Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Shirley, Greater London
Wondering about the chimney stack at a property in Shirley? You can book a chimney survey in Shirley and across Greater London.
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Worn or missing pointing
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Shirley
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. Moisture trapped inside a stack with no ventilation can also cause damp. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause. That points the work in the right direction. If you’ve noticed lifted or split lead flashings and pots or cowls that look unsafe, we can find out what’s behind it.
London has Victorian and Edwardian terraces in almost every borough, often with slate roofs, chimney stacks shared with neighbours and gutters hidden behind parapets. Slates can last a century or more, but the nails holding them corrode, and slates slip. Homes in Shirley are no exception. Shared chimney stacks and the lead around them are just as important to check.
The report is written in plain words, so you do not need to be a roofer to follow it. Photos show what each point refers to, with the urgent items made clear.
- Where
- Shirley (CR0, SE25, CR9)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips that help
Small things make a difference, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Some pointers:
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Check your stacks from the ground after strong winds
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. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Unused stacks should be capped in a way that still lets air through. Ventilation helps keep the stack dry.
Do you need a chimney survey in Shirley?
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.
Look out for signs like these:
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Worn or missing pointing
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
If you own a rental within reach of Elmers End station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Is VAT included in the price?
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Whether you get a written report with photos
What we cannot see
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
- A structural engineer’s assessment
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll point you to the right survey. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
Prices for chimney surveys in Shirley
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Which survey package you book
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, including VAT, and we will tell you which fits.
Helping us price your survey
We’ll typically ask about:
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
- Access details, like a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
What a chimney survey looks like in Shirley
Outer London has lots of Victorian and Edwardian terraces with slate roofs, but also a great many interwar semis, often with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles. If your home in Shirley is one of them, bay roofs, hips and later dormers each have their own details. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. Historic houses like Addington Palace, about 1.7 miles south, show how far back building in the area around Shirley goes. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof.
The streets around a church such as St George The Martyr Church are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. For businesses in and around places like St George's Walk, a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions.
Shirley is about 2 miles north-east of Croydon, in Greater London. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Shirley can all book chimney surveys. Our Greater London coverage includes Shirley. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in CR0, SE25 and CR9 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on Poppy Lane, Homer Road and Craven Road or anywhere close by, we can help. Main roads around Shirley include the A232. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Monks Orchard (1 mile north), Shirley Oaks (1 mile west), Addiscombe (1 mile west), Ashburton (1 mile north-west) and Woodside (1 mile north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover London (8 miles north), City of Westminster (10 miles north-west), Marylebone (10 miles north-west), Kensington (10 miles north-west), St Pancras (10 miles north) and Shoreditch (10 miles north).
Local landmarks in Shirley
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Cricketers pub, Ashburton Park and Orchard Way Primary School, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Elmers End station, about 1.2 miles north. A little further out are Crystal Palace Museum (2.8 miles north) and St George's Walk (2 miles west). The countryside around Shirley includes Duppas Hill and Bramley Bank.
What else we do in Shirley
Shirley: your questions answered
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in Shirley?
In much of London, parking needs planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day run more smoothly, so mention what’s available as you book.
I let a flat near Elmers End station. Can you check the roof?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and what you need, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
What causes damp on a chimney breast?
Damp on a chimney breast typically means water is getting into the stack, or moisture is trapped inside it. The survey looks at the stack, the flashings and the capping and records the likely cause.
Is Shirley in your area?
Yes. We survey roofs across London and South East England, Shirley included.
Do you need to get into the loft?
If it’s needed and safe to reach, yes. We look for staining, damp, daylight and signs of movement, as far as the space allows.
Does the report include photographs?
Yes. We photograph the roof as we go, and they go into the written report.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We point out what can be seen, such as sagging or deflection, but we don’t carry out calculations or give an engineer’s opinion. If we think you need an engineer, the report says so.
How it works
The visit normally starts outside and finishes in the loft: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the roof space where it can be reached. All told, expect roughly 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. London terraces rarely offer a view of the whole roof from one spot, so in Shirley we work round the house, using the street, the windows, the loft and any safe vantage point behind it. Shared stairs or a basement flat? Let us know who holds the keys.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We check the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Before the survey
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Arrange a survey
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
Landlords, agents and block managers in Shirley
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the addresses.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps with budgets and planning.