Homes we inspect in Brixton
Brixton has Georgian and early Victorian houses along its older roads, and streets of later Victorian terraces towards Herne Hill and Brixton Hill, many converted into flats. There are mansion blocks, interwar council housing and post-war estates throughout.
Opening up converted flats is the work we design most often here: removing chimney breasts to make space and taking out walls between kitchens and living rooms.
Common structural issues in Brixton
- Chimney breasts removed in flats without support for the breast above.
- Walls removed to open up kitchens and living rooms.
- Cracking at bay windows and extension junctions.
- Movement near street trees on clay.
- Floors altered during conversions.
Ground conditions
Brixton Hill rises onto London Clay, while the lower ground has river terrace gravels. The Effra, a lost river now in a culvert, runs beneath parts of the area, and the ground along its old course can be softer.
We check the British Geological Survey records for every address we inspect, because ground conditions can change from one street to the next.
Services in Brixton
- Structural inspections: Specific (SSI) from £420*, General (GSI) from £540* and Comprehensive (CGSI) from £880*.
- Mortgage structural reports when your lender's valuer asks for an engineer.
- Insurance structural reports and subsidence investigations.
- Wall and chimney breast removal calculations for Building Control.
- Extension and loft conversion design.
- Freeholder consent reports for leasehold flats.
* Prices are a guide only and VAT may be added. Contact us for an accurate price.
Arranging an inspection in Brixton
Send us the postcode, whether it is a house or a flat, how many bedrooms it has and a few photos of what you have noticed, or your valuer's letter. We will recommend the right service and give you a price in writing before you book. Our engineers travel to Brixton from our office on Turnham Green Terrace in Chiswick, with weekday and weekend visits available. See our prices or request a quote.
Local guides
Nearby areas we cover
See all areas we cover across London.
Common questions
Do you have an office in Brixton?
No. Our office is at Gable House, 18–24 Turnham Green Terrace, Chiswick, W4 1QP, and our engineers travel to Brixton for inspections and site visits.
Does removing a chimney breast in my flat need Building Control approval?
Yes. Removing a chimney breast is a structural alteration, so Building Control must approve it and an engineer needs to design the support for anything left above. If the chimney is shared with a neighbour, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 may also apply.
