Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Hillingdon
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Hillingdon, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Get in touch for a price.
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Lifted or split lead flashings
Chimney survey in Hillingdon: what you get
Our chimney survey covers the stack and the details that keep water out around it: the pots and cowls, the flaunching on top, the pointing, the brickwork and the flashings where it meets the roof. Inside, we check chimney breasts and the stack in the loft where it is safe to reach. You get a written report with photos and our recommendations. We survey single stacks on houses and groups of stacks on bigger buildings. Typical surveys look at loose, cracked or missing pots and a stack that appears to lean, across chimney pots and cowls, shared and party-wall stacks and brick chimney stacks.
London has a great many flats in converted houses and purpose-built blocks, so roofs are often shared between several households. Whoever looks after the building needs a clear picture of the roof, chimneys and gutters. Leaks from a shared roof rarely affect just one home. A report gives everyone the same picture to plan from, with photographs.
The report is written in plain words, so you do not need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photo where possible.
- Where
- Hillingdon (UB10, UB8, UB9, HA4)
- Region
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
When to book a survey in Hillingdon
Removing a chimney breast inside can leave questions about how the stack is supported. We note what’s visible in the roof space and outside, and recommend a structural engineer where support is in question.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed something like this:
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
For site and facilities teams at buildings like Abbotsfield School for Boys, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Before booking anyone
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- What insurance they carry
- Their track record with similar roofs
- How long the report takes to arrive
How the survey works
We will ask a few questions first, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. The inspection then takes about 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In a London area like Hillingdon, the main things to sort out are parking and access: tell us about permits, visitor bays or off-street space, which floor the property is on and how to get into the loft. On the day, the roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from inside the roof space and from the roof where it’s safe.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We check the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Before the survey
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
Book a survey
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or email us to find out.
Related advice
Chimney surveys in Hillingdon: local notes
In outer London, interwar semis with hipped, tiled roofs sit alongside older slate-roofed terraces. Bay roofs, hip ridges and dormers from later loft conversions are the details that set these houses apart. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. Historic houses like Ickenham Hall, about 1.8 miles north, show how far back building in the area around Hillingdon goes. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
If you live in an older home near Church of St John, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs. For businesses in and around places such as The Chimes, a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions.
Hillingdon is about 2 miles north-west of Hayes, in Greater London. Roofs in Hillingdon get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Greater London. Our area takes in places right across Greater London, large and small. For surveys nearby, see our London page.
All of UB10, UB8, UB9 and HA4 is within our area for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Whether your property is on The Larches, Brampton Road and Clifton Gardens or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Being close to the B465 and B467, Hillingdon is easy for us to reach. We also cover Uxbridge (1 mile west), Ickenham (1 mile north), Cowley (2 miles south-west), Yiewsley (2 miles south-west) and Hayes (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover London (15 miles east), City of Westminster (13 miles east), Marylebone (13 miles east), Kensington (11 miles east), St Pancras (14 miles east) and Hampstead (12 miles east).
Local landmarks in Hillingdon
Around Hillingdon, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Highfield Primary School, Norman Leddy Memorial Gardens and Oak Wood School. Hillingdon’s nearest station is West Drayton station, about 2.2 miles south-west. Well-known places in the area include Hillingdon Museum and Archives Services (1.4 miles north-west) and Hillingdon Hospital (1 mile south-west). Open spaces near Hillingdon include Northala Fields and Gutteridge Wood and Meadows.
More services for Hillingdon
What you can safely check yourself
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
What happens if roof problems are left?
A small amount of repointing or new flaunching is usually a modest job. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks and the job gets bigger. Many older London roofs have only old felt under the slates, or no underlay at all, so once the slates or flashings let water past, little stops it reaching ceilings. Left unchecked, water soaks into timber and plaster and the damage spreads.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where it applies, which starts from £400, with VAT included. We can help you choose the package that fits what you need to know.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Hillingdon
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Packages from £150, with VAT included
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
Take a look at our cost guide or what we found on two real jobs.
For landlords and managing agents
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 around your tenants.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.
Common questions in Hillingdon
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Hillingdon?
Sometimes, yes. If Hillingdon has controlled parking where you are, a visitor permit is the easiest answer, and a driveway is even better.
Can a landlord with a rental near West Drayton station book a roof survey?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. Just call 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us about the building, including who will give access on the day.
How soon will I get the report?
It depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. The report is emailed to you.
Can you find out why my chimney breast is damp?
Usually it’s water getting in from outside, or condensation in a sealed stack. The survey looks at the stack, the flashings and the capping, and record what we find.
What will the report tell me?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos, and ends with what we recommend. The most urgent items are made clear.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but we do not provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. The report will say if you need an engineer.
My chimney looks like it is leaning. What should I do?
It’s worth having a leaning stack checked. We record the lean, the brickwork and the pointing, and recommend a structural engineer where it may be a structural concern.
Before and after the survey
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Get small mortar repairs done while they’re small. It is far simpler than rebuilding a stack later.