Kent · London and the South East
Broadwater Down Chimney Survey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Broadwater Down, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Lifted or split lead flashings
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Broadwater Down
A damp patch on a chimney breast does not always come from the same place. Water may be getting in at the top through cracked flaunching or an uncapped pot, through the brickwork, or at the flashings. Moisture trapped inside a stack with no ventilation can also cause damp. We check each possibility and record what we find. You then know where to start. If you’re worried about mortar washing out of the joints and pots or cowls that look unsafe, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on brick chimney stacks, flaunching and chimney pots and cowls alike.
In a smaller place like Broadwater Down, homes range from older cottages to 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. The fixings under an older roof frequently fail before good slates or tiles do.
The report doesn’t just list problems. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend.
- Place
- Broadwater Down (TN2, TN4, TN1)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Broadwater Down
Is Broadwater Down within the area you cover?
Yes, Broadwater Down is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
I let a flat near Tunbridge Wells station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that’s a common request. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
How long will you be at the property?
Time on site depends on the roof, but most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours at most homes, or half a day or so for a commercial building. The written report follows by email.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
An unused stack still needs to stay weathertight and ventilated. Capping without airflow can lead to damp. We check how it is capped and its condition, so you can decide with a builder what to do.
Can you find out why my chimney breast is damp?
It can come from several places: cracked flaunching, worn pointing, failed flashings, uncapped pots, or damp trapped in an unventilated stack. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause.
Our stack is shared. Can you still survey it?
Yes. Many houses share stacks with a neighbour. We survey what we can see safely, and note anything that seems to involve next door.
Do you need to go on the roof to check the chimney?
We look from the ground, from windows and from the loft where it’s safe. A drone inspection is part of the Premium Survey where it applies. Any area we couldn’t view is noted.
How the survey works
We’ll ask a few questions first, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. The inspection then takes roughly 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. With a bit of garden around a house, as there often is around Broadwater Down, the roof can be viewed from several angles. Mention any side of the property we can’t get to. The loft, where there is safe access, completes the picture.
- 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
How to book
Once you know what you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.
Read more
What we cannot see
We only report everything that’s safely in view on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll recommend the right survey before booking. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
Places near Broadwater Down
More services for Broadwater Down
Leave it or get it looked at?
Loose pots and bricks on a stack are a safety concern. A survey picks them out so they can be made safe by a suitable contractor. Arranging work in a smaller place like Broadwater Down is easier with notice than in an emergency. A survey gives you that notice.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report isn’t charged as an extra. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Broadwater Down
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Surveys seven days a week
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
See our cost guide and our case studies.
Practical tips
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Check unused flues are capped with ventilation
The report is emailed to you, ready to share with a roofer or builder. Each defect is described in plain words and shown in a photo so anyone reading it can see what we saw.
Look at your chimneys from the ground now and then, particularly after strong winds. With binoculars, you can frequently see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
Chimney surveys around Broadwater Down
About 2.7 miles west lies Groombridge Place, a reminder of how long the area around Broadwater Down has been built on. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof. 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. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
Homes near green spaces such as Dunorlan Park can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls. For businesses in and around places such as The Corn Exchange, a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions.
Broadwater Down is about 1 mile south-west of Royal Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. We carry out chimney surveys in Broadwater Down for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Broadwater Down is one of the towns and villages in Kent we cover for chimney surveys. You can also see our page for Maidstone.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: TN2, TN4 and TN1. You will find streets like Frant Road, Eridge Road and Ramslye Road. Broadwater Down sits on or near the A267, which makes travel easy. Other places close to Broadwater Down include Hawkenbury (1 mile east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (1 mile north-east), Rusthall (2 miles north-west), Langton Green (2 miles north-west) and Bells Yew Green (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Sevenoaks (12 miles north), Tonbridge (6 miles north), Kings Hill (12 miles north-east), Paddock Wood (7 miles north-east), Southborough (3 miles north) and Edenbridge (10 miles north-west).
Landmarks near Broadwater Down
Around Broadwater Down, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Sir Alf Ramsey pub, Dunorlan Park and Bennett Memorial Diocesan School. Broadwater Down’s nearest station is Tunbridge Wells station, about 0.9 miles north-east. Well-known places in the area include The Corn Exchange (0.5 miles north-east) and The Amelia (1.1 miles north-east). Not far away are Broadwater Warren RSPB Reserve.
When to book a survey in Broadwater Down
Flaunching is the mortar bed that holds the pots and throws water off the top. Cracked flaunching lets water in, and each winter makes it worse. Loose pots can follow.
Common reasons to book include:
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- A stack that appears to lean
- Staining on walls around the chimney
If you look after a building like Broadwater Down Primary School, large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- What exactly goes into their report
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- How long the report takes to arrive
Should I look at the roof myself first?
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.