Medway · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Lidsing, Medway
Wondering about the chimney stack at a property in Lidsing? You can book a chimney survey in Lidsing and across Medway, with plain-English findings.
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
Can I check my roof myself?
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Don’t go up yourself.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Chimney survey in Lidsing: what you get
Chimney stacks take more weather than almost any other part of a house. Over the years, the flaunching cracks, the pointing wears and flashings lift. Water then gets into the stack and can show as damp on a chimney breast or a stain in the loft. We record what we find with photos and recommendations. Typical surveys look at cracked or missing flaunching and damaged chimney pots and cowls, across shared and party-wall stacks, chimney breasts and lead flashings.
Somewhere as small as Lidsing, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. We report on what can safely be seen, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it is normally the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Lidsing (ME7)
- Wider area
- Medway
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client, photos included.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan.
Lidsing: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Lidsing?
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.
Can a landlord with a rental near Rainham (Kent) station book a roof survey?
Yes, that’s a common request. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
When does the report arrive?
Each package has its own report time. Basic: within 48 hours. Standard: 24 to 48 hours. Premium: the same day. Mention any deadline as you book.
Will you photograph what you find?
Yes, plenty. Pictures sit next to the findings they show, which makes the report easy to follow.
What causes damp on a chimney breast?
It can come from several places: cracked flaunching, worn pointing, failed flashings, uncapped pots, or damp trapped in an unventilated stack. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause.
Do you use drones?
Yes, where it is applicable. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
What does the report include?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos, finishing with recommendations. Points are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
More services for Lidsing
Do you need a chimney survey in Lidsing?
Lots of homes have redundant stacks. 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.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- A stack that appears to lean
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
Trees in and around South Wood shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Questions to ask before you book
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- What the survey will not cover
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- Their track record with similar roofs
Lidsing homes and their roofs
Lidsing lies within about 5 miles of the sea, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Near the sea, metal fixings wear faster and loose pieces on a roof are more likely to lift, while driving rain finds any gap. 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. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
Restoration House, about 4.7 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Lidsing. On a period home nearby, the survey separates sound original work from tired later repairs. If you own a rental within reach of Rainham (Kent) station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Lidsing is about 2 miles south-east of Chatham, in Medway. Lidsing is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area across London and South East England. Our Medway coverage includes Lidsing and the places around it.
Chimney surveys in ME7 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We also cover the places around Lidsing: Dunn Street (1 mile south-east), Bredhurst (1 mile east), Lordswood (1 mile north-west), Kemsley Street (1 mile east) and Scragged Oak (1 mile south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Gillingham (3 miles north), Rochester (5 miles north-west), Rainham (3 miles north-east), Strood (6 miles north-west), Luton (3 miles north) and Twydall (3 miles north).
Local landmarks in Lidsing
Around Lidsing, our work takes us to homes and buildings near South Wood, The Harrow pub and Greenacre Academy, among other places. The nearest railway station is Rainham (Kent) station, roughly 3.3 miles north-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Allington Castle (3.3 miles south-west) and Medway megaliths (2.8 miles west). Not far away are Boxley Hills and Burham Down.
What this survey cannot tell you
In fairness, a roof survey has limits:
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Conditions inside walls
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
What happens if roof problems are left?
A leaning stack should be looked at sooner rather than later. We record its condition and recommend a structural engineer where needed, so you can decide what to do next. In a place like Lidsing, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so they’re priced to match. The price is confirmed before you book.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Lidsing
- Packages from £150, including VAT
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- An independent view of the roof
- Over 20 years’ experience
See what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
How the survey works
We look at the roof from outside and, where it is relevant and there is safe access, from inside the loft space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. The whole visit usually takes about one to two hours for most houses, and more on a big or complicated roof. In a hamlet or village like Lidsing, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can be seen safely.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the roof space.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before the survey
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Arrange a survey
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll explain the options and the price.