Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in The Burroughs
We carry out chimney surveys in The Burroughs and the rest of Greater London. Surveys run on any day of the week.
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Worn or missing pointing
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
Chimney surveys in The Burroughs: local notes
In outer London, interwar semis with hipped, tiled roofs sit alongside older 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. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. Heath Hall, about 2.6 miles east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around The Burroughs. If you own one of the older houses, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof.
If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for example near Brent Cross Shopping Centre, knowing the roof’s condition lets you budget for work rather than pay for emergencies. Homes near green spaces such as Hendon Park can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall.
The Burroughs is about 2 miles south-east of Burnt Oak, in Greater London. We visit The Burroughs as part of our work across Greater London, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. The Burroughs is one of the towns and villages in Greater London where we work for chimney surveys. London is in our area too.
We cover every part of NW4, NW9 and NW11 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Local streets include Bell Lane, Eaton Road and Lodge Road, and we cover them all. With the A41 close by, The Burroughs is easy for us to reach. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Hendon (1 mile south-east), Colindale (1 mile west), Brent Cross (1 mile south-east), West Hendon (1 mile south-west) and The Hyde (1 mile south-west). Further out, we also cover London (8 miles south-east), City of Westminster (6 miles south-east), Marylebone (6 miles south-east), Kensington (6 miles south), St Pancras (6 miles south-east) and Shoreditch (8 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in The Burroughs
We work in homes and buildings around The Claddagh Ring pub, Brampton College and Kisharon College and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Hendon station, about 0.8 miles south-west of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Church Farmhouse Museum (less than half a mile north) and Brent Cross Shopping Centre (0.8 miles south). Not far away are Parliament Hill and Darland's Lake.
Chimney survey in The Burroughs
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. If you’ve noticed pots or cowls that look unsafe and damp patches on chimney breasts, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Much of London’s housing is flats, in converted houses or purpose-built blocks, so roofs are frequently 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.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, sent by email. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- The Burroughs (NW4, NW9, NW11)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to The Burroughs
More services for The Burroughs
How we price chimney surveys
Our packages start from £150, including VAT. The price for your roof depends on:
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- How big the roof is
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. The price is always agreed first.
What to tell us when you contact us
When you call or email, these details help:
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
- The address and postcode of the property
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
If you are buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just ring 07833 053749 or email us when you’re ready.
What we do, step by step
We do not take risks to get a closer look. We inspect everything that’s safely in view, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. Most visits take between one and two hours on an ordinary house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. From the street, a London terrace usually shows only its front slope or parapet, so a visit in The Burroughs moves between viewpoints: the pavement, upstairs windows, the loft and any safe spot at the back. Shared stairs or a basement flat? Tell us who holds the keys.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft space.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
How to book
Most bookings start with a short call: phone 07833 053749 or email us, and we will ask about the building and what you need. The price is agreed before a date is set.
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Signs you need a chimney survey in The Burroughs
Aerials and dishes are often fixed to stacks. The extra load in wind can work bricks and joints loose. We check fixings on the stack as part of the survey.
It’s worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
For an older house near a landmark such as St Mary's Church, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- What happens after the report arrives
- Will the report include photos?
What this survey cannot tell you
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Parts of the stack that cannot be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we cannot access
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Conditions inside walls
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
The Burroughs questions
I let a flat near Hendon station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, landlords and letting agents book with us as well as owners. You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and some details, including who will give access on the day.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in The Burroughs?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
What’s the best way to book?
The quickest way is to call 07833 053749 or email us. Tell us the address and a little about the roof, and we’ll take it from there. Surveys run seven days a week.
What does a roof survey cost?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Our Basic Survey starts from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all including VAT.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. Shared stacks are common on terraced and semi-detached houses. We survey what we can see safely, and note anything that seems to involve next door.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, like cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before any work.
Why act early in The Burroughs
A loose pot or brick can fall from height. Finding them early means they can be dealt with before they come down by a roofer. Behind a London parapet, a blocked gutter can sit full of water without anyone seeing it. When the stain finally shows, the damage underneath is often older than it looks.
All our prices include VAT. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for the job before booking.
Why book with us
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- A written report with photos
- An independent view of the roof
See what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
How the survey changes by roof type
Lead flashings
Lead flashings seal the joint between the stack and the roof. We check for lifting, splits and gaps in the joints.
Rendered stacks
Some stacks are rendered, which can hide the condition of the brickwork beneath. We look for cracks, hollow areas and staining.