Greater London · London and the South East
Erith Chimney Survey
Chimney surveys in Erith and the rest of Greater London. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends.
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
Chimney survey in Erith
If a chimney looks out of line, it’s worth getting it checked. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down, often after years of flue gases and damp. The survey notes how the stack looks, how far it seems to lean and the state of the bricks and joints. Where it may be a structural concern, we’ll recommend a structural engineer. If you’re worried about gaps where the stack meets the roof and a chimney out of line, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
London has a great many flats in converted houses and purpose-built blocks, where the roof is typically a shared part of the building. Whoever looks after the building needs a clear picture of the roof, chimneys and gutters, in Erith as anywhere. Leaks from a shared roof rarely affect just one home. A report gives everyone the same picture to plan from, with photos.
It is not only a list of defects. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Location
- Erith (DA8, DA17, DA7)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Local roofs in Erith
Outer London has lots of Victorian and Edwardian terraces with slate roofs, but also a great many interwar semis, often with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles. On a semi of that age, the small roofs over the bays, the hip tiles and any later dormer each need their own look. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. Hall Place and Gardens, about 2.3 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Erith. 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.
Living close to Wildspace Conservation Park is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls. Take a building like Christ Church (Erith) CofE Primary School: its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Erith is about 3 miles north-west of Dartford, in Greater London. Erith is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area across London and South East England. Our area takes in places right across Greater London, large and small. There is also a page for London.
Every address in DA8, DA17 and DA7 is within our area for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on Church Road, Town Square and Erith High Street or anywhere close by, we can help. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Northumberland Heath (1 mile south), Bexley Riverside (1 mile south), Belvedere (1 mile north-west), Lessness Heath (1 mile north-west) and Barnehurst (1 mile south). Larger places within reach include London (11 miles west), City of Westminster (14 miles west), Marylebone (14 miles west), St Pancras (13 miles west), Shoreditch (11 miles west) and Walthamstow (11 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Erith
We work in homes and buildings around Trinity School, The Cross Keys pub and Erith School, among other places. Erith has its own railway station: Erith station. A little further out are Erith Museum (less than half a mile east) and Erith and District Hospital (under half a mile south-west). The countryside around Erith includes Crossness Nature Reserve.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Erith
Landlords and agents in Erith book surveys as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the chimney stack, with photographs, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
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 with less disruption.
Nearby places to Erith
What else we do in Erith
DIY checks: what’s safe
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and falls from height are serious. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
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. Don’t go up yourself.
The survey, step by step
There isn’t much for you to do on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we’ll take it from there. A typical survey takes roughly 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’s the case, access needs agreeing with whoever controls that landing. Otherwise, the visit in Erith runs like any other.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there is access.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- Keep pets in another room
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Booking a survey
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
Signs you need a chimney survey in Erith
Where a chimney meets the roof, lead flashings keep water out. With age they can lift, split or come away from the joints. When flashings fail, water often shows up in the loft or on the chimney breast. Lead flashings can also be stolen.
A survey can pick up problems like:
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for instance near Broadway Shopping Centre, a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions.
Before you book anyone
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- What experience they bring
- Whether you get a written report with photos
Your questions about chimney surveys in Erith
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in Erith?
London parking needs a little planning, so let us know about permits, bays or a driveway as you book. That way the visit can be planned around it.
I let a flat near Erith station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that’s a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning. Mention it when you contact us and we will plan the survey around it.
What happens after the survey?
You will receive the report by email, and what you do next is up to you: raise it with a seller, send it to an insurer, brief a roofer or share it with a managing agent.
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 is safe. A drone inspection is part of the Premium Survey where applicable. The report is clear about anything that couldn’t be seen.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys, across London and South East England.
How do I arrange a chimney survey in Erith?
Simply ring 07833 053749 or email us. We will ask a few questions, confirm the price and agree a date.
What we look for on each type of roof
Rendered stacks
We cannot see the bricks behind render without it being opened up, so the report says what can and cannot be judged.
Flaunching
The sloping mortar around the pots is called flaunching. Once it cracks, water can get straight into the brickwork.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Damp in a chimney breast normally gets worse while the cause is left. It can spoil decoration and plaster. Finding the cause means the right work can be planned. Blocked gutters and hoppers on London houses overflow and soak brickwork, which can lead to damp inside. A small blockage left for a few winters becomes a damp problem.
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What you get with us
- Over 20 years’ experience
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Every finding written up with photos
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or two real surveys.