Kent · London and the South East
Harbledown Chimney Survey
Independent chimney surveys in Harbledown. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Worn or missing pointing
Chimney surveys in Harbledown: local notes
Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the council can say whether a street is in a conservation area. Re-roofing in different materials may need permission there. Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
Homes near green spaces such as Whitehall Meadows can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls. Shop and office owners around Whitefriars Shopping Centre may find that a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions.
Harbledown is about 1 mile west of Canterbury, in Kent. Whether the building in Harbledown is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, the roof can be surveyed. Our area takes in places right across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages.
All of CT2 is covered for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Local streets include Lanfranc Gardens, Mill Lane and Church Hill, and we cover them all. Other places close to Harbledown include Rough Common (1 mile north-west), Wincheap (1 mile south-east), Thanington (1 mile south), Upper Harbledown (1 mile west) and Canterbury (1 mile east). Further out, we also cover Ashford (13 miles south-west), Dover (14 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (15 miles west), Folkestone (14 miles south), Whitstable (5 miles north) and Deal (15 miles east).
What’s near Harbledown
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Whitehall Meadows, St Edmund's School and The Monument Inn, among other places. Other local landmarks include St Thomas of Canterbury Church (1.2 miles east) and The Canterbury Academy (within half a mile south-east). The closest station to Harbledown is Canterbury West station, roughly 0.8 miles east. Nearby you will also find Eastbridge Hospital of St Thomas the Martyr (0.9 miles east) and Sidney Cooper Museum (0.9 miles east). Not far away are Blean Woods RSPB Reserve.
How a chimney survey works in Harbledown
We inspect chimneys from wherever they can safely be seen: from the ground, from windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there is access. A drone inspection is part of our Premium Survey where applicable. If we cannot see part of the stack, the report makes that clear. Every defect we find is photographed and described in plain words. We survey lead flashings, chimney pots and cowls and flaunching, and the problems we are asked to look at most are flashings pulling away from the stack and eroded joints in the brickwork.
In a small place like Harbledown, many roofs stand in the open, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Where
- Harbledown (CT2)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near Harbledown
Also in Harbledown
What a chimney survey doesn’t cover
It helps to know what a survey won’t do before you book:
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Harbledown
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
Why get it checked now?
If you are buying, find out about the stacks before you exchange. After that, any work is yours to arrange and pay for. A report gives you something specific to put to the seller. For an older or listed building in a place like Harbledown, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so leaving a defect until it’s urgent leaves less time to plan.
Prices start from £150, with VAT included, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, both inc. VAT. We confirm the price for your survey before you book.
Why book us in Harbledown
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Surveys seven days a week
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- 5,000+ surveys completed
See what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
The survey, step by step
The visit normally starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the loft space if there is safe access. All told, expect about 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In a hamlet or village like Harbledown, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there is access.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Preparing for the visit
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Book a survey
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Advice
How we price chimney surveys
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before you book. This is what makes a difference:
- The size of the roof
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, with VAT included, and we can help you choose.
Helping us price your survey
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- The address and postcode of the property
- Your timetable, like an exchange date
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
For a price for chimney surveys in Harbledown, call 07833 053749 or email us. A few details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.
What we are asked to look at in Harbledown
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 is one reason stacks start to lean.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- A chimney out of line
If you let a flat or house near Canterbury West station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- What exactly goes into their report
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
FAQs for Harbledown
Can a landlord with a rental near Canterbury West station book a roof survey?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and what you need, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Is Harbledown within the area you cover?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. We look at the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
How can you see the top of the stack?
Each stack is viewed from the safest viewpoints: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the loft space. Our Premium Survey includes a drone inspection where it applies. We note anything we couldn’t see.
What happens after the survey?
The report comes by email, and what you do next is up to you: raise it with a seller, send it to an insurer, brief a roofer or share it with a managing agent.
Why is my chimney breast damp?
There are a few common causes: 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?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, backed by photos. Anything we couldn’t see safely is noted too, so you know exactly what was covered.
How the survey changes by roof type
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.
Rendered stacks
A rendered stack can mask problems in the bricks below. The survey checks for cracking, bulging and staining in the render.