Medway · London and the South East
Chatham Waterfront Chimney Survey
Chimney surveys in Chatham Waterfront and the rest of Medway. We survey seven days a week.
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- A stack that appears to lean
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
What happens on the day
We do not take risks to get a closer look. Everything that can be seen safely is inspected, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. The survey usually takes about 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. For a survey in Chatham Waterfront, we agree the time, the access and parking before the day. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. Tell us about any garages, outbuildings or extensions you want included.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Preparing for the visit
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Booking a survey
Not sure which survey you need? It’s easiest to ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will explain the options and the price.
Advice
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Chatham Waterfront
Chimney stacks take more weather than almost any other part of a house. In time, flaunching cracks, mortar washes out and flashings come loose. Water then gets into the stack and can show as damp on a chimney breast or a stain in the loft. A survey finds these problems and records them with photos. We survey lead flashings, brick chimney stacks and flaunching, and the problems we are asked to look at most are frost-damaged brickwork on the stack and flaunching that has broken away.
Around Chatham Waterfront, 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. Chimneys, valleys and gutters on older homes often need the most attention, and the fixings under the coverings matter too. Nails and battens under older coverings often give out before the slates or tiles themselves.
The report does not just list problems. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Where
- Chatham Waterfront (ME4, ME1, ME7)
- Region
- Medway
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What a chimney survey looks like in Chatham Waterfront
Chatham Waterfront lies within about 3 miles of the sea, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles. 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. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
If you own a rental within reach of Chatham station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at. Living close to The Paddock is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn. The streets around a church such as Church of St John the Divine are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Chatham Waterfront is about 1 mile east of Rochester, in Medway. Surveys in Chatham Waterfront work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Chatham Waterfront is one of the towns and villages in Medway where we work. We also survey roofs in Maidstone.
All of ME4, ME1 and ME7 is within our area for chimney surveys. Streets in the area include New Road, Old Road and Ship Lane, and we cover them all. Chatham Waterfront sits on or near the A231, so getting to you is simple. We also cover Brompton (1 mile north-east), Rochester Riverside (1 mile north-west), Luton (1 mile south-east), Frindsbury (1 mile north-west) and Chatham (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include Rainham (4 miles south-east), Park Wood (4 miles south-east), Lordswood (3 miles south), Twydall (3 miles east), Hoo St Werburgh (3 miles north-east) and Wigmore (4 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Chatham Waterfront
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to King's Arms, St John Fisher RC Comprehensive School and Former Ordnance Store At Chatham Gun Wharf. You will also find St Michael the Archangel Church (less than half a mile south), Fort Pitt Grammar School (0.5 miles south-west) and The Paddock (under half a mile north-east). There is a railway station in Chatham Waterfront itself: Chatham station. Nearby you’ll also find St. Bartholomew's Hospital (within half a mile west) and Rochester Castle (1 mile west). For a walk, there is Gad's Hill and Ranscombe Farm.
Questions from Chatham Waterfront
Is the coastal weather around Chatham Waterfront hard on roofs?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there’s more wind, and more salt in the air. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it normally shows, and Chatham Waterfront is within about 3 miles of the coast.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Chatham Waterfront?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
How fast do I get the report?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. Each one is emailed.
Will you check the loft?
If there is a loft and safe access to it, yes. From inside, the underside of the roof often shows damp, staining or daylight that can’t be seen from outside.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only if it’s safe. We look at everything that can be seen safely: from ground level, from windows, from inside the roof space, from the roof where it is safe and by drone where applicable. Anything we can’t see is noted in the report.
What causes damp on a chimney breast?
There are a few common causes: cracked flaunching, worn pointing, failed flashings, uncapped pots, or damp trapped in an unventilated stack. We check each one and note the most likely cause.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. Shared stacks are common on terraced and semi-detached houses. We record the stack as far as we can see it and flag anything on the neighbour’s side.
Roof by roof
Brick stacks
Most chimney stacks are built of brick, with mortar joints that wear over time. We check the bricks for spalling and the joints for erosion.
Chimney breasts and the loft
In the loft, staining around the stack often shows where water is getting in. What we find is photographed and described.
Can I check my roof myself?
It helps to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level.
Nearby places to Chatham Waterfront
What else we do in Chatham Waterfront
Practical tips
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
If anything in the report is not clear, just ask us. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Unused stacks should be capped in a way that still lets air through. That helps stop damp building up inside.
Why it’s worth a survey now in Chatham Waterfront
For a buyer, the best time to learn about a chimney is before exchange. Once you’ve exchanged, the work is down to you. Our report gives you facts to raise with the seller or agent. Homes in smaller places like Chatham Waterfront can face more weather, so a loose ridge or verge soon lets rain in. Wind gets under it and lifts more.
Price depends partly on the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Why book us in Chatham Waterfront
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Surveys seven days a week
- 98% customer satisfaction
Take a look at our cost guide and what we found on two real jobs.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. We survey on any day of the week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, with the most urgent items set out first.