Kent · London and the South East
Elham Chimney Survey
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Elham. We have completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Elham
If a chimney looks out of line, it’s worth getting it checked. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down, frequently after years of flue gases and damp. We record the lean and the condition of the brickwork and pointing. If the stack looks like a structural issue, the report recommends a structural engineer. If you are worried about flashings pulling away from the stack and redundant stacks capped without ventilation, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Some older homes in villages like Elham are listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is frequently expected.
We keep jargon out of it: if work is needed, the report says so clearly.
- Location
- Elham (CT4)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney pots and cowls
For unused flues, we check whether caps or cowls allow ventilation. Capping without ventilation can trap moisture.
Brick stacks
Many older stacks were built with lime mortar. Repairs should suit the original materials, which we mention where relevant.
Other services in Elham
What happens on the day
On the day, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you’d like to know. After that, we look at everything we can see safely. The survey usually takes between one and two hours at most homes, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Rural addresses near Elham can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- 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 roof space.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
Arrange a survey
If you are buying, it’s useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email when you’re ready.
Advice
Chimney surveys around Elham
Historic houses like Acrise Place, about 1.4 miles south-east, show how far back building in the area around Elham goes. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Across Kent, older roofs are frequently handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. You’ll also find oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses among the county’s older buildings. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
Anyone responsible for a site like Elham Church of England Primary School will know that a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. For an older house near a landmark like Church of St Mary the Virgin, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Elham is about 5 miles north-west of Folkestone, in Kent. Whether the building in Elham is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, the roof can be surveyed. We cover towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Canterbury is in our area too.
Every address in CT4 is covered for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We cover properties on High Street, Pound Lane and Vicarage Lane. We also cover the places around Elham: Swingfield Minnis (2 miles east), Densole (3 miles south-east), Selsted (3 miles east), Breach (3 miles north-east) and Lodge Lees (3 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Ashford (11 miles west), Canterbury (9 miles north), Dover (8 miles east), Folkestone (5 miles south-east), Whitstable (14 miles north) and Deal (13 miles east).
Around Elham
Typical jobs here are in homes near The King's Arms. The nearest railway station is Sandling station, roughly 4.7 miles south-west. Well-known places in the area include Royal Victoria Hospital (5.3 miles south-east) and Elham Valley Countryside Centre And Railway Museum (3.7 miles south). The countryside around Elham includes Cheriton Hill.
Signs you need a chimney survey in Elham
TV aerials, satellite dishes and their brackets are frequently fixed to chimneys. Their weight and the wind on them can loosen bricks and pointing. We check fixings on the stack as part of the survey.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
If you own a rental within reach of Sandling station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- What insurance they carry
Why it is worth a survey now in Elham
A small amount of repointing or new flaunching is typically a modest job. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks, and the work grows. In a small place like Elham, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why book with us
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- A written report with photos
How we price chimney surveys
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. The main factors are:
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Height and safe access
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
For a price for your roof in Elham, phone 07833 053749 or email us and let us know about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Booking your survey
A little information up front helps. It helps to include:
- When you need the report by
- The address and postcode of the property
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- Anything about access we should know
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or email us and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Common questions in Elham
Will you come out to Elham?
Yes, we do. We work right across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
Is my home in Elham listed or in a conservation area?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Do you need to go on the roof to check the chimney?
We inspect from wherever is safe: from the ground, windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there is access. A drone inspection is included in our Premium Survey where applicable. We note anything we couldn’t see.
Is a leaning chimney dangerous?
A leaning stack should be looked at. We record the lean, the brickwork and the pointing, and if it may be a structural issue, we recommend a structural engineer.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We point out what can be seen, such as sagging or deflection, but we’re not structural engineers and do not carry out calculations. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. Roofs over flats are frequently shared, so we need permission from the freeholder or managing agent. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. For the rest of the building, a RICS home survey is a separate job.
Tips that help
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
The report is emailed to you, ready to share with a roofer or builder. We use plain English and a photo for each defect, so it’s easy to follow.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. Early signs are easier to trace.