Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Chartway Street, Kent
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Chartway Street, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photos.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings
Flashings can lift in wind or pull out of their mortar joints. We photograph any we find that look loose or damaged.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Damp patches on chimney breasts frequently point to a problem above. We look at them and at the stack in the loft where there is safe access.
About our chimney survey in Chartway Street
If you are buying a home with chimneys, it is worth knowing their condition before you exchange. On older stacks, we frequently find cracked flaunching, loose flashings and worn pointing. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. If you’ve noticed gaps in the mortar around the pots and frost-damaged brickwork on the stack, we can find out what’s behind it, on chimney breasts, lead flashings and brick chimney stacks alike.
In a small place like Chartway Street, many roofs stand in the open, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A roof report shows what needs attention first. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Place
- Chartway Street (ME17)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What we can’t see
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
Chimney surveys in Chartway Street: local notes
Historic houses such as Leeds Castle, about 2 miles north, show how far back building in the area around Chartway Street goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, 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. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
For landlords with property near Harrietsham station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Kingswood Primary School, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Chartway Street is about 5 miles south-east of Maidstone, in Kent. Wherever you are in Chartway Street, we can come and survey your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Our area takes in places right across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages.
All of ME17 is within our area for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We offer chimney surveys to properties on Chartway Street and Workhouse Lane and the roads around them. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Kingswood (1 mile north-east), Ulcombe (1 mile south-east), Broomfield (2 miles north-east), Leeds (2 miles north) and Ashbank (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (5 miles north-west), Ashford (12 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (10 miles north-east), Tonbridge (15 miles west), Faversham (13 miles north-east) and Kings Hill (10 miles west).
Around Chartway Street
The nearest railway station is Harrietsham station, about 3 miles north-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Sutton Valence Castle (1 mile south-west) and KIMS hospital (5.1 miles north-west).
Also near Chartway Street
More services for Chartway Street
What we do, step by step
The aim of the visit is simple: to see as much of the chimney stack as can be seen safely and record it clearly. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. It usually takes about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Cottages and farmhouses around Chartway Street often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can be seen safely, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can be seen safely.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft space.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Find any records of previous roof work
Book a survey
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Read more
Before and after the survey
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
If the stack is shared, you can pass the report to your neighbour. The photos show the problem and which side it’s on from the viewpoints we used.
Have aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked, and moved if they’re working it loose. Removing unused fixings takes strain off the brickwork.
Chartway Street: your questions answered
Will you come out to Chartway Street?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Is my home in Chartway Street listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
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.
What does the report include?
A report with photographs, covering the condition of the chimney stack, the defects we found and what we recommend. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check, and the Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies and structural analysis.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on its size, height, access and the package, confirmed before anything is booked.
How long does the survey take?
It typically takes roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. The written report follows by email, on the timescale of your package.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but we do not provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. If one is needed, the report says so.
When to book a survey in Chartway Street
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Flue gases and damp can break down the mortar, sometimes more on one side than the other, which can make a stack lean.
Problems we come across often include:
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
Take an older house close to St Peter's and St Paul's Church: old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- What follow-up you get after the report
Why get it checked now?
If you’re thinking of removing or reducing a stack, it helps to know its condition first. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need permission from the council and the council can advise. Outbuildings and barns around Chartway Street are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
Why book with us
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
- Photos and a written report every time
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
Read what a roof survey costs or our case studies.