Kent · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Hothfield
An experienced roof surveyor for chimney surveys in Hothfield. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys.
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
Chimney survey in Hothfield
Many homes have chimneys that are no longer used. Even when it isn’t used, a stack has to stay weathertight. Capping a stack without ventilation can trap moisture and lead to damp inside. Our survey looks at how each unused stack has been capped and checks the breasts for damp. The report sets out what we found and what we recommend. We survey chimney breasts, lead flashings and flaunching, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are disused chimneys trapping moisture and signs that a stack is leaning.
Older buildings in small places like Hothfield may be listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
Findings are set out part by part, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets. You will see the good as well as the bad.
- Location
- Hothfield (TN26)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips from our surveys
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out:
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
You get the report by email and can pass it to whoever does the work. Each defect is described in plain words and shown in a photo, so it’s easy to follow.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. It is far simpler than rebuilding a stack later.
What you can safely check yourself
A lot can be seen from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
What we cannot see
Before you book, it’s worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- Conditions inside walls
- Flue inspections or sweeping
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will point you to the right survey before you book. What a survey covers and does not.
What we look at
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
What affects the price in Hothfield
To price your survey, we look at:
- The size of the roof
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- House, block, shop or office
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where it applies) come with the Premium Survey, from £400 with VAT included. We can help you choose the package that fits what you want to find out.
Getting in touch
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It helps to include:
- Dates you are working to, like exchange
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Anything about access we should know
- What kind of property and roof it is
For a price for chimney surveys in Hothfield, call 07833 053749 or email us. A few details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.
Do you need a chimney survey in Hothfield?
Stacks that were used for open fires for many years can weaken from the inside. 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.
Common reasons to book include:
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- A stack that appears to lean
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for instance near County Square, a written record of the roof’s condition helps you plan maintenance rather than react to leaks.
What to check before booking
- Their insurance cover
- What exactly goes into their report
- How long the report takes to arrive
- What happens after the report arrives
Places near Hothfield
More services for Hothfield
Chimney surveys in Hothfield: local notes
Older houses across Kent frequently have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung walls. The county’s older buildings also include oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters. Godinton House, about 1 mile south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Hothfield. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
Take a building like The Hayesbrook School: a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St Margaret, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Hothfield is about 3 miles north-west of Ashford, in Kent. We visit Hothfield as part of our work across Kent, for homes and businesses alike. Across Kent, we cover Hothfield and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Maidstone page.
All of TN26 is covered for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. You’ll find streets like The Street, Sackville Close and Beech Drive, and we cover them all. Close by, we survey roofs in Tutt Hill (1 mile north), Ram Lane (1 mile north), Potters Corner (1 mile east), Westwell Leacon (2 miles north) and Godinton (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (14 miles north-west), Ashford (3 miles south-east), Canterbury (14 miles north-east), Sittingbourne (12 miles north), Faversham (10 miles north) and Hythe (13 miles south-east).
Around Hothfield
Hothfield’s nearest station is Charing station, roughly 2.9 miles north-west of the centre. A little further out are County Square (2.7 miles south-east) and William Harvey Hospital (4.6 miles south-east).
The survey, step by step
Every roof is different; as a rough guide, the survey takes an hour or two at most homes, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. You’re welcome to ask questions while we’re there. Somewhere as small as Hothfield, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Where there’s safe access, we look at the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
Before the survey
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
Book a survey
When you are ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or email us. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.
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Your questions about chimney surveys in Hothfield
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Hothfield?
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.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Charing station?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. You can phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you need.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We’re roof surveyors, not structural engineers, and it doesn’t include calculations. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we’ll recommend one.
How long is the visit?
That depends on the size and shape of the roof; most visits take about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. The report is sent afterwards by email.
What does a roof survey cost?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Our three packages are Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, inc. VAT.
Will you check the loft?
If it is needed and safe to reach, yes. Inside, we look for damp, staining, gaps and sagging.
Our stack is shared. Can you still survey it?
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 and you can raise it with them.