Medway · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Chattenden
Know where you stand with the chimney stack before you decide what to do next. We carry out chimney surveys in Chattenden.
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
Checking the roof from the ground
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Chimney survey in Chattenden: what you get
Many terraced and semi-detached homes share their chimney stacks with a neighbour. We look at whatever is safely visible and what the owner gives us access to. Where a problem seems to involve a neighbour’s side, the report records it and you can then discuss it with them. Everything is written up with photos and what we recommend. Typical surveys look at frost-damaged brickwork on the stack and lifted or split lead flashings, on lead flashings, brick chimney stacks and flaunching.
Somewhere as small as Chattenden, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. On older roofs, it is typically the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
If any part of the chimney stack couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. That way, it is clear what was covered and what wasn’t.
- Location
- Chattenden (ME3)
- Wider area
- Medway
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. Most visits take about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Older rural homes like those around Chattenden can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Preparing for the visit
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Tell us where we can park nearby
Book a survey
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Related advice
Local roofs in Chattenden
Chattenden is within about 2 miles of the coast, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces. Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. The county’s older buildings also include oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters.
If you run a business near Pentagon Shopping Centre, a roof report helps plan work around trading rather than after a leak. The streets around a church such as Bishop Gundulph Church are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Chattenden is about 2 miles north-east of Rochester, in Medway. Anywhere in Chattenden, we can carry out chimney surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Across Medway, we cover Chattenden. We also survey roofs in Maidstone.
All of ME3 is within our area for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Local streets include Songbird Crescent, Sparrow Drive and Main Road, all of which we cover. We also cover the places around Chattenden: Lower Upnor (1 mile south), Upper Upnor (1 mile south), Wainscott (1 mile south-west), Hoo St Werburgh (1 mile east) and Cooling Street (2 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns like Gillingham (4 miles south-east), Chatham (4 miles south), Rainham (5 miles south-east), Strood (3 miles south-west), Luton (3 miles south) and Park Wood (6 miles south-east).
Near you in Chattenden
We work in homes and buildings around The Pier pub, The Hundred of Hoo Academy and Lower Lines Park. The nearest railway station is Strood station, roughly 2.1 miles south-west of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Pentagon Shopping Centre (2.5 miles south) and Upnor Castle (0.9 miles south). For a walk, there is Gad's Hill and Rede Common.
What we can’t see
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
What we look for on each type of roof
Rendered stacks
We cannot see the bricks behind render without it being opened up, so the report explains what we could and couldn’t assess.
Lead flashings
Over time, lead can lift or come away from the brickwork. Any loose or split flashings are recorded.
Common roof problems in Chattenden
Some owners book because a chimney breast has been removed below and they want to know about the stack above. We note what’s visible in the roof space and outside, and the report recommends a structural engineer if support is a concern.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
Historic houses such as Restoration House, about 2.6 miles south-west, show how far back building around Chattenden goes. If you own one of the older houses, the roof may have been repaired many times, and the survey records how each part is holding up.
Before booking anyone
- What the survey will not cover
- Whether VAT is added on top
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
What a survey costs
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. The main factors are:
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- Which survey package you book
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how it can be reached and seen safely. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
Helping us price your survey
Some details help us recommend the right survey and price. When you contact us, it’s useful to mention:
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
To get a price for chimney surveys in Chattenden, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. Some details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.
Chattenden: your questions answered
Do you cover smaller places like Chattenden?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Chattenden?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. Shared stacks are common on terraced and semi-detached houses. We survey what we can see safely, and note anything that seems to involve next door.
How can you see the top of the stack?
We look from the ground, from windows and from the loft where it is safe. Where it applies, our Premium Survey adds a drone inspection for a closer view. Any area we couldn’t view is noted.
Will you check the loft?
If it’s needed and safe to reach, yes. We look for staining, damp, daylight and signs of movement.
What happens after the survey?
You will get the report by email, with photos and clear recommendations. With Standard there’s a follow-up consultation; with Premium, an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
How long will you be at the property?
It normally takes about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, and longer for a large or complex roof. The report follows by email.