Kent · London and the South East
Herne Bay Chimney Survey
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Herne Bay. We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- A stack that appears to lean
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
Chimney survey in Herne Bay: what you get
Many homes have chimneys that are no longer used. A disused stack still needs looking after. Capping a stack without ventilation can trap moisture and lead to damp inside. Our survey looks at how each unused stack has been capped and checks the breasts for damp. You get photos of each stack and our recommendations. We survey chimney pots and cowls, shared and party-wall stacks and chimney breasts, and common reasons people get in touch are gaps where the stack meets the roof and bricks with flaking faces.
In a town like Herne Bay, most homes are houses whose owners look after their own roofs. Small faults, such as a cracked ridge, a slipped tile or a blocked gutter, are cheaper to deal with early. The report sets out what needs attention, prioritised by urgency where relevant, whether you live in the house or let it. Photos show you exactly what was seen, even on parts you can’t reach yourself.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Location
- Herne Bay (CT6)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Common questions in Herne Bay
Is the coastal weather around Herne Bay hard on roofs?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it normally shows.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Herne Bay?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Are you insured?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Where it helps and it’s safe, yes. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. The report will say if you need an engineer.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. We look at everything that can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows, from inside the roof space, from the roof where it is safe and by drone where it applies. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
How many surveys have you done?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years, across London and South East England.
Chimney surveys around Herne Bay
Herne Bay lies within about 1 mile of the sea, so there is more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles. There are about 500,000 buildings on England’s list of listed buildings, and around 10,000 conservation areas. If your home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission, so the council is the place to ask.
Trees in and around Curtis Wood shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls. If you live in an older home near Christ Church, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Herne Bay is about 7 miles north of Canterbury, in Kent. From houses to flats and shops in Herne Bay, the roof can be surveyed. Our Kent coverage includes Herne Bay and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Canterbury page.
Surveys in CT6 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include High Street, Viscount Square and Market Street, and we cover them all. Main roads around Herne Bay include the A299 and B2205, which makes travel easy. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Hunters Forstal (1 mile south-east), Eddington (1 mile south-west), Broomfield (1 mile south-east), Herne (1 mile south) and Beltinge (1 mile east). Further out, we also cover Canterbury (7 miles south), Margate (11 miles east), Ramsgate (12 miles east), Broadstairs (13 miles east), Whitstable (5 miles west) and Deal (15 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Herne Bay
Around Herne Bay, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Herne Bay High School, Queen's Head Public House and Curtis Wood and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Herne Bay station, about 0.7 miles west. A little further out are Tankerton Castle (4.3 miles west) and Whitstable and Tankerton Hospital (3.6 miles west). Green spaces nearby include West Blean and Thornden Woods.
How the survey changes by roof type
Brick stacks
Many older stacks were built with lime mortar. Repairs should suit the original materials, which we mention where relevant.
Lead flashings
Some older stacks have mortar fillets instead of lead. They crack with age, and we check them too.
Towns and villages near Herne Bay
More services for Herne Bay
Prices for chimney surveys in Herne Bay
Our packages start from £150, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The roof’s overall size
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report isn’t charged as an extra. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Booking your survey
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- Dates you’re working to, like exchange
- The property’s address and postcode
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Signs you need a chimney survey in Herne Bay
Many chimneys are no longer used. If a stack is capped or blocked without ventilation, moisture can build up inside. That can lead to damp patches on chimney breasts, even with the roof in good order.
Typical things we are asked to look at include:
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Worn or missing pointing
- Lifted or split lead flashings
For landlords with property near Herne Bay station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
What to check before booking
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- What experience they bring
- How soon the report will arrive
Landlords, agents and block managers in Herne Bay
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed in advance. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which can make access easier.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, from shops and offices to industrial units. Bigger roofs take more time.
Tips that help
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
You can send the report to roofers or builders for quotes. Because everyone is pricing the same findings, the quotes are easier to compare.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. With binoculars, you can frequently see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
What happens on the day
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes between one and two hours at a typical home, or half a day or so for a commercial building. You’re welcome to ask questions while we’re there. For a visit in Herne Bay, we need access to the loft, any rooms with leaks or stains, and the outside of the building. If there’s a side gate or a rear garden, let us know how to reach it. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- Every part we can see is looked at: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Where there is safe access, we check the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- You get a written report with photographs and our recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
Book a survey
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.