Kent · London and the South East
Ottinge Chimney Survey
Know where you stand with the chimney stack before you spend money on it. We carry out chimney surveys in Ottinge, with photos and a clear written report.
- A chimney out of line
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
What this survey cannot tell you
Before booking, it is worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Ottinge
If a chimney looks out of line, it is worth getting it checked. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down, often after years of flue gases and damp. The survey notes how the stack looks, how far it seems to lean and the state of the bricks and joints. If the stack looks like a structural issue, the report recommends a structural engineer. If you are worried about unused flues sealed without airflow and lifted or split lead flashings, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
In a village or hamlet like Ottinge, older cottages and farmhouses often sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. We report on whatever is safely visible, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it is usually the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
The report doesn’t just list problems. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Place
- Ottinge (CT4)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
The survey, step by step
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. We take close-ups from wherever is safe, including by drone where it’s applicable and the weather allows. A typical visit takes an hour or two at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Around Ottinge, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- You tell us how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- 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 look at the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- You get a written report with photographs and our recommendations.
How to prepare
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
Booking a survey
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, so call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the details.
Advice
Nearby places to Ottinge
What else we do in Ottinge
Prices for chimney surveys in Ottinge
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- Roof area
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Helping us price your survey
The more you tell us, the easier it is to price the survey. When you get in touch, it helps to mention:
- What kind of property and roof it is
- The address and postcode of the property
- Access details, like a loft hatch or a shared roof
- When you need the report by
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and give us some details about the property and we’ll point you to the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Ottinge homes and their roofs
The coast is about 5 miles or less from Ottinge, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Near the sea, metal fixings wear faster and loose pieces on a roof are more likely to lift, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
Landlords with a home close to Sandling station may find that a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. Anyone responsible for a site like Lyminge Church of England Primary School will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. With Acrise Place about 1.6 miles east, the area around Ottinge has a long history. On a period home nearby, the survey separates sound original work from tired later repairs.
Ottinge is about 5 miles north of Hythe, in Kent. We cover Ottinge and the rest of Kent. Ottinge is one of the places in Kent where we work for chimney surveys. There’s also a page for Canterbury.
Here we cover the CT4 postcode area for chimney surveys. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Canterbury Road, Boyke Lane and Shuttlesfield Lane or anywhere close by, we can help. We also cover the places around Ottinge: Lyminge (1 mile south-west), Rhodes Minnis (1 mile west), Woodland (1 mile west), Skeete (2 miles south-west) and Hemsted (2 miles west). Further out, we also cover Ashford (10 miles west), Canterbury (10 miles north), Dover (9 miles east), Folkestone (5 miles south-east), Whitstable (15 miles north) and Deal (14 miles east).
What’s near Ottinge
The closest station to Ottinge is Sandling station, about 3.7 miles south of the centre. A little further out are Elham Valley Countryside Centre And Railway Museum (3 miles south) and Folkestone Castle (4 miles south-east). Open spaces near Ottinge include Cheriton Hill.
Questions from Ottinge
Is Ottinge within the area you cover?
Yes, Ottinge is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
How do I find out if my home in Ottinge is listed?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Usually, if there’s one and it can be reached safely. The roof space can show things the outside can’t, such as damp timbers, staining or daylight.
What do you check on a chimney?
The whole stack, as far as it can be seen safely: from the pots and flaunching down to the flashings. Leaning, unused stacks and damp on chimney breasts are recorded too.
What’s the best way to book?
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know the address and what you need to know. We will confirm the price and agree a day with you.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day. Let us know your preferred days when you book.
How much does a chimney survey cost in Ottinge?
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for your roof before booking. To get a price, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
What you can safely check yourself
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date.
A lot can be seen from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
Before and after the survey
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Do not use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
Once we have been, the findings are written up with photos. It explains the condition of each part of the stack and any damp inside. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24 to 48 hours and Premium reports the same day.
Have aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked, and moved if they’re working it loose. Removing unused fixings takes strain off the brickwork.
Different roofs, different checks
Brick stacks
Brick stacks rely on sound pointing to keep water out. The survey looks for crumbling bricks and worn or missing mortar.
Rendered stacks
We can’t see the bricks behind render without it being opened up, so the report explains what we could and couldn’t assess.