Kent · London and the South East
Gushmere Chimney Survey
Chimney surveys around Gushmere, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Cracked or missing flaunching
About our chimney survey in Gushmere
Many homes have chimneys that are no longer used. A disused stack still needs looking after. If it has been capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside it. We check how redundant stacks have been capped and look for damp in the chimney breasts. The report sets out what we found and what we recommend. Common reasons to book are unused flues sealed without airflow and a chimney out of line, on brick chimney stacks, flaunching and lead flashings.
Somewhere as small as Gushmere, 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.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- Gushmere (ME13)
- Region
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Roof by roof
Flaunching
Flaunching takes the worst of the weather. The survey checks for cracking and gaps around each pot.
Brick stacks
Older brick stacks frequently have soft lime mortar. Repairs should suit the original materials, which we mention where relevant.
Towns and villages near Gushmere
What else we do in Gushmere
Chimney surveys around Gushmere
The coast is about 5 miles or less from Gushmere, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. Older houses across Kent often have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung 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.
Trees in and around Mount Ephraim Gardens shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. For landlords with property near Selling station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Gushmere is about 3 miles south-east of Faversham, in Kent. Gushmere gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photos and a written report. We cover towns and villages across Kent, large and small. There is also a page for Canterbury.
Surveys in ME13 are booked the same way as anywhere else. You will find streets like Selling Road and Vicarage Lane, all of which we cover. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Crouch (1 mile north-east), Selling (1 mile south), Neames Forstal (1 mile south-east), South Street (1 mile east) and Hogben's Hill (1 mile south-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Ashford (10 miles south), Canterbury (7 miles east), Sittingbourne (9 miles north-west), Whitstable (7 miles north-east), Faversham (3 miles north-west) and Herne Bay (11 miles north-east).
What’s near Gushmere
Around Gushmere, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Sondes Arms and Mount Ephraim Gardens, among other places. The closest station to Gushmere is Selling station, about 0.6 miles east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Tower keep castle at Chilham (2.9 miles south-east). Open spaces near Gushmere include Blean Woods RSPB Reserve.
Can I check my roof myself?
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when you book, as it helps us focus the survey.
You can learn a lot from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
What happens on the day
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a written report with photos, sent to you by email. As for time on site, most surveys take an hour or two for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Cottages and farmhouses around Gushmere frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- 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.
How to prepare
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
Book a survey
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Read more
What a chimney survey does not cover
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Conditions inside walls
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Parts of the stack that can’t be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we cannot access
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Gushmere
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
Signs you need a chimney survey in Gushmere
Removing a chimney breast inside can leave questions about how the stack is supported. We note what’s visible in the roof space and outside, and recommend a structural engineer where support is in question.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- A chimney out of line
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Mortar washing out of the joints
If you look after a building like Selling Church of England Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
What to check before booking
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- What follow-up you get after the report
- What the survey won’t cover
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
What affects the price in Gushmere
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- The roof’s overall size
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What we need to know
We will normally ask about:
- Dates you are working to, like exchange
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- What kind of property and roof it is
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form when you are ready.
Gushmere questions
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Gushmere?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Is the coastal weather around Gushmere hard on roofs?
Frequently, yes. Within about 5 miles of the sea, as Gushmere is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
Is a leaning chimney dangerous?
A leaning stack should be looked at. Our survey notes how it looks and the condition of the bricks and joints, and recommend a structural engineer where it may be a structural concern.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
Will you check the loft?
If it is needed and safe to reach, yes. We look for staining, damp, daylight and signs of movement, as far as the space allows.
What’s in the report?
Written findings with photos, covering the condition of the chimney stack, the defects we found and what we recommend, with the most urgent first where relevant. 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?
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Our Basic Survey starts from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all with VAT included.