Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Barnes Cray, Kent
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Barnes Cray, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Get in touch for a price.
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
Local roofs in Barnes Cray
Historic houses such as Hall Place and Gardens, about 1.7 miles south-west, show how far back building in the area around Barnes Cray goes. 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 the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Many older homes in Kent have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles held by pegs through two holes, and tile-hanging on their upper walls. The county’s older buildings also include oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for example near Broadway Shopping Centre, a roof report helps plan work around trading rather than after a leak. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Haberdashers' Aske's Crayford Academy, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. Homes near green spaces such as Braeburn Park can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn.
Barnes Cray is about 2 miles north-west of Dartford, in Kent. We visit Barnes Cray as part of our work across Kent, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Barnes Cray is one of the towns and villages in Kent where we work. For surveys nearby, see our London page.
Chimney surveys in DA1 and DA8 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Whether your property is on Stour Road, Wilmot Road and Maiden Lane or a nearby road, we can help. Close by, we survey roofs in Slade Green (1 mile north), North End (1 mile north), Crayford (1 mile south-west), Barnehurst (1 mile west) and Bexley Riverside (1 mile north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Sevenoaks (12 miles south), Gravesend (8 miles east), Northfleet (7 miles east), Swanley (4 miles south), Swanscombe (4 miles east) and Windmill Hill (8 miles east).
Around Barnes Cray
Around Barnes Cray, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Braeburn Park, Bird in Hand pub and Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, among other places. Barnes Cray’s nearest station is Slade Green station, roughly 0.7 miles north. A little further out are West Hill Hospital (1 mile south-east) and Dartford Library (1.4 miles south-east). The countryside around Barnes Cray includes Wansunt Pit.
Chimney survey in Barnes Cray: what you get
Redundant chimneys are common, especially where fires have been replaced by central heating. A disused stack still needs looking after. Capping a stack without ventilation can trap moisture and lead to damp inside. Our survey looks at how each unused stack has been capped and checks the breasts for damp. You get photos of each stack and our recommendations. If you’ve noticed eroded joints in the brickwork and unused flues sealed without airflow, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Around Barnes Cray, older cottages sit alongside bungalows and newer houses. Older roofs can have slate, clay tiles or other traditional coverings, while many later ones have concrete tiles. On older homes, chimney stacks, valleys and gutters are usually where the work is, and the fixings under the coverings matter too. Nails and battens under older coverings frequently give out before the slates or tiles themselves.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, emailed to you. It explains the condition of the chimney stack, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Where
- Barnes Cray (DA1, DA8)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What a survey costs
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. The main factors are:
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where it applies) come with the Premium Survey, from £400 inc. VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you need to know.
Helping us price your survey
These details help when you contact us:
- The address and postcode of the property
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
Not sure which survey you need? It is easiest to phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll explain the options and the price.
Your questions about chimney surveys in Barnes Cray
I let a flat near Slade Green station. Can you check the roof?
Of course. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Is Barnes Cray within the area you cover?
Yes. Barnes Cray is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We work right across London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
How long does the survey take?
Most surveys take about 1–2 hours at most homes, or half a day or so for a commercial building. We will confirm the timing as you book.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Surveys run seven days a week. To arrange a date, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it helps and it’s safe, yes. Flights depend on the weather on the day and airspace rules. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator.
What happens after the survey?
You’ll get the report by email, with photos and clear recommendations. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Our survey isn’t a structural engineer’s report. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we’ll recommend one.
Why it’s worth a survey now in Barnes Cray
A leaning stack should be looked at sooner rather than later. We record its condition and recommend a structural engineer where needed, so you know where you stand. On a bungalow or cottage around Barnes Cray, the roof sits close to the rooms below, so water can show inside quickly once it gets past the covering. Finding the cause first saves a second job inside.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Why book us in Barnes Cray
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- An independent view of the roof
- Packages from £150, with VAT included
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or what we found on two real jobs.
What happens on the day
The visit usually starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the roof space if there is safe access. In total, it takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. In a smaller place like Barnes Cray, as anywhere, the forecast plays a part: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from the ground and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there is access.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
How to prepare
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Booking a survey
We confirm the price for the job before you book, so you know the cost up front. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
Landlords, agents and block managers in Barnes Cray
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, putting the urgent items at the top.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client, photographs included.
What this survey cannot tell you
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll recommend the right survey before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Barnes Cray
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
Also near Barnes Cray
Other services in Barnes Cray
How the survey changes by roof type
Lead flashings
Lead flashings seal the joint between the stack and the roof. The survey looks at whether the lead is tight, sound and well fixed.
Brick stacks
Brick stacks rely on sound pointing to keep water out. We check the bricks for spalling and the joints for erosion.