Kent · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Hillborough
Chimney surveys in Hillborough from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and the South East.
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
Questions from Hillborough
Can a landlord with a rental near Herne Bay station book a roof survey?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. Just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the details.
Is my home in Hillborough listed or in a conservation area?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Why is my chimney breast damp?
Damp on a chimney breast usually means water is getting into the stack, or moisture is trapped inside it. We check the stack, the flashings and how unused flues are capped and records the likely cause.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only if it is safe. We inspect what can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows, from inside the loft space, from the roof where it’s safe and by drone where it applies. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. It’s a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
What does the report include?
A written report with photos, explaining the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our recommendations, with the most urgent first where relevant. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check, and the Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable and structural analysis.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
There’s no single answer. The survey shows its condition and how it’s been capped. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need consent.
Chimney survey in Hillborough: what you get
A chimney survey is about the outside of the stack and the roof around it. It is 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. If you’re worried about frost-damaged brickwork on the stack and disused chimneys trapping moisture, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Around Hillborough, 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.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, sent by email. It explains the condition of the chimney stack, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Location
- Hillborough (CT6)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we’re asked to look at in Hillborough
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.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
If you look after a building like Reculver Church of England Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Before booking anyone
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- How soon the report will arrive
Why it is worth a survey now in Hillborough
Chimneys are easy to forget because you rarely see the top of them. Problems often go unnoticed until damp appears inside. Surveying the stack now can catch problems first. With lower homes, common in places like Hillborough, there is little between a roof defect and the ceiling, so a small leak can mark a ceiling within a few storms. Catching the cause first saves redecorating as well.
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package you pick makes a difference too. The price is always agreed first.
What you get with us
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- 20+ years’ experience
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
Read what a roof survey costs or two real surveys.
Places near Hillborough
What else we do in Hillborough
What a chimney survey looks like in Hillborough
Hillborough lies within about 1 mile of the sea, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces. 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. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent.
For landlords with property near Herne Bay station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at. Living close to Bishopstone Cliffs is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall.
Hillborough is about 2 miles east of Herne Bay, in Kent. We survey roofs in Hillborough across London and South East England. Our area takes in places right across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. We also survey roofs in Canterbury.
We survey roofs across the CT6 postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. That includes homes and businesses on Manor Road, Puffin Road and Neville Road. Hillborough sits on or near the A299. We also cover the places around Hillborough: Hawthorn (1 mile south-east), Bishopstone (1 mile north), Beltinge (1 mile north-west), Broomfield (1 mile south-west) and Highstead (1 mile south). Within a short drive, we also cover Canterbury (7 miles south-west), Margate (9 miles east), Ramsgate (11 miles east), Broadstairs (11 miles east), Whitstable (6 miles west) and Deal (14 miles south-east).
Near you in Hillborough
Typical jobs here are in homes near Bishopstone Cliffs and The Huntsman And Horn Public House, among other places. Hillborough’s nearest station is Herne Bay station, about 2.2 miles west of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Whitstable and Tankerton Hospital (5.2 miles west). For a walk, there’s West Blean and Thornden Woods.
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings
Flashings can lift in wind or pull out of their mortar joints. We photograph any we find that look loose or damaged.
Chimney pots and cowls
Damaged pots are a safety concern as well as a leak risk. We photograph each pot and note any damage.
Checking the roof from the ground
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
A lot can be seen from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Tips from our surveys
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
Once we have been, the findings are written up with photos. It covers the pots, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings, and any damp we found inside. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. With binoculars, you can often see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
The survey, step by step
We look at the roof from outside and, where it’s relevant and there is safe access, from inside the roof space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. The whole visit typically takes about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Being in a smaller place like Hillborough does not change how the visit works: outside, inside and from any safe vantage point, in that order. Point out any stains, cracks or loose pieces you’ve spotted.
- First you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access.
- The findings are written up with photographs and recommendations and emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
How to book
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.