Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Hoath, Kent
A careful look at the chimney stack at your property in Hoath, with photos and a written report.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- A stack that appears to lean
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
Hoath: your questions answered
Do you cover smaller places like Hoath?
Yes, Hoath is covered. We work right across London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Hoath, take more of a battering?
Places near the sea get more wind and more salt in the air than inland, and both are hard on roofs. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
How do you inspect a chimney without scaffolding?
We use safe viewpoints rather than climbing onto the stack. Where it applies, our Premium Survey adds a drone inspection for a closer view. The report is clear about anything that couldn’t be seen.
What does the report include?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos, finishing with recommendations. Points are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
Should a redundant chimney be removed?
There is no single answer. We record how the stack is doing and whether it is capped with ventilation. If you’re thinking of removing it, check with the council first in a conservation area or on a listed building.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not unless it’s safe. Most of what we need can be seen from safe viewpoints, the loft and, where applicable, a drone.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Yes, where the survey calls for it and there is safe access. Inside, we look for damp, staining, gaps and sagging, as far as the space allows.
Chimney survey in Hoath: what you get
Many terraced and semi-detached homes share their chimney stacks with a neighbour. We look at whatever is safely visible and what the owner gives us access to. If a defect appears to be on the neighbour’s side, we note it and you can then discuss it with them. Everything is written up with photos and what we recommend. Typical surveys look at frost-damaged brickwork on the stack and unused flues sealed without airflow, across shared and party-wall stacks, brick chimney stacks and chimney pots and cowls.
In a village or hamlet like Hoath, older cottages and farmhouses frequently sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. We report on everything that’s safely in view, and thatch is a specialist material. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs often need the most attention.
You receive the findings by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Place
- Hoath (CT3)
- Region
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Hoath
Hoath lies within about 3 miles of the sea, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. Across Kent, older roofs are often handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
If you let a flat or house near Herne Bay station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. Homes near green spaces such as Curtis Wood can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls.
Hoath is about 3 miles south-east of Herne Bay, in Kent. We survey roofs in Hoath across London and South East England. Our Kent coverage includes Hoath.
Chimney surveys in CT3 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. We offer chimney surveys to properties on Church Road, Marley Lane and Barn Close and the roads around them. Close by, we survey roofs in Maypole (1 mile north), Knave's Ash (1 mile west), Old Tree (1 mile north-east), Millbank (1 mile north) and Hollow Street (1 mile east). Within a short drive, we also cover Canterbury (5 miles south-west), Margate (10 miles east), Dover (15 miles south-east), Ramsgate (11 miles east), Broadstairs (12 miles east) and Whitstable (6 miles west).
Around Hoath
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Spires Academy and Curtis Wood, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Herne Bay station, about 2.9 miles north-west. Other landmarks nearby include St Martins Hospital (4.6 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include West Blean and Thornden Woods.
Tips from our surveys
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Some pointers:
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Check your stacks from the ground after strong winds
With a shared stack, the report can help when talking to next door. The photos show the problem and which side it is on from the viewpoints we used.
Look at your chimneys from the ground now and then, particularly after strong winds. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
Signs you need a chimney survey in Hoath
Removing a chimney breast inside can leave questions about how the stack is supported. We note what’s visible in the roof space and outside, and recommend a structural engineer where support is in question.
Here are some of the things we see frequently:
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Lifted or split lead flashings
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Hoath Primary School, large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Is VAT included in the price?
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- How long the report takes to arrive
Also in Hoath
How the survey changes by roof type
Flaunching
The sloping mortar around the pots is called flaunching. Cracks in it let water into the stack.
Chimney pots and cowls
A loose or cracked pot can fall from height. We photograph each pot and note any damage.
What we do, step by step
Safety comes first on every visit. We inspect whatever is safely visible, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. Most visits take about one to two hours for most houses, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Around Hoath, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- The stacks are looked at from ground level, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Where there’s safe access, we check the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- The findings are written up with photos and recommendations and emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Let us know about parking before the day
How to book
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email, tell us about the property and we will recommend the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Advice
How we price chimney surveys
We confirm the price for your roof before booking. These are the things that affect it:
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package matters as well. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
Helping us price your survey
When you call or email, these details help:
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
Unsure which package suits your roof? It is easiest to phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Why it’s worth a survey now in Hoath
For a buyer, the best time to learn about a chimney is before exchange. Once you’ve exchanged, the work is down to you. Our report gives you facts to raise with the seller or agent. Older cottages and farmhouses around Hoath can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it’s left.
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so the price reflects that. You’ll know the figure before booking.
What you get with us
- 20+ years’ experience
- Prices that include VAT
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- 98% of clients satisfied
Read how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.