Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in St Ann's, Greater London
Chimney surveys across St Ann's, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photographs.
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
What we do, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. Most visits take an hour or two for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. In St Ann's, as in much of London, plenty of properties are flats or terraces without side access, so the back of the roof is often seen from upstairs windows, from inside or, where a flight is allowed, from the air. Mention any building rules, key holders or managing agents when you book.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can safely be seen.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there is access.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Before we arrive
- Leave side gates unlocked
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
Booking a survey
If you are buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply phone 07833 053749 or email us whenever suits you.
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About our chimney survey in St Ann's
A damp patch on a chimney breast does not always come from the same place. 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 look at each possibility and record what we find. That points the work in the right direction. We survey chimney breasts, shared and party-wall stacks and brick chimney stacks, and common reasons people get in touch are lifted or split lead flashings and damaged chimney pots and cowls.
Victorian and Edwardian terraces are found right across London, frequently 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 St Ann's are no exception. Shared chimney stacks and the lead around them are just as important to check.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Location
- St Ann's (N15, N4, N16)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney breasts and the loft
Where a breast has been taken out, we check what supports the stack. Confirming the support is a job for a structural engineer.
Flaunching
We often find flaunching that has cracked or broken away. It’s usually a modest repair when it is caught early.
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
Survey packages start from £150, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on:
- Roof area
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What we need to know
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- When you need the report by
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us as you book, as it helps us focus the survey.
When to book a survey in St Ann's
Flashings seal the gap where a stack passes through the roof. With age they can lift, split or come away from the joints. When flashings fail, water often shows up in the loft or on the chimney breast. Lead flashings can also be stolen.
Here are some of the things we see frequently:
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Signs that a stack is leaning
Take a building like St Ann's CE Primary School: its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
What to check before booking
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- What exactly goes into their report
- How soon the report will arrive
- Are they insured for the work?
What a chimney survey does not cover
It’s a careful look at the chimney stack, not the whole story. Its limits include:
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will suggest the right survey. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
FAQs for St Ann's
Can parking be tricky for a visit in St Ann's?
It rarely stops a survey, but it’s worth planning. Let us know the parking rules on your street and we’ll work around them.
I let a flat near Seven Sisters station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that’s a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Let us know your preferred days when booking.
Does someone need to be in?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof, not the whole building. For the rest of the building, a RICS home survey is a separate job.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so the building owner or managing agent needs to agree access. We inspect only the parts we’re allowed to reach.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
No. It is not a flue, sweep or gas safety inspection. We check the structure and weathering of the stack and any damp and flag anything that suggests the flue needs a look.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in St Ann's
Inner London’s Victorian and Edwardian terraces often have Welsh slate roofs. Behind many of their parapets sit butterfly roofs and valley gutters that cannot be seen from the pavement. Shared chimney stacks, party-wall upstands and lead work come with this kind of house. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. Bruce Castle, about 1.3 miles north, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around St Ann's. If you own one of the older houses, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof.
If you live near a park such as Chestnuts Park, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. Landlords with a home close to Seven Sisters station may find that a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
St Ann's is about 2 miles north-west of West Hackney, in Greater London. We visit St Ann's as part of our work across Greater London, for homes and businesses alike. Our area takes in places right across Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages. London is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: N15, N4 and N16. Streets in the area include Ida Road, Elmar Road and Grove Road. We also cover the places around St Ann's: West Green (1 mile north-west), Seven Sisters (1 mile east), South Tottenham (1 mile east), Harringay (1 mile west) and Tottenham Green (1 mile north-east). Larger places within reach include London (6 miles south), City of Westminster (5 miles south-west), Marylebone (5 miles south-west), Kensington (8 miles south-west), St Pancras (4 miles south) and Shoreditch (4 miles south).
Near you in St Ann's
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Church of St Andrew, No.8 Seven Sisters pub and Moselle Upper School, among other places. Also close by are Chestnuts Park (under half a mile west) and Park View School (0.5 miles north-west). St Ann's has its own railway station: Seven Sisters station. Nearby you will also find City of London Maternity Hospital (1.7 miles south-west) and The Mall Wood Green (1.4 miles north-west). Open spaces near St Ann's include Railway Fields and Hollow Pond.