Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Oare, Kent
Wondering about the chimney stack at a property in Oare? You can book a chimney survey in Oare and across Kent.
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- A chimney out of line
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
Chimney survey in Oare
Our survey covers the structure of the stack and its weathering details. It isn’t a flue inspection, a sweep or a gas safety check. For the flue itself, you’ll need a sweep or, for gas appliances, a Gas Safe registered engineer. If something we see points to the flue, we’ll say so. If you are worried about signs that a stack is leaning and damp on a chimney breast inside, we can find out what’s behind it.
Somewhere as small as Oare, 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 whatever is safely visible, and thatch is a specialist material. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs often need the most attention.
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.
- Place
- Oare (ME13)
- Region
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Chimney surveys around Oare
The coast is about 2 miles or less from Oare, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces. 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. The county’s older buildings also include oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
The streets around a church like Church of St Peter are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. If you look after a building such as Davington Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Oare is about 1 mile north of Faversham, in Kent. Whether the building in Oare is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, we can survey the roof on a weekday or at the weekend. Our area takes in places right across Kent. Our Canterbury page covers surveys nearby.
Here we cover the ME13 postcode area for chimney surveys. Local streets include The Street, Church Road and Russell Place, all of which we cover. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Davington (1 mile south), The Brents (1 mile south-east), Uplees (1 mile north-west), Faversham (1 mile south) and Four Oaks (1 mile south-west). Further out, we also cover Ashford (13 miles south), Canterbury (9 miles east), Sittingbourne (6 miles west), Whitstable (7 miles east), Herne Bay (11 miles east) and Minster (7 miles north-west).
What’s near Oare
Typical jobs here are in homes near Oare Meadow, Three Mariners Inn and Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, among other places. The nearest railway station is Faversham station, roughly 1.4 miles south-east. Nearby you will also find Newnham Castle (4.5 miles south-west).
Checking the roof from ground level
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. Do not go up yourself.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Your questions about chimney surveys in Oare
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Oare, take more of a battering?
Places near the sea get more wind and more salt in the air than inland, and both are hard on roofs. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
Can a landlord with a rental near Faversham station book a roof survey?
Yes, letting agents and landlords book with us as well as owners. Just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us about the building, including who will give access on the day.
Will I get photos?
Yes. Photographs are part of every report, so you can see each point for yourself.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only when it’s safe. Safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where applicable cover most of what’s needed, and anything out of sight is recorded in the report.
Do I need to be at home?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that in advance, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
Should I worry about a leaning stack?
Have it checked rather than leaving it. Leaning often comes from mortar breaking down unevenly. We record its condition with photographs, and a structural engineer can confirm whether it is stable.
What does the report include?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, backed by photographs. It also says if any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely.
More services for Oare
When you need someone else
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Parts of the stack that cannot be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we can’t access
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
What we’re asked to look at in Oare
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.
People normally book a survey after spotting one of these:
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Worn or missing pointing
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Lifted or split lead flashings
Homes near green spaces like Oare Meadow can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall.
What to check before booking
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings
Flashings can lift in wind or pull out of their mortar joints. We photograph any we find that look loose or damaged.
Brick stacks
Older brick stacks frequently have soft lime mortar. Repairs should suit the original materials, which we mention where relevant.
What we do, step by step
The visit has one job: to look at the chimney stack as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photos go into the written report. It normally takes between one and two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Somewhere like Oare needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect what can be seen safely, inside and out.
- First you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can be seen safely.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Where there’s safe access, we check the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- The findings are written up with photographs and recommendations and emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Tell us where we can park nearby
Booking a survey
We confirm the price for the job before you book, so you know the cost up front. Prices start from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
Landlord and commercial surveys in Oare
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget.
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To discuss a number of properties, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.