come away from the joints. Failed flashings are one of the most common causes of damp around chimneys. Lead is also a target for theft.
Most people get in touch after spotting something like this:
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Bricks with flaking faces
- A chimney out of line
- Cracked or missing flaunching
If you live near a park like Sue Godfrey Nature Park, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls.
What to check before booking
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- What the survey won’t cover
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
Tips from our surveys
A little preparation and a few simple habits help, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Our tips:
- Make sure unused flues are capped with ventilation
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
Questions about the findings are always welcome. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation.
Unused stacks should be capped in a way that still lets air through. Ventilation helps keep the stack dry.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Deptford
Historic houses such as Queen's House, about 1 mile east, show how far back building in the area around Deptford goes. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead. Many homes in inner London are Victorian and Edwardian terraces, often with Welsh slate roofs. A butterfly roof with a central valley gutter, tucked behind a parapet wall, is common on these houses. If your home in Deptford is one of them, lead flashings, party-wall upstands and shared chimney stacks are part of the picture too. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
If you live in an older home near St. Paul's, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. If you own a rental within reach of Deptford station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Deptford is about 3 miles south-east of Whitechapel, in Greater London. From houses to flats and shops in Deptford, the roof can be surveyed on a weekday or at the weekend. We cover towns and villages across Greater London.
Here we cover the SE8, SE10 and SE14 postcode area for chimney surveys. We offer chimney surveys to properties on Mill Lane, Dixon Road and Clare Road. You will find Deptford on the A2209, which makes it simple to reach. We also cover the places around Deptford: New Cross (1 mile south-west), St Johns (1 mile south), Millwall (1 mile north), Isle of Dogs (1 mile north-east) and North Greenwich (1 mile north-east). Further out, we also cover London (3 miles north-west), City of Westminster (6 miles north-west), Marylebone (6 miles north-west), Kensington (8 miles west), St Pancras (5 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (4 miles north-west).
What’s near Deptford
In Deptford, that means homes and buildings near Addey and Stanhope School, Sue Godfrey Nature Park and Deptford Arms. Deptford has its own railway station: Deptford station. Other landmarks nearby include Greenwich Castle (1.1 miles east) and Lewisham Shopping Centre (1.3 miles south-east). Not far away are Sue Godfrey Nature Park and Tower Hill.
How the survey works
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. If you have questions on the day, just ask. London terraces rarely offer a view of the whole roof from one spot, so in Deptford 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.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Preparing for the visit
- Keep pets in another room
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Booking a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine, and please do not climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney pots and cowls
A loose or cracked pot can fall from height. We record their condition with photos.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Damp patches on chimney breasts frequently point to a problem above. We check the breasts and the stack in the roof space where we can reach.
Common questions in Deptford
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Deptford?
Sometimes, yes. Where there are permit zones, a visitor permit or nearby pay-and-display bay works well, and a driveway is even better.
Can a landlord with a rental near Deptford station book a roof survey?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and what you need.
How many surveys have you done?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years, across London and South East England.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not unless it’s safe. Safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where it applies cover most of what’s needed, and the report notes anything we couldn’t see.
Will you photograph what you find?
Yes. Photos are part of every report, so you can see exactly what each finding refers to.
Can you find out why my chimney breast is damp?
Damp on a chimney breast typically means water is getting into the stack, or moisture is trapped inside it. We check the stack, the flashings and how unused flues are capped and records the likely cause.