Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Acol, Kent
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching around Acol, with a written report you can act on. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Acol
A chimney survey is about the outside of the stack and the roof around it. It is not a flue inspection, a chimney sweep or a gas safety inspection. For the flue itself, you will need a sweep or, for gas appliances, a Gas Safe registered engineer. We will tell you if we see anything that suggests they should take a look. If you are worried about flaunching that has broken away and a chimney out of line, we can find out what’s behind it.
In a small place like Acol, many roofs stand in the open, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A roof report shows what needs attention first. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
Findings are set out part by part, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets. You will see the good as well as the bad.
- Location
- Acol (CT7)
- Region
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips from our surveys
Small things make a difference, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Some pointers:
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
Where another specialist is needed, like a structural engineer or sweep, we explain why. That helps you brief them.
Have aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked and taken off if they’re no longer needed. Removing unused fixings takes strain off the brickwork.
Why act early in Acol
A small amount of repointing or new flaunching is typically a modest job. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks, and the work grows. Older cottages and farmhouses around Acol can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included.
Why us?
- Surveys seven days a week
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Prices that include VAT
- Plain-English reports with photos
Read how roof surveys are priced and our case studies.
Other services in Acol
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Acol
Acol lies within about 2 miles of the sea, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Near the sea, metal fixings wear faster and loose pieces on a roof are more likely to lift. Older houses across Kent often have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung walls. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
If you look after a building such as Birchington Church of England Primary School, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. If you let a flat or house near Birchington-On-Sea station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Acol is about 4 miles south-west of Margate, in Kent. Whether the building in Acol is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, we can survey the roof on a weekday or at the weekend. We cover towns and villages across Kent. Our Canterbury page covers surveys nearby.
We survey roofs across the CT7 postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. If you need a chimney survey at a property on The Street, Dilnot Lane and Margate Hill or anywhere close by, we can survey it. If you are just outside Acol, we cover Mount Pleasant (1 mile south), Birchington (1 mile north), Way (1 mile south-east), Minster (2 miles south) and Westgate-on-Sea (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Canterbury (11 miles south-west), Margate (4 miles north-east), Dover (15 miles south), Ramsgate (4 miles east), Broadstairs (5 miles east) and Whitstable (12 miles west).
What’s near Acol
Typical jobs here are in homes near King Ethelbert School and Crown & Sceptre pub and the streets around them. Acol’s nearest station is Birchington-On-Sea station, about 1.5 miles north. Other landmarks nearby include Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital (3.6 miles north-east) and Powell-Cotton Museum (0.7 miles north). For a walk, there is Sandwich and Pegwell Bay.
What we are asked to look at in Acol
TV aerials, satellite dishes and their brackets are often fixed to chimneys. The extra load in wind can work bricks and joints loose. We check fixings on the stack as part of the survey.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- A chimney out of line
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
Take an older house close to St Mildreds Church: its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What experience they bring
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- When you will get the report
What we do, step by step
Before we start, tell us why you’ve booked: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours at most homes, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. In a hamlet or village like Acol, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
How to prepare
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Let us know about parking near the property
Arrange a survey
If you’re buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email when you are ready.
Related advice
Acol questions
I let a flat near Birchington-On-Sea station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. You can call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a few details.
Is the coastal weather around Acol hard on roofs?
Often, yes. Within about 2 miles of the sea, as Acol is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling are not something we do. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it is disturbed.
Do I need to be at home?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey seven days a week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Just let us know the days that suit you.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. If one is needed, the report says so.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years, across London and South East England.
Prices for chimney surveys in Acol
All our prices include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- The roof’s overall size
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where it applies) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, including VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
What to let us know when you get in touch
Before you get in touch, it’s useful to have:
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- The address and postcode of the property
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form to find out.
Different roofs, different checks
Rendered stacks
Cracked render can let water in and trap it behind. We record any cracking and where it is.
Chimney pots and cowls
Pots sit in the flaunching on top of the stack, and cowls or caps sit on the pots. The survey looks for cracked, loose or missing pots and cowls.