Greater London · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Westbourne, Greater London
Chimney surveys in Westbourne, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photos.
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Signs that a stack is leaning
Chimney survey in Westbourne: what you get
Many homes have chimneys that are no longer used. A disused stack still needs looking after. If it has been capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside it. We check how redundant stacks have been capped and look for damp in the chimney breasts. You get photos of each stack and our recommendations. Typical surveys look at pots or cowls that look unsafe and a chimney out of line, across chimney breasts, shared and party-wall stacks and chimney pots and cowls.
London has Victorian and Edwardian terraces in almost every borough, many with Welsh slate roofs, shared chimney stacks and parapet or valley gutters. Good slates can last over a hundred years, yet the nails frequently give out first and let slates slip. In Westbourne, as across London, that’s why a roof needs a proper look rather than a glance from the street. Lead flashings and shared chimney stacks on these houses need a proper look too.
Nothing in the report is left vague: where something needs attention, it says so plainly, along with how urgent it is.
- Where
- Westbourne (W2, W11, W9)
- Region
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens if roof problems are left?
Chimneys are easy to forget because you rarely see the top of them. Problems frequently go unnoticed until damp appears inside. Surveying the stack now can catch problems first. 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.
All our prices include VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the exact price before booking.
Why us?
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- An independent view of the roof
- Plain-English reports with photos
- Visits on any day of the week
Take a look at our cost guide and our case studies.
For landlords and managing agents
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 when budgeting.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work with less disruption.
How we price chimney surveys
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, from £400 including VAT. We’ll tell you which package suits the questions you have.
What to tell us when you contact us
The more you tell us, the easier it is to price the survey. When you get in touch, it helps to mention:
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- What’s prompted the survey
A quick phone call is normally the easiest start: ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
What we do, step by step
We check the roof from outside and, where it is relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the loft space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement. All in, the survey normally takes an hour or two for most houses, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. For a visit in Westbourne, parking and access are the things to plan: let us know about parking, the floor the property is on, any shared entrance and loft access. On the day, the roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from inside the roof space and from the roof where it is safe.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- 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 flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Let us know where we can park nearby
Booking a survey
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details.
Read more
Places near Westbourne
What else we do in Westbourne
Useful tips for Westbourne property owners
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. Here’s what helps most:
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
After the visit, we write up the report with photographs of each stack. It explains the condition of each part of the stack and any damp inside. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24 to 48 hours and Premium reports the same day.
Make sure redundant flues are capped with ventilation. Ventilation helps keep the stack dry.
Westbourne questions
Is parking a problem for a survey in Westbourne?
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 when you book.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near London Paddington station?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. You can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and what you need.
How do you inspect a chimney without scaffolding?
We use safe viewpoints rather than climbing onto the stack. Where applicable, our Premium Survey adds a drone inspection for a closer view. Any area we couldn’t view is noted.
How do I book a survey in Westbourne?
To book, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price and find a day that suits.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. It is a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
No. We survey the stack and its weathering, not the flue. The flue should be checked by a sweep, or by a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances.
Will I get photos?
Yes. Photos are taken throughout the survey, and the report uses them to show each finding alongside our recommendations.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Westbourne
With Kensington Palace about 0.8 miles south-east, Westbourne sits in an area with a long building history. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Many homes in inner London are Victorian and Edwardian terraces, often with 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. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters.
For landlords with property near London Paddington station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak. For businesses in and around places like Kensington Arcade, a roof report helps plan work around trading rather than after a leak. If your house is among the older ones in the streets near St Stephen's Church, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Westbourne is about 1 mile north of Kensington, in Greater London. Westbourne is one of many places we visit across Greater London, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Westbourne is one of the places in Greater London we cover for chimney surveys.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: W2, W11 and W9. You’ll find streets such as Salem Road, Acklam Road and Morgan Road, all of which we cover. Being close to the A404 and A4206, Westbourne is simple for us to get to. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Westbourne Green (1 mile north-east), Bayswater (1 mile south), Little Venice (1 mile north-east), Maida Vale (1 mile north) and Paddington Green (1 mile east). Within a short drive, we also cover London (5 miles east), St Pancras (3 miles east), Shoreditch (5 miles east), Walthamstow (9 miles north-east), Hoxton (5 miles east) and Whitechapel (5 miles east).
Landmarks near Westbourne
Typical jobs here are in homes near Maida Vale School, Abdus Salam Library and Westminster Academy, among other places. Also close by are Emslie Horniman's Pleasance (0.8 miles north-west) and Cock and Bottle pub (under half a mile south-west). The nearest railway station is London Paddington station, roughly 0.8 miles east of the centre. Nearby you will also find Paddington General Hospital (0.5 miles north) and Greek Orthodox Cathedral Treasury Museum (within half a mile south-east). Open spaces near Westbourne include Campden Hill and Greville Place nature reserve.