Kent · London and the South East
Hernhill Chimney Survey
Find out what’s going on with the chimney stack before you decide what to do next. Chimney surveys in Hernhill, with photos and a clear written report.
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
Local roofs in Hernhill
The coast is about 3 miles or less from Hernhill, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles. 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.
Take a building like Hernhill Church of England Primary School: long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. Landlords with a home close to Selling station may find that a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Hernhill is about 3 miles east of Faversham, in Kent. Bookings from Hernhill are handled just like any other: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Our Kent coverage includes Hernhill. You can also see our page for Canterbury.
We survey roofs across ME13 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Slutshole (1 mile south-west), Staplestreet (1 mile south-west), Dargate (1 mile north-east), Culmers (1 mile north-west) and Goodnestone (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include Ashford (12 miles south), Canterbury (6 miles east), Sittingbourne (10 miles west), Whitstable (4 miles north-east), Faversham (3 miles west) and Herne Bay (8 miles north-east).
What’s near Hernhill
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Red Lion pub and Mount Ephraim Gardens, among other places. The closest station to Hernhill is Selling station, about 2.3 miles south-west. Other landmarks nearby include Chilham Castle (4.5 miles south) and Whitstable and Tankerton Hospital (5.3 miles north-east). Not far away are Blean Woods RSPB Reserve.
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Hernhill
If you’re buying a home with chimneys, it’s worth knowing their condition before you exchange. Cracked flaunching, failed flashings and worn pointing are common findings on older stacks. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It works alongside a RICS home survey, not instead of one. If you’re worried about mortar washing out of the joints and damp patches on chimney breasts, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Older buildings in small places like Hernhill may be listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is often expected.
If any part of the chimney stack couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. That way, it’s clear what was covered and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Where
- Hernhill (ME13)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
When to book a survey in Hernhill
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Mortar can deteriorate unevenly from flue gases and moisture, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- A chimney out of line
Trees in and around Mount Ephraim Gardens shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Will the report include photos?
Places near Hernhill
Other services in Hernhill
Why act early in Hernhill
Most people never get a proper look at their chimney stacks. Problems frequently go unnoticed until damp appears inside. Surveying the stack now can catch problems first. Older and listed buildings around Hernhill may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Why book us in Hernhill
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- 20+ years’ experience
- 5,000+ surveys completed
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or two real surveys.
Useful tips for Hernhill property owners
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
- Check your stacks from ground level after strong winds
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
If anything in the report is not clear, just ask us. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Have aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked, and moved if they’re working it loose. Less load on the stack means less strain in wind.
What happens on the day
Before we start, tell us why you’ve booked: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. That way we can focus on what matters to you. The visit normally takes an hour or two at a typical home, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Somewhere like Hernhill needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect what can be seen safely, inside and out.
- 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.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- We check the chimney breasts and the stack in the loft space where we can reach them.
- The findings are written up with photos and recommendations and emailed to you.
Preparing for the visit
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- Note where any stains or damp appear
Book a survey
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form to find out.
Read more
Surveys for landlords and agents in Hernhill
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, including offices, shops and units. Bigger roofs take more time, and they’re priced for the size.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work around your tenants.
FAQs for Hernhill
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Hernhill, take more of a battering?
Often, yes. Hernhill is within about 3 miles of the sea, and coastal roofs tend to see faster wear on metal parts and more wind lifting loose pieces.
I let a flat near Selling station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that is a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Do you cover Hernhill for chimney surveys?
Yes. We survey roofs across London and South East England, and that includes Hernhill.
How much is a survey?
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your survey before you book, based on the roof’s size, access and package. For a price, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
How do you inspect a chimney without scaffolding?
Each stack is viewed from the safest viewpoints: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the roof space. A drone inspection is included in our Premium Survey where it applies. If part of a stack can’t be seen, the report says so.
What’s the best way to book?
It is easiest to phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Give us the address and a few details about the roof. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
What happens next?
We email you the written report with photographs and recommendations. It’s yours to share with a seller, insurer, roofer or managing agent, whichever applies.
What this survey cannot tell you
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, so a survey has limits:
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Areas we can’t view from safe positions
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will tell you. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls