Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Rolvenden, Kent
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Rolvenden, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Rolvenden
If a chimney looks out of line, it’s worth getting it checked. A stack may lean because the mortar on one side has weakened, which can happen over many years of use. We record the lean and the condition of the brickwork and pointing. Where it may be a structural concern, we will recommend a structural engineer. If you are worried about unused flues sealed without airflow and eroded joints in the brickwork, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Somewhere as small as Rolvenden, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are frequently 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 Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Rolvenden (TN17)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Honest limits
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Areas we can’t view from safe positions
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll tell you. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Rolvenden
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
FAQs for Rolvenden
How do I find out if my home in Rolvenden is listed?
We cannot 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.
Is Rolvenden within the area you cover?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
How many surveys have you done?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but we do not provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. The report will say if you need an engineer.
How quickly is the report sent?
Report times are set by the package. Basic is within 48 hours, Standard is 24–48 hours and Premium is the same day. If you have a deadline, such as an exchange date, tell us when you book.
What will the report tell me?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos. The most urgent items are made clear.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it is applicable. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
What a chimney survey looks like in Rolvenden
About 3.1 miles east lies Smallhythe Place, a reminder of how long the area around Rolvenden has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead. Across Kent, older roofs are frequently 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. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
Take a building like Rolvenden Primary School: large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. The streets around a church such as Parish Church of St Mary are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Rolvenden is about 12 miles south-west of Ashford, in Kent. Anywhere in Rolvenden, we can come and survey your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Across Kent, we cover Rolvenden. You can also see our page for Maidstone.
We work across TN17 for chimney surveys. We offer chimney surveys to properties on High Street, Sparkeswood Avenue and Glebe Field and the roads around them. If you are just outside Rolvenden, we cover West Cross (1 mile west), Rolvenden Layne (1 mile south-east), Strood (1 mile north-east), Parkgate (2 miles north) and East End (3 miles north). Further out, we also cover Maidstone (15 miles north), Ashford (12 miles north-east), Paddock Wood (14 miles north-west), Tenterden (3 miles north-east), Bearsted (15 miles north) and Park Wood (13 miles north).
Local landmarks in Rolvenden
We work in homes and buildings around The Star Public House. A little further out are The C.M Booth Collection (less than half a mile west) and Benenden Hospital (2.4 miles north).
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Building height and the viewpoints available
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
What to tell us when you get in touch
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It helps to include:
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- Where the property is, with the postcode
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or email us to find out.
What we do, step by step
We do not take risks to get a closer look. Everything that can safely be seen is inspected, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. Most visits take an hour or two for most houses, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Somewhere like Rolvenden needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect everything that’s safely in view, inside and out.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can be seen safely.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Tell us where we can park nearby
How to book
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email when you’re ready.
Read more
Also near Rolvenden
What else we do in Rolvenden
Can I check my roof myself?
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey.
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney pots and cowls
For unused flues, we check whether caps or cowls allow ventilation. Capping without ventilation can trap moisture.
Flaunching
Flaunching is the mortar on top of a stack that holds the pots and sheds water. Once it cracks, water can get straight into the brickwork.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed beforehand. We survey seven days a week, which helps when tenants work during the week.