Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in New Barn, Kent
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in New Barn, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
Chimney survey in New Barn
A chimney survey is about the outside of the stack and the roof around it. It is not a flue inspection, a sweep or a gas safety check. If you use a fire or a gas appliance, the flue should be checked by a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer as appropriate. If something we see points to the flue, we’ll say so. We survey chimney breasts, brick chimney stacks and shared and party-wall stacks, and common reasons people get in touch are worn or missing pointing and unused flues sealed without airflow.
In a smaller place like New Barn, homes range from older cottages to bungalows and newer houses. Older roofs can have slate, clay tiles or other traditional coverings, while many later ones have concrete tiles. Chimneys, valleys and gutters on older homes often need the most attention. Nails and battens under older coverings often give out before the slates or tiles themselves.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the coverings down to the gutters, each with a short note and a photograph. It records what’s sound as well as what isn’t.
- Location
- New Barn (DA3, DA13)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What a chimney survey looks like in New Barn
New Barn lies within about 5 miles of the sea, so there is more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles. Across Kent, older roofs are often handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. 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.
For businesses in and around places such as Bluewater, a written record of the roof’s condition helps you plan maintenance rather than react to leaks. If you look after a building such as Longfield Academy, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
New Barn is about 3 miles south of Northfleet, in Kent. From houses to flats and shops in New Barn, the roof can be surveyed. Across Kent, we cover New Barn and the places around it. There is also a page for Maidstone.
We cover every part of DA3 and DA13 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. We cover properties on The Maples, Kenwood Avenue and Merileys Close and the roads around them. We also cover Longfield Hill (1 mile south-east), Longfield (1 mile west), Hartley (1 mile south-west), Nash Street (1 mile east) and Meopham (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (12 miles south-east), Dartford (6 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (10 miles south-west), Gravesend (3 miles north-east), Tonbridge (14 miles south) and Northfleet (3 miles north).
What’s near New Barn
Around New Barn, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Istead Rise Primary School and Rectory Meadow, among other places. New Barn’s nearest station is Longfield station, roughly 1.2 miles west. A little further out are Gravesham Museum (3.6 miles north-east) and Stone Castle (3.9 miles north-west). For a walk, there’s Sawyers Lake.
Practical tips
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. Our suggestions:
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Unused stacks should be capped in a way that still lets air through. Ventilation helps keep the stack dry.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date, which helps when we check the roof.
Signs you need a chimney survey in New Barn
Flashings seal the gap where a stack passes through the roof. With age they can lift, split or come away from the joints. When flashings fail, water often shows up in the loft or on the chimney breast. Lead is also a target for theft.
Look out for signs like these:
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- A stack that appears to lean
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
Homes near green spaces such as Rectory Meadow can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Before booking anyone
- What they will not be able to tell you
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- How soon the report will arrive
- Whether VAT is added on top
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work with less disruption.
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Towns and villages near New Barn
Other services in New Barn
When you need someone else
It helps to know what a survey will not do before booking:
- Areas we cannot view from safe positions
- Hidden damage within the stack
- Flue inspections or sweeping
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer before you book. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
Questions from New Barn
How do I find out if my home in New Barn is listed?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around New Barn, take more of a battering?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first, with whoever owns or manages the building. Let us know about it when booking and we will explain what’s needed.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
Which parts of the chimney do you look at?
The whole stack, as far as it can be seen safely: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings. We also note leaning, redundant stacks and damp inside.
How can you see the top of the stack?
We inspect from wherever is safe: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the roof space. A drone inspection is included in our Premium Survey where it applies. We note anything we couldn’t see.
What we do, step by step
We work from the outside in: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the roof space where it can be reached. All told, expect about 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. A visit to New Barn is planned like any other: the time, the access and where to park are agreed beforehand. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. If there are outbuildings or garages you want looked at, mention them.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there’s access.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
How to prepare
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Tell us about parking before the day
Arrange a survey
Getting a price is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email, let us know about the property and we will suggest the right survey. The price is agreed up front.