Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Northwood, Greater London
An experienced roof surveyor for chimney surveys in Northwood. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- A stack that appears to lean
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
How a chimney survey works in Northwood
Redundant chimneys are common, especially where fires have been replaced by central heating. Even when it isn’t used, a stack has to stay weathertight. If it has been capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside it. We check how redundant stacks have been capped and look for damp in the chimney breasts. You get photos of each stack and our recommendations. If you’re worried about damaged chimney pots and cowls and spalled or crumbling bricks, we can find out what’s behind it.
Much of London’s housing is flats, in converted houses or 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. With a written report and photos, everyone can plan from the same facts.
Most points in the report come with a picture, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Where
- Northwood (HA6)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney breasts and the loft
Stains on timbers or brickwork around the stack can point to a leak. We record what we see with photographs.
Chimney pots and cowls
Pots sit in the flaunching on top of the stack, and cowls or caps sit on the pots. The survey looks for cracked, loose or missing pots and cowls.
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- The roof’s overall size
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Height and safe access
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
For a price for your roof in Northwood, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know about the roof. We’ll confirm the figure before booking.
Getting in touch
There is no need for technical words. It is enough to let us know:
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
- Dates you’re working to, like exchange
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- What’s prompted the survey
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine, and please do not climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or email us.
What we do, step by step
It is useful to start with what’s prompted the survey: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit usually takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. London terraces rarely offer a view of the whole roof from one spot, so in Northwood we work round the house, using the street, the windows, the loft and any safe vantage point behind it. Shared stairs or a basement flat? Tell us who holds the keys.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- 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.
How to prepare
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
Book a survey
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
Related advice
Northwood: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Northwood?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Northwood?
It depends on the street. Where there are permit zones, a visitor permit or nearby pay-and-display bay works well, and a driveway is even better.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only if it is safe. We inspect what can be seen safely: from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the loft space, from the roof itself where safe and by drone where it applies. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that in advance, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
How long is the visit?
Expect it to take between one and two hours at a typical home; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. You will then get the report by email.
How do I arrange a chimney survey in Northwood?
Just ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address. After a few questions, we confirm the price and fix a day.
How do you inspect a chimney without scaffolding?
We look from the ground, from windows and from the loft where it is safe. Where applicable, our Premium Survey adds a drone inspection for a closer view. Any area we couldn’t view is noted.
Places near Northwood
What else we do in Northwood
Before and after the survey
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
After the visit, we write up the report with photos of each stack. It explains the condition of each part of the stack and any damp inside. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. Early signs are easier to trace.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, which helps when we check the roof.
What you cannot 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 it applies.
Do you need a chimney survey in Northwood?
Where a chimney meets the roof, lead flashings keep water out. They can lift in wind, crack with age or pull out of the mortar joints. When flashings fail, water often shows up in the loft or on the chimney breast. Lead is also a target for theft.
People typically book a survey after spotting something like this:
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- A chimney out of line
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Emmanuel Church, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether the price includes VAT
- How long the report takes to arrive
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
What a chimney survey looks like in Northwood
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. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. The wider area around Northwood has a long history of building, with Headstone Manor about 3.3 miles south-east. If yours is one of the older homes, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof.
If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for example near Harlequin Centre, a written record of the roof’s condition helps you plan maintenance rather than react to leaks. Trees in and around King George V Playing Fields shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Northwood is about 3 miles south-east of Rickmansworth, in Greater London. Wherever you are in Northwood, we can carry out chimney surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Our area takes in places right across Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages. There’s also a page for London.
Every address in HA6 is within our area for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Whether your property is on Little Stream Close and Sandy Lodge Way or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Eastbury (1 mile north-east), Moor Park (1 mile north-west), Batchworth Heath (1 mile west), Batchworth (2 miles north-west) and Holywell (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include City of Westminster (14 miles south-east), Marylebone (14 miles south-east), Kensington (12 miles south-east), St Pancras (14 miles south-east), Hampstead (11 miles south-east) and Ruislip (3 miles south).
Around Northwood
Around Northwood, our work takes us to homes and buildings near King George V Playing Fields, The Gate Public House and London School of Theology. Northwood’s nearest station is Carpenders Park station, roughly 1.7 miles north-east. Nearby you’ll also find Harlequin Centre (2.9 miles north-east) and Heath Robinson Museum (2.2 miles south-east). For a walk, there’s Dews Farm Sand Pits and Tumbling Bay.