Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Old Ford, Greater London
Know where you stand with the chimney stack before you decide what to do next. Chimney surveys in Old Ford.
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
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. That way we can focus on what matters to you. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours at most homes, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. London terraces rarely offer a view of the whole roof from one spot, so a visit in Old Ford moves between viewpoints: the pavement, upstairs windows, the loft and any safe spot at the back. Shared stairs or a basement flat? Let us know who holds the keys.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before the survey
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Booking a survey
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
About our chimney survey in Old Ford
A chimney survey is about the outside of the stack and the roof around it. It is not a flue inspection, a sweep or a gas safety check. If you use a fire or a gas appliance, the flue should be checked by a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer as appropriate. We’ll tell you if we see anything that suggests they should take a look. We’re often asked to look into signs that a stack is leaning and flashings pulling away from the stack, on shared and party-wall stacks, lead flashings and chimney pots and cowls.
A London butterfly roof slopes down to a central valley gutter that drains to the back of the house. From the street you see only a parapet wall, so blocked outlets and split linings go unnoticed until water comes through a ceiling. If your home in Old Ford has one, it needs checking from somewhere that can actually see it.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Where
- Old Ford (E3, E15, E9)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
When to book a survey in Old Ford
Flaunching is the mortar bed that holds the pots and throws water off the top. Cracked flaunching lets water in, and each winter makes it worse. In time, the pots can become loose.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Flaunching that has broken away
For landlords with property near Hackney Wick station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Before you book anyone
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Their report turnaround times
Tips that help
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Check unused flues are capped with ventilation
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
After the visit, we write up the report with photos of each stack. It covers the pots, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings, and any damp we found inside. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24 to 48 hours and Premium reports the same day.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. Small repairs now can save bigger work later.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Old Ford
Welsh slate on Victorian and Edwardian terraces is a familiar sight across inner London. Behind many of their parapets sit butterfly roofs and valley gutters that cannot be seen from the pavement. If your home in Old Ford is one of them, lead flashings, party-wall upstands and shared chimney stacks are part of the picture too. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. Sutton House, about 1.5 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Old Ford. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
For businesses in and around places like Westfield Stratford City, knowing the roof’s condition lets you budget for work rather than pay for emergencies. For site and facilities teams at buildings like Mulberry UTC, large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Old Ford is about 2 miles west of Plaistow, in Greater London. If you are in Old Ford, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Our area takes in places right across Greater London, large and small.
Surveys in E3, E15 and E9 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Bow Road, Wick Lane and Dace Road or a nearby road, we can help. If you’re just outside Old Ford, we cover Donnybrook Quarter (1 mile west), Fish Island (1 mile north), Bow (1 mile south-west), Hackney Wick (1 mile north) and Bromley (1 mile south). Further out, we also cover London (4 miles south-west), City of Westminster (6 miles west), Marylebone (6 miles west), Kensington (8 miles west), St Pancras (4 miles west) and Walthamstow (4 miles north).
Landmarks near Old Ford
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Lea Tavern, Grove Hall Park and Old Ford Primary - A Paradigm Academy and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Hackney Wick station, about 0.6 miles north of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Tower of London (3 miles south-west) and St Clement's Hospital (0.7 miles south-west). Not far away are Hollow Pond and Old Ford Island.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
A lot can be seen from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Old Ford
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which helps when tenants work during the week.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out in order of urgency where relevant, which helps with budgets and planning.
Places near Old Ford
What else we do in Old Ford
Prices for chimney surveys in Old Ford
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, with VAT included, and we can help you choose.
Getting in touch
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- When you need the report by
We survey roofs on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To find a date that works for you, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Common questions in Old Ford
I let a flat near Hackney Wick 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.
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in Old Ford?
It can be, so it is useful to tell us about permits, visitor bays or off-street space when booking. That way the visit can be planned around it.
Does the report include photographs?
Yes. The report includes photos of what we found, so you can see each point for yourself.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It depends on the weather and the survey. Strong wind or a downpour can make access unsafe and ground a drone, and we’d agree another day.
Why is my chimney breast damp?
There are a few common causes: cracked flaunching, worn pointing, failed flashings, uncapped pots, or damp trapped in an unventilated stack. We check each one and note the most likely cause.
What insurance do you have?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
How do I book a survey in Old Ford?
It is easiest to call 07833 053749 or email us. Let us know the address and a little about the roof, and we’ll take it from there. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.