Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Pimlico, Greater London
Chimney surveys in Pimlico, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
What we are asked to look at in Pimlico
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Flue gases and damp can break down the mortar, sometimes more on one side than the other, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Worn or missing pointing
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- A chimney out of line
- Bricks with flaking faces
For an older house near a landmark like St Gabriel's, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
What to check before booking
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Will the report include photos?
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
Chimney survey in Pimlico: what you get
A damp patch on a chimney breast does not always come from the same place. It might come in at the top, through worn pointing or porous bricks, or where the flashings meet the roof. Condensation inside an unventilated stack is another common cause. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause. That points the work in the right direction. If you’ve noticed gaps where the stack meets the roof and unused flues sealed without airflow, we can find out what’s behind it.
A London butterfly roof slopes down to a central valley gutter that drains to the back of the house. Hidden behind the parapet, that gutter can block or split without anyone seeing it. For a house in Pimlico with this kind of roof, the hidden gutter is one of the first things to check.
If any part of the chimney stack couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Where
- Pimlico (SW1P, SW1V, SW1W)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Pimlico
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in Pimlico?
It rarely stops a survey, but it’s worth planning. Let us know what parking is available nearby, and the visit is planned around it.
Can a landlord with a rental near London Victoria station book a roof survey?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and what you need.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not unless it’s safe. Most of what we need can be seen from safe viewpoints, the loft and, where it applies, a drone.
What’s in the survey report?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, backed by photographs. It also says if any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It can, depending on the survey. Drones cannot fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. We will rearrange with you if the weather is not right.
What happens next?
We email you the written report with photos and recommendations. It’s yours to share with a seller, insurer, roofer or managing agent, whichever applies.
What should I do with a chimney I don’t use?
An unused stack still needs to stay weathertight and ventilated. Capping without airflow can lead to damp. Our survey records its condition and how it is capped, so you can decide with a builder what to do.
Useful tips for Pimlico property owners
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Don’t use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
Where another specialist is needed, such as a structural engineer or sweep, we explain why. That helps you brief them.
Check fixings on the stack are sound, and moved if they’re working it loose. Removing unused fixings takes strain off the brickwork.
Can I check my roof myself?
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Chimney surveys around Pimlico
With Buckingham Palace about 0.9 miles north, Pimlico sits in an area with a long building history. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead. Close to the centre of London, a great many houses are Victorian or Edwardian terraces, many of them roofed in Welsh slate. A butterfly roof with a central valley gutter, tucked behind a parapet wall, is common on these houses. If your home in Pimlico is one of them, lead flashings, party-wall upstands and shared chimney stacks are part of the picture too. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
If you live near a park such as Pimlico Gardens, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls. For landlords with property near London Victoria station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Pimlico is about 1 mile east of Brompton, in Greater London. We cover Pimlico and the rest of Greater London, as part of our work across London and South East England. We cover towns and villages across Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages.
We work across the SW1P, SW1V and SW1W postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Local streets include Ponton Road, Wilton Road and Ebury Square. Pimlico sits on or near the A202 and A3212, so getting to you is simple. We also cover the places around Pimlico: Victoria (1 mile north-west), Nine Elms (1 mile south-west), Westminster (1 mile north), Millbank (1 mile north) and Vauxhall (1 mile east). Larger places within reach include Kensington (3 miles west), St Pancras (3 miles north), Shoreditch (4 miles north-east), Walthamstow (8 miles north-east), Hoxton (4 miles north-east) and Whitechapel (4 miles north-east).
Landmarks near Pimlico
In Pimlico, that means homes and buildings near Lambeth Palace Library, Grosvenor School of Modern Art and Pimlico Gardens. You will also find Denbigh Arms (under half a mile north-west) and Pimlico Academy (less than half a mile south-east). Pimlico’s nearest station is London Victoria station, about 0.5 miles north-west. A little further out are Baynard's Castle (2.3 miles north-east) and Harrods (1.3 miles north-west). For a walk, there’s Bellenden Road Nature Garden and Ludgate Hill.
How we price chimney surveys
To price your survey, we look at:
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- How big the roof is
- Building height and the viewpoints available
One thing that affects the price is the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, with VAT included. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Getting in touch
Before you get in touch, it helps to have:
- Dates you’re working to, like exchange
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or email us and give us some details about the property and we will explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
What we do, step by step
The aim of the visit is simple: to see as much of the chimney stack as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Notes and photos go into the written report. It usually takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. In Pimlico, visits are available on weekdays and at weekends. It helps if you can point us to a visitor permit or a nearby bay, and to clear a path to the loft hatch. A back bedroom window can be the best vantage point for a rear addition, so we may ask to use one.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there is access.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Preparing for the visit
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
Getting a price
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know the cost up front. Our price is from £150, including VAT. To book, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Read more
More services for Pimlico
What a chimney survey doesn’t cover
A survey is a close look at the chimney stack, but it can’t do everything. Its limits include:
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Parts of the stack that cannot be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we can’t access
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts