Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Highstreet, Kent
We take a careful look at the chimney stack at your property in Highstreet, with photographs and a written report.
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Highstreet
A chimney survey looks at the stack and everything around it: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and the flashings at the roof line. Inside, we check chimney breasts and the stack in the loft where it’s safe to reach. You get a written report with photos and our recommendations. We survey single stacks on houses and groups of stacks on bigger buildings. Common reasons to book are lifted or split lead flashings and frost-damaged brickwork on the stack, on chimney pots and cowls, shared and party-wall stacks and brick chimney stacks.
In a small place like Highstreet, many roofs stand in the open, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. 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.
We keep jargon out of it: where something needs attention, it says so plainly, and where it can wait, that’s said too.
- Where
- Highstreet (ME13)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Highstreet
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Highstreet?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Exposed details like ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch.
I let a flat near Whitstable station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. Just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us about the building, including who will give access on the day.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but we don’t provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. The report will say if you need an engineer.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Usually, if there’s one and it can be reached safely. The roof space can show things the outside can’t, such as damp timbers, staining or daylight.
What does a roof survey cost?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Our Basic Survey starts from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
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.
Other services in Highstreet
When you need someone else
Some things can’t be seen without opening up the roof, so a survey has limits:
- Hidden sides of a shared 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’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Highstreet
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
What you can safely check yourself
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That is where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
What we do, step by step
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a written report with photos, emailed to you. As for time on site, it typically takes about one to two hours on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. In a hamlet or village like Highstreet, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Getting ready for the survey
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Getting a price
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or email us and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price before booking.
Read more
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
We confirm the price for the job before booking. This is what makes a difference:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- House, block, shop or office
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Helping us price your survey
When you call or email, these details help:
- What made you get in touch
- When you need the report by
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
A quick phone call is normally the easiest start: call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
Different roofs, different checks
Rendered stacks
Water can get in through cracks and then struggle to dry out. We record any cracking and where it is.
Chimney breasts and the loft
If a chimney breast has been removed below, we note what we can see of the support above. Confirming the support is a job for a structural engineer.
Chimney surveys in Highstreet: local notes
Highstreet is within about 2 miles of the coast, so there’s 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. Older houses across Kent frequently have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung walls. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
If you own a rental within reach of Whitstable station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant. If you live near a park such as Foxes Cross Bottom, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall.
Highstreet is about 3 miles south-west of Whitstable, in Kent. From houses to flats and shops in Highstreet, the roof can be surveyed. Highstreet is one of the towns and villages in Kent where we work.
Surveys in ME13 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include Thanet Way and Highstreet Road, and we cover them all. We also cover the places around Highstreet: Waterham (1 mile west), Dargate (1 mile south-west), Seasalter (1 mile north), Hernhill (2 miles south-west) and Slutshole (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Ashford (14 miles south), Canterbury (5 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (11 miles west), Whitstable (3 miles north-east), Faversham (4 miles west) and Herne Bay (7 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Highstreet
In Highstreet, that means homes and buildings near Foxes Cross Bottom. For rail, the closest station is Whitstable station, about 3 miles north-east. Nearby you’ll also find Whitstable and Tankerton Hospital (3.6 miles north-east) and Tankerton Castle (3.3 miles north-east). Open spaces near Highstreet include Blean Woods RSPB Reserve.
For landlords and managing agents
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out with the most urgent first where relevant.