Kent · London and the South East
Hersden Chimney Survey
Wondering about the chimney stack at a property in Hersden? We carry out chimney surveys in Hersden and across Kent, with plain-English findings.
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
What a chimney survey does not cover
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Hersden
A chimney survey is about the outside of the stack and the roof around it. It’s not a flue inspection, a chimney sweep or a gas safety inspection. For the flue itself, you will need a sweep or, for gas appliances, a Gas Safe registered engineer. If something we see points to the flue, we will say so. Common reasons to book are signs that a stack is leaning and damaged chimney pots and cowls, across shared and party-wall stacks, chimney breasts and chimney pots and cowls.
Around Hersden, gardens, hedges and nearby trees can mean leaves and moss end up on roofs and in gutters. Once gutters and outlets block, water spills over and soaks the walls. It’s the kind of slow problem a roof report picks up early. Moss on the roof and weeds in the gutter are both easy to spot from the ground.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Where
- Hersden (CT3)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Brick stacks
Frost can damage bricks that have soaked up water, making the faces flake away. We record any we can see.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Damp patches on chimney breasts often point to a problem above. We check the breasts and the stack in the roof space where we can reach.
Why act early in Hersden
Damp in a chimney breast typically gets worse while the cause is left. It can spoil decoration and plaster. Knowing whether it is the flaunching, flashings, brickwork or ventilation means the right fix can be planned. Blocked gutters on homes around Hersden overflow and soak walls, especially where trees overhang. Dealing with the cause is simple; drying out a wall is not.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, inc. VAT.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Hersden
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- 20+ years’ experience
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Read what a roof survey costs or two real surveys.
Nearby places to Hersden
What else we do in Hersden
FAQs for Hersden
Is my home in Hersden listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Sturry station?
Yes, landlords and agents book with us as well as owners. Just phone 07833 053749 or email us and let us know about the building, including who will give access on the day.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. We will talk about access as you book.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
Yes. We inspect what can safely be seen and what you give us access to. Where a problem appears to be on next door’s side, we note it, so you can discuss it with them.
Can you find out why my chimney breast is damp?
It can come from several places: water getting in at the top, through the brickwork or at the flashings, or moisture trapped in a stack with no ventilation. We look at each one and note the most likely cause.
What happens next?
The report comes by email, and what you do next is up to you: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
No. Our survey covers the outside of the stack and the roof around it. The flue should be checked by a sweep, or by a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Hersden
The coast is about 5 miles or less from Hersden, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Near the sea, metal fixings wear faster and loose pieces on a roof are more likely to lift. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. 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 check with the council.
Anyone responsible for a site like Hersden Village Primary School will know that a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. Take an older house close to Church of All Saints: its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Hersden is about 4 miles south of Herne Bay, in Kent. Hersden is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area across London and South East England. We cover towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages.
We cover every part of CT3 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. We cover properties on The Firs, The Sycamores and Chequer Tree Close and the roads around them. If you’re just outside Hersden, we cover Westbere (1 mile south-west), Stodmarsh (1 mile south-east), Hoath (1 mile north), Knave's Ash (1 mile north) and Sturry (2 miles west). Further out, we also cover Canterbury (4 miles south-west), Margate (11 miles north-east), Dover (14 miles south-east), Ramsgate (11 miles east), Broadstairs (12 miles east) and Whitstable (6 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Hersden
In Hersden, that means homes and buildings near Frank Montgomery School, Spires Academy and Ye Olde Yew Tree Inn and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Sturry station, about 1.9 miles south-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Canterbury Castle (4.5 miles south-west) and St Martins Hospital (3.4 miles south-west). For a walk, there is West Blean and Thornden Woods.
Tips that help
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. Here’s what helps most:
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. Small repairs now can save bigger work later.
How the survey works
You don’t need to do much on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes between one and two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Parking around Hersden is normally easier than in a town centre, but mention lanes, gates or long drives. On bungalows and lower roofs, much can be seen from the ground, with the loft showing the underside.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We check every stack from wherever it can be seen safely.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there’s access.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Getting a price
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from ground level or a window. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Common roof problems in Hersden
Lots of homes have redundant stacks. A stack sealed without ventilation can trap damp. Damp patches can appear on chimney breasts even when nothing is leaking.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- A chimney out of line
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
If you own a rental within reach of Sturry station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- What happens after the report arrives
- Are they insured for the work?
- When you will get the report