Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Keycol, Kent
Independent chimney surveys in Keycol. We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
How a chimney survey works in Keycol
A chimney survey is about the outside of the stack and the roof around it. It’s not a flue inspection, a chimney sweep or a gas safety inspection. For the flue itself, you’ll need a sweep or, for gas appliances, a Gas Safe registered engineer. We will tell you if we see anything that suggests they should take a look. We survey chimney pots and cowls, brick chimney stacks and flaunching, and common reasons people get in touch are frost-damaged brickwork on the stack and gaps in the mortar around the pots.
Somewhere as small as Keycol, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are often old. We report on what can be seen safely, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it is typically the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent.
- Location
- Keycol (ME9)
- Region
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
When you need someone else
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, so a survey has limits:
- Hidden damage within the stack
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
What a chimney survey looks like in Keycol
The coast is about 3 miles or less from Keycol, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Near the sea, metal fixings wear faster and loose pieces on a roof are more likely to lift. Older houses across Kent often have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung walls. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters.
Anyone responsible for a site like Borden Church of England Primary School will know that long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. Take an older house close to Church of St Bartholomew: old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Keycol is about 2 miles west of Sittingbourne, in Kent. From houses to flats and shops in Keycol, we can survey the roof on a weekday or at the weekend. Keycol is one of the towns and villages in Kent we cover for chimney surveys. There is also a page for Maidstone.
We cover every part of ME9 for chimney surveys. We cover properties on Rooks View, Hill Farm View and Rook Lane. Close by, we survey roofs in Bobbing (1 mile east), Chestnut Street (1 mile south), Newington (1 mile west), Danaway (1 mile south-west) and Oad Street (2 miles south). We also work in nearby towns like Maidstone (9 miles south-west), Gravesend (15 miles north-west), Whitstable (15 miles east), Faversham (9 miles east), Minster (7 miles north-east) and Kings Hill (13 miles south-west).
Near you in Keycol
In Keycol, that means homes and buildings near Westlands School and George Inn. The closest station to Keycol is Newington station, roughly 1.1 miles west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Court Hall Museum (1.8 miles east) and Bayford Court (2.3 miles east).
Useful tips for Keycol property owners
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
With a shared stack, the report can help when talking to next door. The photos show the problem and which side it is on, as far as we could see.
Unused stacks should be capped in a way that still lets air through. That helps stop damp building up inside.
How it works
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from every safe vantage point, take photographs as we go and record our findings for the written report. It usually takes about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Somewhere as small as Keycol, access is often the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before we arrive
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Getting a price
You can call us seven days a week. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
Prices for chimney surveys in Keycol
To price your survey, we look at:
- The shape of the roof and its details
- How big the roof is
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
- Basic, Standard or Premium
Price depends partly on the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
What we need to know
What helps most when you contact us:
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
Once you know what you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
Nearby places to Keycol
Also in Keycol
When to book a survey in Keycol
A stack takes the weather from every direction. Frost opens up cracks in the mortar, and rain gets into worn bricks and joints. Most people book after spotting damp or a loose pot, or before buying.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
For landlords with property near Newington station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Their insurance cover
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney pots and cowls
On redundant flues, we look at how the pots are capped. Poor capping can lead to damp inside the stack.
Brick stacks
Spalled bricks, where the face has flaked off, are a sign of water and frost. Any spalling is noted with photos.
Common questions in Keycol
I let a flat near Newington station. Can you check the roof?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. Just call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Is the coastal weather around Keycol hard on roofs?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there is more wind, and more salt in the air. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch, and Keycol is within about 3 miles of the coast.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
It depends on its condition and your plans. The survey shows its condition and how it’s been capped. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need consent.
What insurance do you have?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. Shared stacks are common on terraced and semi-detached houses. We survey what we can see safely, and note anything that seems to involve next door.
What does the report include?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos, finishing with recommendations. The most urgent items are made clear.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Typically, if there is one and it can be reached safely. From inside, the underside of the roof often shows damp, staining or daylight that cannot be seen from outside.