Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Pratt's Bottom, Greater London
Find out what’s going on with the chimney stack before you decide what to do next. We carry out chimney surveys in Pratt's Bottom.
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Lifted or split lead flashings
What happens on the day
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 photos go into the written report. It typically takes between one and two 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 a visit in Pratt's Bottom moves between viewpoints: the pavement, upstairs windows, the loft and any safe spot at the back. If other people live in the building, let us know who can let us into the shared parts.
- 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.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft space.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
Booking a survey
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or send us an email and give us some details about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
Related advice
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Pratt's Bottom
For buyers, a chimney survey before exchange can flag work you may want to raise. Cracked flaunching, failed flashings and worn pointing are common findings on older stacks. You get photos and findings you can take back to the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. If you’ve noticed flashings pulling away from the stack and damaged chimney pots and cowls, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
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. A defect on a shared roof can reach more than one flat. With a written report and photos, everyone can plan from the same facts.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photographs, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Place
- Pratt's Bottom (BR6, TN14)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
Prices always include VAT. What changes the price is:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
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.
What we need to know
When you call or email, these details help:
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Your timetable, like an exchange date
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. To book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Also near Pratt's Bottom
Also in Pratt's Bottom
Landlord and commercial surveys in Pratt's Bottom
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.
Landlords and agents in Pratt's Bottom book surveys as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the chimney stack, with photos, useful for planning maintenance.
Your questions about chimney surveys in Pratt's Bottom
I let a flat near Knockholt station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, letting agents and landlords book with us as well as owners. You can call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a few details.
How do I find out if my home in Pratt's Bottom is listed?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
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.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it’s applicable and safe, yes. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. It’s included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where applicable, the Premium Survey.
How much does a chimney survey cost in Pratt's Bottom?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose.
Does someone need to be in?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the roof space, someone has to give us access, while outside access can be discussed when booking.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Where it is relevant to the survey and there’s safe access, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps.
What a chimney survey looks like in Pratt's Bottom
About 2.7 miles west lies Down House, a reminder of how long the area around Pratt's Bottom has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead. Alongside Victorian and Edwardian terraces, outer London has a great many interwar semis, frequently with hipped roofs of clay or concrete tiles. Bay roofs, hip ridges and dormers from later loft conversions are the details that set these houses apart. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
The streets around a church such as All Souls' Church are often among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. Living close to Hewitt's Chalk Bank is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls.
Pratt's Bottom is about 3 miles south of Orpington, in Greater London. Wherever you are in Pratt's Bottom, we can carry out chimney surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Pratt's Bottom is one of the places in Greater London where we work for chimney surveys. For surveys nearby, see our London page.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: BR6 and TN14. That includes homes and businesses on Orchard Road, Runciman Close and Downs View Close and the roads around them. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Halstead (1 mile south-east), Chelsfield (1 mile north-east), Bopeep (1 mile north-east), Badgers Mount (1 mile east) and Maypole (1 mile north-east). Further out, we also cover London (14 miles north-west), Shoreditch (15 miles north-west), Whitechapel (14 miles north-west), Stockwell (13 miles north-west), Orpington (3 miles north) and Wimbledon (15 miles west).
Local landmarks in Pratt's Bottom
Around Pratt's Bottom, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Hewitt's Chalk Bank and Green Street Green Primary School. The closest station to Pratt's Bottom is Knockholt station, roughly 0.8 miles east. Nearby you’ll also find Crofton Roman Villa (2.4 miles north-west) and Lullingstone Castle (3.8 miles east). Open spaces near Pratt's Bottom include Betsom's Hill and Downe Bank Nature Reserve.
When you need someone else
Some things cannot be seen without opening up the roof, so a survey has limits:
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Areas we cannot view from safe positions
- Hidden damage within the stack
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
When to book a survey in Pratt's Bottom
Removing a chimney breast inside can leave questions about how the stack is supported. We note what’s visible in the loft space and outside, and recommend a structural engineer where support is in question.
We’re often asked to look at:
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Worn or missing pointing
If you own a rental within reach of Knockholt station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Before booking anyone
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- What exactly goes into their report
Checking the roof from ground level
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
It is useful to keep a record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us as you book.