Kent · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Larkfield
Get a clear view of the chimney stack at a property in Larkfield. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- A chimney out of line
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Flaunching that has broken away
What a chimney survey does not cover
A survey is a careful look at the chimney stack, but it cannot do everything. The main limits are:
- Parts of the stack that cannot be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we cannot access
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Larkfield
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Larkfield
Our chimney survey covers the stack and the details that keep water out around it: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and the flashings at the roof line. Inside, we check chimney breasts and the stack in the loft where it is safe to reach. You get a written report with photos and our recommendations. It suits a single stack on a house as well as several on a larger building. We survey brick chimney stacks, flaunching and chimney breasts, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are eroded joints in the brickwork and signs that a stack is leaning.
In a village or hamlet like Larkfield, older cottages and farmhouses often sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are frequently old. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. On older roofs, it is typically the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
Nothing in the report is left vague: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, and where it can wait, that’s said too.
- Where
- Larkfield (ME20, ME19)
- Region
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
The survey, step by step
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. After that, we look at everything we can see safely. The survey typically takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Rural addresses near Larkfield can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- First you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- The stacks are looked at from the ground, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- We check the chimney breasts and the stack in the roof space where we can reach them.
- The findings are written up with photos and recommendations and emailed to you.
Preparing for the visit
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Tell us where we can park nearby
Arrange a survey
A quick phone call is typically the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Related advice
DIY checks: what’s safe
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That is where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
Tips that help
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Check your stacks from ground level after strong winds
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
Where another specialist is needed, like a structural engineer or sweep, we explain why. It gives them a clear starting point.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. Early signs are easier to trace.
Larkfield questions
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near New Hythe station?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. Just phone 07833 053749 or email us and let us know about the building, including who will give access on the day.
Is Larkfield within the area you cover?
Yes, Larkfield is covered. Our area covers London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Do you need to get into the loft?
If there is a loft and safe access to it, yes. From inside, the underside of the roof often shows damp, staining or daylight that can’t be seen from outside.
What will the report tell me?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos, finishing with recommendations. Points are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
Should a redundant chimney be removed?
A redundant chimney needs looking after like any other. Capping without airflow can lead to damp. Our survey records its condition and how it’s capped, so you can plan what to do with it.
Can you find out why my chimney breast is damp?
There are a few common causes: water getting in at the top, through the brickwork or at the flashings, or moisture trapped in a stack with no ventilation. We look at each one and note the most likely cause.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. If one is needed, the report says so.
Larkfield homes and their roofs
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. About 4.3 miles north lies Starkey Castle, a reminder of how long the area around Larkfield has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If you own a rental within reach of New Hythe station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak. Anyone responsible for a site like Brookfield Junior School will know that a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Larkfield is about 4 miles north-west of Maidstone, in Kent. We visit Larkfield as part of our work across Kent, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Larkfield is one of the places in Kent where we work for chimney surveys.
Chimney surveys in ME20 and ME19 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Local streets include Martin Square, London Road and New Hythe Lane, and we cover them all. Other places close to Larkfield include Lunsford (1 mile north), Leybourne (1 mile west), New Hythe (1 mile north-east), Birling (2 miles north-west) and Snodland (2 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (4 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (13 miles east), Dartford (14 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (11 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (14 miles south-west) and Gravesend (9 miles north).
Landmarks near Larkfield
We work in homes and buildings around The Malling School, The Malling School and Leybourne Lakes Country Park, among other places. The nearest railway station is New Hythe station, roughly 1 mile north-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Fremlin Walk (3.9 miles south-east) and Leybourne Castle (0.9 miles west). Not far away are Burham Down and Blue Bell Hill.
Also in Larkfield
Prices for chimney surveys in Larkfield
Our packages start from £150, inc. VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The roof’s overall size
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how it can be reached and seen safely. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
What we need to know
What helps most when you contact us:
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Common roof problems in Larkfield
Many chimneys are no longer used. If a stack is capped or blocked without ventilation, moisture can build up inside. Damp patches can appear on chimney breasts even when nothing is leaking.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of the Holy Trinity, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Before you book anyone
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- What experience they bring
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Their report turnaround times