Kent · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Potter's Forstal
Chimney surveys around Potter's Forstal, with a written report you can act on. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Cracked or missing flaunching
About our chimney survey in Potter's Forstal
On terraced and semi-detached houses, a chimney stack is often shared with next door. We look at whatever is safely visible and what the owner gives us access to. Where a problem seems to involve a neighbour’s side, the report records it and you can then discuss it with them. You get a photo-illustrated written report and what we recommend. We survey chimney breasts, lead flashings and flaunching, and the problems we are asked to look at most are damp on a chimney breast inside and signs that a stack is leaning.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
You receive the findings by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Place
- Potter's Forstal (TN27)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Before and after the survey
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Check your stacks from the ground after strong winds
Questions about the findings are always welcome. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. Early signs are easier to trace.
Also near Potter's Forstal
Other services in Potter's Forstal
Why get it checked now?
Cracked flaunching and worn pointing are often modest repairs when they’re caught early. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks, and the work grows. Older cottages and farmhouses around Potter's Forstal can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how it can be reached and seen safely. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Why book with us
- PI and public liability insurance
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- 98% customer satisfaction
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
Roof by roof
Rendered stacks
A rendered stack can mask problems in the bricks below. The survey checks for cracking, bulging and staining in the render.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Inside, chimney breasts can show damp when water gets into the stack. We check them and at the stack in the loft where there is safe access.
What we can’t see
In fairness, a roof survey has limits:
- Areas we can’t view from safe positions
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
If you are 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 a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Potter's Forstal
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
What happens on the day
We don’t take risks to get a closer look. Everything that can be seen safely is inspected, and if part of the roof cannot be seen, the report says so. The survey normally takes between one and two hours at a typical home, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. In a hamlet or village like Potter's Forstal, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Preparing for the visit
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Let us know about parking near the property
Book a survey
You can call us seven days a week. For a price or to book, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Read more
Signs you need a chimney survey in Potter's Forstal
Many chimneys are no longer used. A stack sealed without ventilation can trap damp. That can lead to damp patches on chimney breasts, even with the roof in good order.
Problems we come across often include:
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
If you look after a building such as Egerton Church of England Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
What to check before booking
- What happens after the report arrives
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
Common questions in Potter's Forstal
I let a flat near Pluckley station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, landlords and letting agents book with us as well as owners. Just call 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the building.
Is Potter's Forstal within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. Our area covers London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we are allowed to reach, and the report makes that clear.
How quickly is the report sent?
It depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. Reports are sent by email.
What does a chimney survey cover?
The survey covers the pots and cowls, the flaunching, the pointing, the bricks and the flashings. Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access. Everything is written up with photographs.
How can you see the top of the stack?
Each stack is viewed from the safest viewpoints: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the roof space. Our Premium Survey includes a drone inspection where applicable. If part of a stack cannot be seen, the report says so.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
Yes. We inspect whatever is safely visible and what you give us access to. Where a problem appears to be on next door’s side, we note it, so you can discuss it with them.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Potter's Forstal
Listing and conservation areas can both shape what roof work is allowed on an older home. Your council and Historic England’s list will tell you where you stand, before anyone quotes for re-roofing. Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. Oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of the county’s older buildings too. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
Landlords with a home close to Pluckley station may find that knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Potter's Forstal is about 8 miles north-west of Ashford, in Kent. From houses to flats and shops in Potter's Forstal, we can survey the roof on a weekday or at the weekend. Our Kent coverage includes Potter's Forstal and the places around it. You can also see our page for Maidstone.
Chimney surveys in TN27 are booked the same way as anywhere else. If you are just outside Potter's Forstal, we cover Egerton Forstal (1 mile south-east), Pembles Cross (1 mile north), Newland Green (1 mile south-east), Mundy Bois (1 mile south-east) and Egerton (1 mile east). Further out, we also cover Maidstone (9 miles north-west), Ashford (8 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (11 miles north), Faversham (12 miles north-east), Kings Hill (14 miles north-west) and Davington (12 miles north-east).
What’s near Potter's Forstal
For rail, the closest station is Pluckley station, about 2.9 miles south-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Coldbridge Castle (0.8 miles north-west).