Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Downham, Greater London
Find out what’s going on with the chimney stack before you decide what to do next. We carry out chimney surveys in Downham, with photographs and a clear written report.
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
Downham questions
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Grove Park station?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. You can phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a few details, including who will give access on the day.
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Downham?
In much of London, parking needs planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day run more smoothly.
Does someone need to be in?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you when you book.
How long will you be at the property?
That depends on the size and shape of the roof; most visits take an hour or two for most houses, or half a day or so for a commercial building. The report is sent afterwards by email.
How experienced are you?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, over more than 20 years, with 98% customer satisfaction.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs like sagging are noted, but we do not provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. The report will say if you need an engineer.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It can, depending on the survey. Drones cannot fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions aren’t right, we’ll talk to you about another date.
How a chimney survey works in Downham
Many terraced and semi-detached homes share their chimney stacks with a neighbour. We look at everything that’s safely in view and what the owner gives us access to. If a defect appears to be on the neighbour’s side, we note it, so you can talk to them. You get a written report with photos and our recommendations. Typical surveys look at frost-damaged brickwork on the stack and gaps where the stack meets the roof, across flaunching, shared and party-wall stacks and chimney pots and cowls.
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. If your home in Downham has one, it needs checking from somewhere that can actually see it.
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.
- Location
- Downham (BR1, SE6, SE12)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
On the day, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you want to find out. After that, we look at everything we can see safely. Most surveys take between one and two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. London terraces rarely offer a view of the whole roof from one spot, so in Downham we work round the house, using the street, the windows, the loft and any safe vantage point behind it. If other people live in the building, tell us who can let us into the shared parts.
- 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.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Preparing for the visit
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
How to book
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Advice
Chimney surveys in Downham: local notes
Historic houses such as Bromley Palace, about 1.7 miles south-east, show how far back building in the area around Downham goes. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead. Alongside Victorian and Edwardian terraces, outer London has a great many interwar semis, frequently with hipped roofs of clay or concrete tiles. Bay roofs, hip ridges and dormers from later loft conversions are the details that set these houses apart. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
If you live in an older home near St Barnabas, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. Shop and office owners around The Glades may find that a roof report helps plan work around trading rather than after a leak.
Downham is about 2 miles north of Bromley, in Greater London. Anywhere in Downham, we can come and survey your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. We cover towns and villages across Greater London. For surveys nearby, see our London page.
Chimney surveys in BR1, SE6 and SE12 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on Shaw Road, Arcus Road and Brook Lane or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Other places close to Downham include Plaistow (1 mile south), Grove Park (1 mile north-east), Sundridge (1 mile south-east), Chinbrook (1 mile east) and Bellingham (1 mile west). Larger places within reach include London (7 miles north-west), City of Westminster (9 miles north-west), Marylebone (9 miles north-west), Kensington (10 miles north-west), St Pancras (9 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (8 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Downham
We work in homes and buildings around Holy Trinity College Bromley, Downham Fields and Bonus Pastor Catholic College, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Grove Park station, about 0.8 miles north-east. Well-known places in the area include The Glades (1.6 miles south) and Greenwich Castle (3.6 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Summer Hill and Downham Woodland Walk.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us as you book and it will help the survey.
Tips that help
You do not need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
You get the report by email and can pass it to whoever does the work. Each defect is described in plain words and shown in a photo, so it’s easy to follow.
Check redundant flues are capped with ventilation. Ventilation helps keep the stack dry.
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. That comes down to:
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
Prices start from £150, with VAT included, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, both including VAT. We confirm the exact price before booking.
What we need to know
A little information up front helps. It helps to include:
- The property’s address and postcode
- What’s prompted the survey
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- Anything about access we should know
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine; never climb up to get a better view. To get started, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Nearby places to Downham
Other services in Downham
When you need someone else
Some things can’t be seen without opening up the roof, so a survey has limits:
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
When to book a survey in Downham
A stack takes the weather from every direction. Frost opens up cracks in the mortar, and rain gets into worn bricks and joints. Most people book after spotting damp or a loose pot, or before buying.
People usually book a survey after spotting one of these:
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- A chimney out of line
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
For landlords with property near Grove Park station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Before booking anyone
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
- How soon the report will arrive
- Are they insured for the work?
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?