Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Tower Hill, Greater London
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Tower Hill, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Bricks with flaking faces
Tower Hill questions
Is parking a problem for a survey in Tower Hill?
Sometimes, yes. Where there are permit zones, a visitor permit or nearby pay-and-display bay works well.
Can a landlord with a rental near London Fenchurch Street station book a roof survey?
Yes, letting agents and landlords book with us as well as owners. You can call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a few details.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Light rain doesn’t usually stop a survey. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so we’ll agree a new date if the weather is not suitable.
Do you look in the loft space?
If there is a loft and safe access to it, yes. The loft space can show things the outside can’t, such as damp timbers, staining or daylight.
How can you see the top of the stack?
Each stack is viewed from the safest viewpoints: from the ground, windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there is access. A drone inspection is included in our Premium Survey where it applies. If part of a stack can’t be seen, the report says so.
My chimney looks like it’s leaning. What should I do?
Do not ignore it. Leaning often comes from mortar breaking down unevenly. We record its condition with photographs, and a structural engineer can confirm whether it is stable.
How soon will I get the report?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. Each one is emailed, ready to forward.
How a chimney survey works in Tower Hill
Chimney stacks take more weather than almost any other part of a house. In time, flaunching cracks, mortar washes out and flashings come loose. Water then gets into the stack and can show as damp on a chimney breast or a stain in the loft. We record what we find with photos and recommendations. If you’ve noticed eroded joints in the brickwork and loose, cracked or missing pots, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
London has a great many flats in converted houses and 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. A report gives everyone the same picture to plan from, with photos.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photographs, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Place
- Tower Hill (SE1, E1, E1W)
- Region
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we are asked to look at in Tower Hill
Aerials and dishes are often fixed to stacks. Their weight and the wind on them can loosen bricks and pointing. We check fixings on the stack as part of the survey.
Look out for signs like these:
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Peter ad Vincula, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Before booking anyone
- What happens after the report arrives
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- What exactly goes into their report
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
Leave it or get it looked at?
Damp in a chimney breast typically gets worse while the cause is left. It can stain walls and damage plaster. Knowing whether it is the flaunching, flashings, brickwork or ventilation means the right fix can be planned. Many older London roofs have only old felt under the slates, or no underlay at all, so a slipped slate can soon mean water inside. Left alone, that means wet timbers and plaster, which is a far bigger job than the roof fault itself.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Why book us in Tower Hill
- Over 20 years’ experience
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Weekday and weekend surveys
Take a look at our cost guide or our case studies.
Also near Tower Hill
What else we do in Tower Hill
How the survey works
We’ll ask a few questions first, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. The inspection then takes roughly 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In converted houses and mansion blocks, the loft hatch is often on a shared landing. If that applies to your building, it helps to agree access with the neighbours or the managing agent first. Otherwise, the visit in Tower Hill runs like any other.
- First you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- The stacks are looked at from ground level, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- Every part we can see is looked at: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- We check the chimney breasts and the stack in the loft space where we can reach them.
- You get a report with photos and our recommendations.
How to prepare
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Arrange a survey
For a price for chimney surveys in Tower Hill, phone 07833 053749 or email us. The address, the type of property and what you need to know help us give you an accurate price.
Advice
Before and after the survey
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- Do not use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
The report is emailed to you, ready to share with a roofer or builder. We use plain English and a photo for each defect, so it’s easy to follow.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. Early signs are easier to trace.
Honest limits
A survey is a careful look at the chimney stack, but it cannot do everything. The main limits are:
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Parts of the stack that can’t be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we can’t access
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Tower Hill
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Shared and party-wall stacks
Chimney surveys in Tower Hill: local notes
Close to the centre of London, a great many houses are Victorian or Edwardian terraces, many of them roofed in Welsh slate. A butterfly roof with a central valley gutter, tucked behind a parapet wall, is common on these houses. In a house like that, shared stacks, party-wall upstands and lead flashings all need looking at as far as they can be seen. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters. With Mansion House about 0.6 miles north-west, Tower Hill sits in an area with a long building history. Older homes in the wider area frequently 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.
Shop and office owners around Gabriel's Wharf may find that knowing the roof’s condition lets you budget for work rather than pay for emergencies. If you own a rental within reach of London Fenchurch Street station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Tower Hill is about 1 mile north-east of London, in Greater London. Roofs in Tower Hill get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Greater London. Across Greater London, we cover Tower Hill.
Chimney surveys in SE1, E1 and E1W are booked the same way as anywhere else. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Bush Lane, Swan Lane and Mark Lane or a nearby road, we can survey it. Tower Hill sits on or near the A3 and A10. If you are just outside Tower Hill, we cover Aldgate (1 mile north), Bishopsgate (1 mile north), Spitalfields (1 mile north), Whitechapel (1 mile north-east) and St George in the East (1 mile east). We also work in nearby towns such as City of Westminster (3 miles west), Marylebone (3 miles west), Kensington (5 miles west), Walthamstow (6 miles north-east), Hampstead (5 miles north-west) and Ruislip (15 miles west).
Local landmarks in Tower Hill
Around Tower Hill, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Bishopsgate Institute Special Collections and Archives, The Liberty Bounds pub and Fund Academy, among other places. Other local landmarks include St Mary-at-Hill (less than half a mile north-west), William Curtis Ecological Park (under half a mile south) and St Michael's Catholic College (0.7 miles south-east). Tower Hill has its own railway station: London Fenchurch Street station. Other landmarks nearby include Tower of London (under half a mile east) and London Bridge Hospital (under half a mile south-west). Open spaces near Tower Hill include Lavender Pond and Ludgate Hill.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, which helps when we check the roof.