Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Hackney, Greater London
Know where you stand with the chimney stack before you decide what to do next. Chimney surveys in Hackney.
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Worn or missing pointing
Chimney survey in Hackney
If a chimney looks out of line, it is 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 will recommend a structural engineer. We are frequently asked to look into signs that a stack is leaning and worn or missing pointing, across brick chimney stacks, shared and party-wall stacks and flaunching.
Many London terraces have a butterfly roof, with two slopes meeting in a central valley gutter that drains to the rear. From the street you see only a parapet wall, so blocked outlets and split linings go unnoticed until water comes through a ceiling. For a house in Hackney with this kind of roof, the hidden gutter is one of the first things to check.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Each point is backed by a photograph where possible, with the urgent items made clear.
- Location
- Hackney (E9, E8, E3, E5)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What a survey costs
Survey packages start from £150, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on:
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Roof area
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
Every price we give includes VAT. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for the job before booking.
Getting in touch
You don’t need to know any roofing terms. It’s enough to tell us:
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Dates you’re working to, such as exchange
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We will confirm the price before booking.
How it works
The visit has one job: to see as much of the chimney stack as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. The visit normally takes about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. From the street, a London terrace normally shows only its front slope or parapet, so in Hackney 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, let us know who can let us into the shared parts.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Jot down any questions you want answered
How to book
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Advice
What you can safely check yourself
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and falls from height are serious. That’s where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Also near Hackney
More services for Hackney
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney pots and cowls
Pots sit in the flaunching on top of the stack, and cowls or caps sit on the pots. We check that they look secure and undamaged.
Lead flashings
Mortar fillets are sometimes used where lead would usually be. They tend to crack, so we check them closely.
Your questions about chimney surveys in Hackney
I let a flat near Homerton station. Can you check the roof?
Of course. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Is parking a problem for a survey in Hackney?
In much of London, parking needs planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day run more smoothly.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. The report will say if you need an engineer.
How long will you be at the property?
Time on site depends on the roof, but most surveys take between one and two hours for most houses, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. The written report follows by email.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
Are you insured?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and details are available on request.
Common roof problems in Hackney
Many chimneys are no longer used. If a stack is capped or blocked without ventilation, moisture can build up inside. That can lead to damp patches on chimney breasts, even with the roof in good order.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Worn or missing pointing
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
If you live near a park such as Clapton Park, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Before you book anyone
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Chimney surveys in Hackney: local notes
With Sutton House about 0.3 miles north-west, Hackney 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. Many homes in inner London are Victorian and Edwardian terraces, often with Welsh slate roofs. From the street you may see only a parapet, with a butterfly roof and a valley gutter behind it draining to the back. Lead flashings, party-wall upstands and shared chimney stacks are typical of these houses, if yours is one of them. Whatever the covering, it is frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
The streets around a church such as Church of St Luke are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs. Landlords with a home close to Homerton station may find that knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Hackney is about 4 miles north-east of London, in Greater London. We provide chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Hackney and nearby. Hackney is one of the towns and villages in Greater London we cover for chimney surveys.
All of E9, E8, E3 and E5 is within our area for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. That includes homes and businesses on Homerton High Street, Primrose Square and St John's Church Road and the roads around them. You’ll find Hackney on the A107 and B113, so it’s easy for us to get to. Other places close to Hackney include Homerton (1 mile north), Lower Clapton (1 mile north), Hackney Central (1 mile west), London Fields (1 mile south-west) and Cambridge Heath (1 mile south-west). Larger places within reach include London (4 miles south-west), City of Westminster (5 miles south-west), Marylebone (5 miles south-west), Kensington (7 miles south-west), St Pancras (3 miles west) and Walthamstow (3 miles north).
Around Hackney
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Urswick School, Clapton Park and Chesham Arms, among other places. Hackney has its own railway station: Homerton station. Well-known places in the area include Hackney Walk (under half a mile north-west) and Cell Project Space (0.9 miles south-west). For a walk, there’s Tower Hill and Old Ford Island.
Tips that help
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
With a shared stack, the report can help when talking to next door. The photos show the problem and which side it is on, as far as we could see.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.