Surrey · London and the South East
Great Bookham Chimney Survey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching across Great Bookham, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Call or email for a price.
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Worn or missing pointing
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
About our chimney survey in Great Bookham
If you are buying a home with chimneys, it is worth knowing their condition before you exchange. Cracked flaunching, failed flashings and worn pointing are common findings on older stacks. You get photographs and findings you can take back to the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. We’re frequently asked to look into bricks with flaking faces and flaunching that has broken away, on chimney pots and cowls, lead flashings and brick chimney stacks.
Around Great Bookham, gardens, hedges and nearby trees can mean leaves and moss end up on roofs and in gutters. Blocked gutters overflow and soak the walls below. A report spots that kind of slow problem before it becomes damp inside. Plants growing from a gutter or moss on the tiles are signs worth noting from ground level.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Each point is backed by a photo where possible.
- Place
- Great Bookham (KT23, KT22)
- Wider area
- Surrey
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
Brick stacks
Brick stacks rely on sound pointing to keep water out. The survey looks for crumbling bricks and worn or missing mortar.
Chimney breasts and the loft
If a chimney breast has been removed below, we note what we can see of the support above. Confirming the support is a job for a structural engineer.
What happens on the day
When we arrive, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you want to find out. We then inspect everything that can safely be seen. Most surveys take between one and two hours at most homes, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. In a smaller place like Great Bookham, parking is seldom the issue; lanes, gates and long drives are worth mentioning. Low roofs on bungalows can often be seen well from ground level, and the loft shows the rest, while taller roofs may need other vantage points or the drone where it applies.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the roof space.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
How to prepare
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Tell us about parking before the day
How to book
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Read more
Common roof problems in Great Bookham
Lots of homes have redundant stacks. A stack sealed without ventilation can trap damp. That can lead to damp patches on chimney breasts, even with the roof in good order.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
For landlords with property near Bookham station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Questions to ask before you book
- Will the report include photos?
- Is VAT included in the price?
- When you will get the report
- What experience they bring
Common questions in Great Bookham
Is Great Bookham within the area you cover?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
I let a flat near Bookham station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. Just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us about the building, including who will give access on the day.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys, over more than 20 years.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We don’t sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, like old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it.
Should a redundant chimney be removed?
An unused stack still needs to stay weathertight and ventilated. Capping without airflow can lead to damp. Our survey records its condition and how it is capped, so you can plan what to do with it.
What insurance do you have?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We are roof surveyors, not structural engineers, and it doesn’t include calculations. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we’ll recommend one.
What a chimney survey looks like in Great Bookham
Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls are typical of Surrey’s older houses. A few of Surrey’s oldest buildings have heavy Horsham stone slab roofs. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters. With Polesden Lacey about 1.6 miles south, Great Bookham sits in an area with a long building history. If you own one of the older houses, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If you live in an older home near Church of St Nicolas, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. Homes near green spaces like River Mole LNR can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Great Bookham is about 6 miles south-west of Epsom, in Surrey. Roofs in Great Bookham get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Surrey. Our area takes in places right across Surrey, large and small. There’s also a page for Guildford.
Here we cover the KT23 and KT22 postcode area for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on High Street, Church Road and Beeches Drive or a nearby road, we can help. Other places close to Great Bookham include Fetcham (1 mile north-east), Little Bookham (1 mile south-west), Leatherhead (2 miles north-east), Mickleham (2 miles east) and Westhumble (3 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Guildford (9 miles west), Woking (9 miles west), Epsom (6 miles north-east), Horley (11 miles south-east), Redhill (9 miles east) and Ewell (7 miles north-east).
What’s near Great Bookham
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Howard of Effingham School, Manor House School and The Old Crown pub and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Bookham station, roughly 0.8 miles north-west of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Headley Court (4.1 miles east) and Betchworth Castle (4.4 miles south-east). For a walk, there’s Box Hill and Jubilee Wood.
Why it is worth a survey now in Great Bookham
If you are buying, find out about the stacks before you exchange. Once you’ve exchanged, the work is down to you. Our report gives you facts to raise with the seller or agent. In a smaller place like Great Bookham, wherever a roof is exposed, a loose ridge or flashing doesn’t stay loose for long. Wind gets under it and lifts more.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where it applies, from £400 with VAT included. We can help you choose the package that fits what you want to find out.
Why book us in Great Bookham
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Plain-English reports with photos
When you need someone else
Before booking, it is worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll tell you. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Great Bookham
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
Can I check my roof myself?
A lot can be seen from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground.