Greater London · London and the South East
Richmond upon Thames Chimney Survey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Richmond upon Thames, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Call or email for a price.
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
Leave it or get it looked at?
Chimneys are easy to forget because you rarely see the top of them. Defects tend to go unseen until there is a stain. Surveying the stack now can catch problems first. In Richmond upon Thames, as in much of London, water from a roof defect can reach a neighbour’s home as easily as yours: failed flashings and blocked valley gutters can send water into more than one home. Dealing with it early is far less disruptive.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included.
Why us?
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- 98% of clients satisfied
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
Read our cost guide or two real surveys.
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Richmond upon Thames
Damp on a chimney breast can have several causes. Water may be getting in at the top through cracked flaunching or an uncapped pot, through the brickwork, or at the flashings. Moisture trapped inside a stack with no ventilation can also cause damp. We check each possibility and record what we find. You then know where to start. We survey shared and party-wall stacks, chimney breasts and flaunching, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are unused flues sealed without airflow and worn or missing pointing.
London has Victorian and Edwardian terraces in almost every borough, many with Welsh slate roofs, shared chimney stacks and parapet or valley gutters. Slates can last a century or more, but the nails holding them corrode, and slates slip. In Richmond upon Thames, as across London, that’s why a roof needs a proper look rather than a glance from the street. Shared chimney stacks and the lead around them are just as important to check.
We write the report in plain English, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photograph where possible.
- Location
- Richmond upon Thames (TW9, TW10, SW14, TW1)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Useful tips for Richmond upon Thames property owners
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Make sure fixings on the stack are sound, and moved if they’re working it loose. Removing unused fixings takes strain off the brickwork.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Richmond upon Thames
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out with the most urgent first where relevant, which helps with budgets and planning.
Chimney surveys in Richmond upon Thames: local notes
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. With Pembroke Lodge about 1.3 miles south, Richmond upon Thames sits in an area with a long building history. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If you look after a building like Marshgate Primary School, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Holy Trinity Richmond, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Richmond upon Thames is about 3 miles south of Ealing, in Greater London. Wherever you are in Richmond upon Thames, we can come and survey your property. Our Greater London coverage includes Richmond upon Thames. You can also see our page for London.
Every address in TW9, TW10, SW14 and TW1 is within our area for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We cover properties on Church Road, King George Square and Topiary Square. Main roads around Richmond upon Thames include the B321 and B322, so getting to you is simple. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include North Sheen (1 mile north-east), East Sheen (1 mile east), Mortlake (1 mile east), Kew (2 miles north-east) and Strand-on-the-Green (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as London (9 miles east), City of Westminster (7 miles north-east), Marylebone (8 miles north-east), Kensington (5 miles north-east), St Pancras (9 miles north-east) and Shoreditch (10 miles north-east).
Landmarks near Richmond upon Thames
In Richmond upon Thames, that means homes and buildings near Pesthouse Common, The White Horse Richmond pub and Kneller Hall Junior School. Richmond upon Thames has its own railway station: Richmond station. Other landmarks nearby include Eel Pie Island Museum (1.5 miles south-west) and Treaty Centre (3 miles west). The countryside around Richmond upon Thames includes Duke's Hollow and Richmond Hill.
How the survey works
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. We take close-ups from wherever is safe. Most surveys take an hour or two for a house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. In Richmond upon Thames, visits are available on weekdays and at weekends. London parking is often by permit or pay-and-display, so it helps to know what’s near you, 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.
- 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.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
Preparing for the visit
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Book a survey
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Places near Richmond upon Thames
More services for Richmond upon Thames
Signs you need a chimney survey in Richmond upon Thames
Removing a chimney breast inside can leave questions about how the stack is supported. We note what’s visible in the roof space and outside, and the report recommends a structural engineer if support is a concern.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Worn or missing pointing
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- A stack that appears to lean
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
If you run a business near Treaty Centre, knowing the roof’s condition lets you budget for work rather than pay for emergencies.
What to check before booking
- Their insurance cover
- Their track record with similar roofs
- What they will not be able to tell you
- Their report turnaround times
What a survey costs
Not every roof costs the same to survey, and it comes down to:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- The size of the roof
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
To find out what your survey will cost, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Getting in touch
There is no need for technical words. Just tell us:
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
We confirm the price for your roof before booking, so you know where you stand. Prices start from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, call 07833 053749 or email us.
FAQs for Richmond upon Thames
Is parking a problem for a survey in Richmond upon Thames?
London parking needs a little planning, so let us know about permits, bays or a driveway when you book. That way the visit can be planned around it.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Richmond station?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. Just call 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the building.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
Yes. Many houses share stacks with a neighbour. We survey what we can see safely, and note anything that seems to involve next door.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it’s applicable. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
How experienced are you?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing are not part of what we do. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings.
How can you see the top of the stack?
We use safe viewpoints rather than climbing onto the stack. A drone inspection is part of the Premium Survey where it applies. Any area we couldn’t view is noted.