Greater London · London and the South East
Stratford Chimney Survey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Stratford and the rest of Greater London. We survey on any day of the week.
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Stratford
Sutton House, about 2.1 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Stratford. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Many homes in inner London are Victorian and Edwardian terraces, often with Welsh slate roofs. From the street you may see only a parapet, with a butterfly roof and a valley gutter behind it draining to the back. In a house like that, shared stacks, party-wall upstands and lead flashings all need looking at as far as they can be seen. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
The streets around a church like Church of St John the Evangelist are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs. If you run a business near Stratford Centre, a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions.
Stratford is about 5 miles north-east of London, in Greater London. In Stratford, as across Greater London, every roof gets the same careful survey. Our area takes in places right across Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages.
Every address in E15, E20 and E3 is covered for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on Gay Road, Cam Road and Eve Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Maryland (1 mile east), East Village (1 mile north-west), Temple Mills (1 mile north-west), West Ham (1 mile south-east) and Hackney Wick (1 mile west). Further out, we also cover London (5 miles south-west), City of Westminster (7 miles west), Marylebone (6 miles west), Kensington (9 miles west), St Pancras (5 miles west) and Shoreditch (3 miles west).
Local landmarks in Stratford
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Carpenters Primary School, The Two Puddings pub and Sarah Bonnell School and the streets around them. There is a railway station in Stratford itself: Stratford (London) station. Nearby you’ll also find Stratford Centre (within half a mile south-east) and V&A East (0.5 miles west). Not far away are Hollow Pond and Old Ford Island.
Chimney survey in Stratford: what you get
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. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause. That points the work in the right direction. We survey lead flashings, flaunching and shared and party-wall stacks, and people most often book us about lifted or split lead flashings and damp patches on chimney breasts.
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 photographs, everyone can plan from the same facts.
If any part of the chimney stack couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. That way, it is clear what was covered and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Place
- Stratford (E15, E20, E3)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to Stratford
Also in Stratford
Roof by roof
Flaunching
The sloping mortar around the pots is called flaunching. Cracks in it let water into the stack.
Chimney pots and cowls
On redundant flues, we look at how the pots are capped. Capping without ventilation can trap moisture.
Signs you need a chimney survey in Stratford
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Flue gases and damp can break down the mortar, sometimes more on one side than the other, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Signs that a stack is leaning
Controlled parking zones are common in London, so mention any permit rules for Stratford, along with any off-street space.
Before booking anyone
- Which limits apply to the survey
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
Why act early in Stratford
If you’re buying, find out about the stacks before you exchange. Once you’ve exchanged, the work is down to you. A report gives you something specific to put to the seller. A hidden valley or parapet gutter on a London house can hold water for weeks before anyone notices. By the time a ceiling stains, the timbers underneath may have been wet for a while.
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Stratford
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Over 20 years’ experience
How it works
We do not take risks to get a closer look. We inspect whatever is safely visible, and if part of the roof cannot be seen, the report says so. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, and more on a big or complicated roof. In a London conversion, the way into the roof space is often from a communal landing or the top flat. If that applies to your building, it helps to agree access with the neighbours or the managing agent first. Otherwise, the visit in Stratford runs like any other.
- 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 checked: 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 report with photographs and our recommendations.
How to prepare
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Let us know about parking near the property
How to book
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or email us to find out.
Advice
Surveys for landlords and agents in Stratford
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 with less disruption.
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, including offices, shops and units. Bigger roofs take more time.
Honest limits
To be straight with you, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Hidden damage within the stack
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will point you to the right survey before booking. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
Common questions in Stratford
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Stratford?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Is parking a problem for a survey in Stratford?
It can be, so it helps to tell us about permits, visitor bays or off-street space when you book. The visit is then planned around what’s available.
What should I do with a chimney I do not use?
It depends on its condition and your plans. The survey shows its condition and how it’s been capped. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need consent.
Will I get photos?
Yes, plenty. Pictures sit next to the findings they show, which makes the report easy to follow.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
When does the report arrive?
That depends on the survey you book: the Basic Survey report arrives within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey the same day. The report is emailed to you.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey seven days a week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Let us know which days suit you when you book.