Greater London · London and the South East
Norbiton Chimney Survey
Get a clear view of the chimney stack at a property in Norbiton. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- A stack that appears to lean
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
How a chimney survey works in Norbiton
A chimney survey looks at the stack and everything around it: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and the flashings at the roof line. We also look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access. The findings come in a written report with photos and recommendations. It suits a single stack on a house as well as several on a larger building. Common reasons to book are damaged chimney pots and cowls and mortar washing out of the joints, on lead flashings, brick chimney stacks and shared and party-wall stacks.
London has Victorian and Edwardian terraces in almost every borough, many with Welsh slate roofs, shared chimney stacks and parapet or valley gutters. Good slates can last over a hundred years, yet the nails frequently give out first and let slates slip. Homes in Norbiton are no exception. Shared chimney stacks and the lead around them are just as important to check.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Place
- Norbiton (KT2, KT1, KT3)
- Region
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Why act early in Norbiton
Most people never get a careful look at their chimney stacks. Problems often go unnoticed until damp appears inside. Surveying the stack now can catch problems first. In a London terrace or conversion, a roof defect rarely stays your problem alone: a blocked parapet gutter or slipped slate can let water into the flat below or the house next door. Dealing with it early is far less disruptive.
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where it applies) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, including VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you’d like to know.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Norbiton
- Plain-English reports with photos
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Over 20 years’ experience
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or our case studies.
Checking the roof from the ground
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight.
A lot can be seen from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
Tips from our surveys
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Look at your chimneys from the ground now and then, especially after strong winds. With binoculars, you can often see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Norbiton
Further from the centre, London’s housing takes in interwar semis with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles as well as slate-roofed terraces. Bay roofs, hip ridges and dormers from later loft conversions are the details that set these houses apart. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters. About 2.2 miles north lies Pembroke Lodge, a reminder of how long the area around Norbiton has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If you let a flat or house near Norbiton station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. Homes near green spaces like Canbury Gardens can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls.
Norbiton is about 3 miles west of Wimbledon, in Greater London. We carry out chimney surveys in Norbiton for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings. Norbiton is one of the places in Greater London where we work. For surveys nearby, see our London page.
Surveys in KT2, KT1 and KT3 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Whether your property is on New Road, York Road and Orme Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. We also cover Kingston upon Thames (1 mile west), Coombe (1 mile north-east), New Malden (1 mile south-east), Motspur Park (1 mile east) and Coombe Hill (2 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include London (10 miles north-east), City of Westminster (9 miles north-east), Marylebone (9 miles north-east), Kensington (7 miles north-east), St Pancras (11 miles north-east) and Shoreditch (12 miles north-east).
Near you in Norbiton
In Norbiton, that means homes and buildings near Kingston Grammar School, Tiffin School and The Black Horse pub and the streets around them. There is a railway station in Norbiton itself: Norbiton station. Nearby you’ll also find Kingston Hospital (less than half a mile north) and Bentall Centre (0.9 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Rose Walk and Kingston Hill Road area.
Questions from Norbiton
Is my home in Norbiton listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Is parking a problem for a survey in Norbiton?
London parking needs a little planning, so let us know about permits, bays or a driveway as you book. The visit is then planned around what’s available.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the survey around it.
How long is the visit?
It usually takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. You will then get the report by email.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only when it’s safe. Safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where it applies cover most of what’s needed, and anything out of sight is recorded in the report.
Our stack is shared. Can you still survey it?
Yes. We check the parts we can see safely and the parts you can give us access to. If a defect seems to be on your neighbour’s side, the report records it and you can raise it with them.
The survey, step by step
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the chimney stack as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photographs go into the written report. The visit typically takes between one and two hours at most homes, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. In Norbiton, as in much of London, a good many properties are flats or terraces without side access, so the back of the roof is frequently seen from upstairs windows, from inside or, where a flight is allowed, from the air. If the building has a managing agent or access rules, tell us as you book.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can be seen safely.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there’s access.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Before the survey
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Leave side gates unlocked
How to book
To book a survey, call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We’ll confirm the price before booking.
Related advice
How we price chimney surveys
Survey packages start from £150, inc. VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- House, block, shop or office
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
To find out what your survey will cost, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the roof. We’ll confirm the figure before booking.
What we need to know
What helps most when you contact us:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Nearby places to Norbiton
More services for Norbiton
What we’re asked to look at in Norbiton
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Mortar can deteriorate unevenly from flue gases and moisture, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
Here are some of the things we see frequently:
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Staining on walls around the chimney
For site and facilities teams at buildings like St Paul's CofE Primary School, large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
What to check before booking
- When you’ll get the report
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Are they insured for the work?
- Their track record with similar roofs