Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Rainham, Greater London
Wondering about the chimney stack at a property in Rainham? We carry out chimney surveys in Rainham and across Greater London.
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Rainham
On terraced and semi-detached houses, a chimney stack is often shared with next door. We look at what can safely be seen and what the owner gives us access to. If a defect appears to be on the neighbour’s side, we note it and you can then discuss it with them. Everything is written up with photos and our recommendations. We survey brick chimney stacks, chimney breasts and chimney pots and cowls, and the problems we are asked to look at most are frost-damaged brickwork on the stack and flaunching that has broken away.
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. If your home in Rainham has one, it needs checking from somewhere that can actually see it.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Location
- Rainham (RM13)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
The survey, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photographs as we go and record our findings for the written report. Most visits take about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In a London area like Rainham, the main things to sort out are parking and access: let us know about permits, visitor bays or off-street space, which floor the property is on and how to get into the loft. On the day, the roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from inside the loft space and from the roof where it is safe.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can safely be seen.
- Every part we can see is looked at: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Where there is safe access, we check the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- You get a written report with photos and our recommendations.
Before the survey
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Booking a survey
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email to find out.
Related advice
What a survey costs
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. That comes down to:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Roof area
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Getting in touch
To price your survey accurately, we’ll ask about:
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from the ground or a window. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
What we look for on each type of roof
Flaunching
Cracked flaunching is one of the most common chimney defects we record. Caught early, it is often a small job.
Brick stacks
Most chimney stacks are built of brick, with mortar joints that wear over time. The survey looks for crumbling bricks and worn or missing mortar.
What else we do in Rainham
Rainham questions
Is my home in Rainham listed or in a conservation area?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Is parking a problem for a survey in Rainham?
London parking needs a little planning, so let us know about permits, bays or a driveway when you book. The visit is then planned around what’s available.
How long will you be at the property?
Expect it to take about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. You’ll then get the report by email.
How many surveys have you done?
We have completed more than 5,000 surveys, across 20+ years of surveying roofs.
What do you check on a chimney?
We check the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings. Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access. Everything is written up with photos.
Do you need to go on the roof to check the chimney?
We look from ground level, from windows and from the loft where it’s safe. Where applicable, our Premium Survey adds a drone inspection for a closer view. The report is clear about anything that couldn’t be seen.
How fast do I get the report?
It depends on the package: the Basic Survey report arrives within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey the same day. Reports are sent by email.
What happens if roof problems are left?
If you’re thinking of removing or reducing a stack, it’s useful to know its condition first. Changes to stacks in conservation areas or on listed buildings may need consent and the council can advise. Behind a London parapet, a blocked gutter can sit full of water without anyone seeing it. By the time a ceiling stains, the timbers underneath may have been wet for a while.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. We’ll give you the figure before anything is booked.
What you get with us
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Packages from £150, with VAT included
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- 98% customer satisfaction
Take a look at our cost guide or two real surveys.
Signs you need a chimney survey in Rainham
Many chimneys are no longer used. A stack sealed without ventilation can trap damp. That can lead to damp patches on chimney breasts, even with the roof in good order.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- A stack that appears to lean
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
For an older house near a landmark like Church of St Helen and St Giles, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Before booking anyone
- What happens after the report arrives
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Will the report include photos?
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
Can I check my roof myself?
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date, which helps when we check the roof.
What a chimney survey looks like in Rainham
Rainham Hall, about 0.2 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Rainham. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. 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. On a semi of that age, the small roofs over the bays, the hip tiles and any later dormer each need their own look. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
Trees in and around Wildspace Conservation Park shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Rainham Village Primary School, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Rainham is about 4 miles south of Romford, in Greater London. We survey roofs in Rainham and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and the South East. Rainham is one of the places in Greater London where we work. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
We work across RM13 for chimney surveys. We offer chimney surveys to properties on New Road, Ferry Lane and Wantz Lane and the roads around them. We also cover the places around Rainham: South Hornchurch (1 mile north-west), Beam Park (1 mile west), Hornchurch Marshes (1 mile west), Dagenham Green (2 miles west) and Elm Park (2 miles north). We also work in nearby towns such as London (13 miles west), City of Westminster (15 miles west), Marylebone (15 miles west), St Pancras (13 miles west), Shoreditch (12 miles west) and Walthamstow (11 miles north-west).
Around Rainham
Typical jobs here are in homes near Harris Academy Rainham, The Chafford School and The Phoenix pub. Rainham has its own railway station: Rainham (Essex) station. A little further out are St George's Hospital (2.3 miles north-east) and Erith Museum (2.6 miles south). Open spaces near Rainham include Ingrebourne Marshes.