Kent · London and the South East
Ightham Chimney Survey
Wondering about the chimney stack at a property in Ightham? You can book a chimney survey in Ightham and across Kent, with plain-English findings.
- A stack that appears to lean
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
FAQs for Ightham
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Ightham?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Will you come out to Ightham?
Yes. Ightham is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
An unused stack still needs to stay weathertight and ventilated. Capping without airflow can lead to damp. We check how it is capped and its condition, so you can decide with a builder what to do.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
No. Our survey covers the outside of the stack and the roof around it. For the flue, you’ll need a sweep or, for gas, a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Will I get photos?
Yes, plenty. Each finding is shown in a picture where possible.
What will the report tell me?
A photo-illustrated written report, covering the condition of the chimney stack, the defects we found and what we recommend, by urgency where it matters. Standard adds moisture detection and a structural check; Premium adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable and structural analysis.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
How a chimney survey works in Ightham
If a chimney looks out of line, it’s worth getting it checked. A stack may lean because the mortar on one side has weakened, which can happen over many years of use. We record the lean and the condition of the brickwork and pointing. If the stack looks like a structural issue, the report recommends a structural engineer. We survey brick chimney stacks, chimney breasts and chimney pots and cowls, and common reasons people get in touch are redundant stacks capped without ventilation and lifted or split lead flashings.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A roof report shows what needs attention first. 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 goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Place
- Ightham (TN15)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What a survey costs
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. The main factors are:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Roof area
- House, block, shop or office
- Building height and the viewpoints available
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Booking your survey
We’ll typically ask about:
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
- The property’s address and postcode
Not sure which survey you need? It is easiest to call 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
When you need someone else
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
What we check
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
Towns and villages near Ightham
More services for Ightham
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings
Over time, lead can lift or come away from the brickwork. Any loose or split flashings are recorded.
Rendered stacks
We can’t see the bricks behind render without it being opened up, so the report explains what we could and couldn’t assess.
Chimney surveys in Ightham: local notes
Historic houses such as Ightham Mote, about 1.5 miles south, show how far back building in the area around Ightham goes. 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. Many older homes in Kent have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles held by pegs through two holes, and tile-hanging on their upper 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.
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Church of St Peter, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. Homes near green spaces such as Ivy Hatch Nature Reserve can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall.
Ightham is about 4 miles east of Sevenoaks, in Kent. We carry out chimney surveys in Ightham for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings. Our Kent coverage includes Ightham and the places around it. Maidstone is in our area too.
Here we cover the TN15 postcode area for chimney surveys. If you need a chimney survey at a property on The Street, Redwell Lane and Old Lane or anywhere close by, we can help. We also cover Oldbury (1 mile north), Ivy Hatch (1 mile south-west), Sheet Hill (1 mile south-east), Styants Bottom (1 mile north-west) and Yopps Green (1 mile south-east). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (11 miles east), Dartford (12 miles north), Sevenoaks (4 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (10 miles south), Gravesend (11 miles north) and Tonbridge (6 miles south).
Around Ightham
We work in homes and buildings around Ivy Hatch Nature Reserve, Wrotham School and The Old House. For rail, the closest station is Borough Green & Wrotham station, about 1.5 miles north-east. Other landmarks nearby include Ightham Court (1.1 miles north) and Beechin Wood Archery Museum (2.3 miles east).
What happens on the day
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. Most visits take between one and two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Somewhere as small as Ightham, access is frequently 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.
- 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.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We check the chimney breasts and the stack in the roof space where we can reach them.
- You get a written report with photographs and our recommendations.
How to prepare
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
Book a survey
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price before booking.
Related advice
Common roof problems in Ightham
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.
Look out for signs like these:
- Worn or missing pointing
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
If you let a flat or house near Borough Green & Wrotham station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Before you book anyone
- What the survey will not cover
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- What follow-up you get after the report
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
Why get it checked now?
A loose pot or brick can fall from height. A survey picks them out so they can be made safe by a suitable contractor. Older and listed buildings around Ightham may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so leaving a defect until it is urgent leaves less time to plan.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. The price is always agreed first.
Why book with us
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Surveys seven days a week
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
Take a look at what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.