Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Hockenden, Kent
Get a clear view of the chimney stack at a property in Hockenden from an independent roof surveyor. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
Different roofs, different checks
Rendered stacks
Cracked render can let water in and trap it behind. We record any cracking and where it is.
Chimney pots and cowls
Damaged pots are a safety concern as well as a leak risk. We photograph each pot and note any damage.
Chimney survey in Hockenden: what you get
Our survey covers the structure of the stack and its weathering details. 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 a chimney out of line and pots or cowls that look unsafe, we can find out what’s behind it, on chimney breasts, shared and party-wall stacks and chimney pots and cowls alike.
Village roofs frequently face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Where
- Hockenden (BR8)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Hockenden
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Swanley station?
Yes, letting agents and landlords book with us as well as owners. You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and a few details, including who will give access on the day.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Hockenden?
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.
Should a redundant chimney be removed?
A redundant chimney needs looking after like any other. If it’s capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside. Our survey records its condition and how it’s capped, so you can plan what to do with it.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Light rain doesn’t typically stop a survey, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Strong wind or a downpour can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so if conditions aren’t right we will arrange another day with you.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only if it’s safe. We check everything that can be seen safely: from ground level, from windows, from inside the loft space, from the roof where it is safe and by drone where it applies. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
That depends on the survey. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in, while outside access can be discussed when you book.
Do you use drones?
Yes, where it’s applicable. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
Practical tips
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Check unused flues are capped with ventilation
If anything in the report isn’t clear, just ask us. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation.
Look at your chimneys from the ground now and then, especially after strong winds. With binoculars, you can often see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
Also near Hockenden
More services for Hockenden
For landlords and managing agents
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out by urgency where it matters, which helps with budgets and planning.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Hockenden and across Kent can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Chimney surveys in Hockenden: local notes
Older houses across Kent often have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung walls. You’ll also find oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses among the county’s older buildings. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters. The wider area around Hockenden has a long history of building, with Hall Place and Gardens about 3.2 miles north. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If you look after a building such as Horizon Primary Academy, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. For landlords with property near Swanley station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Hockenden is about 2 miles north-east of Orpington, in Kent. Roofs in Hockenden get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Kent. We cover towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. London is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: BR8. We also cover the places around Hockenden: Upper Ruxley (1 mile north-west), Stonehill Green (1 mile north-east), Ruxley (1 mile north-west), Puddledock (2 miles north-east) and Hextable (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Dartford (4 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (8 miles south), Gravesend (10 miles east), Tonbridge (15 miles south), Northfleet (9 miles east) and Kings Hill (14 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Hockenden
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Orchards Academy and Foots Cray Meadows. The closest station to Hockenden is Swanley station, about 1 mile south-east. Other landmarks nearby include London Borough of Bromley Museum (2.6 miles south-west) and Eynsford Castle (3.4 miles south-east). For a walk, there’s The Warren and Summer Hill.
The survey, step by step
Every roof is different; as a rough guide, the survey takes about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. If you have questions on the day, just ask. In a hamlet or village like Hockenden, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there’s access.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
- Check we can get to the back of the property
Booking a survey
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. Our price is from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
What you can safely check yourself
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That’s where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
Do you need a chimney survey in Hockenden?
Flashings seal the gap where a stack passes through the roof. With age they can lift, split or come away from the joints. Failed flashings are one of the most common causes of damp around chimneys. Lead is also a target for theft.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Worn or missing pointing
Living close to Foots Cray Meadows is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Will the report include photos?
- Are they insured for the work?