Kent · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Sandway
We carry out chimney surveys in Sandway and the rest of Kent. Surveys run seven days a week.
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
About our chimney survey in Sandway
For buyers, a chimney survey before exchange can flag work you may want to raise. On older stacks, we often find cracked flaunching, loose flashings and worn pointing. You get photographs and findings you can take back to the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. We survey flaunching, shared and party-wall stacks and lead flashings, and people most often book us about a stack that appears to lean and damaged chimney pots and cowls.
In a small place like Sandway, many roofs stand in the open, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent.
- Where
- Sandway (ME17)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Sandway questions
I let a flat near Lenham station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. Just ring 07833 053749 or email us with the details.
Will you come out to Sandway?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. Access is agreed with you when you book.
When does the report arrive?
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, like an exchange date, tell us when you book.
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 assess whether it needs work.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It can, depending on the survey. Drones cannot fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions aren’t right, we will talk to you about another date.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
It depends on its condition and your plans. We record how the stack is doing and whether it is capped with ventilation. If you are thinking of removing it, check with the council first in a conservation area or on a listed building.
Can I check my roof myself?
A lot can be seen from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Also near Sandway
More services for Sandway
Chimney surveys in Sandway: local notes
Older houses across Kent often have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung walls. You’ll also find oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses among the county’s older buildings. Whatever the covering, it’s often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. The wider area around Sandway has a long history of building, with Leeds Castle about 3.3 miles north-west. If you own one of the older houses, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near St Mary's Church, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. Landlords with a home close to Lenham station may find that the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at. If you live near a park such as Kiln Wood, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls.
Sandway is about 8 miles east of Maidstone, in Kent. We carry out chimney surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Sandway and nearby. We cover towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Maidstone.
We work across ME17 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Local streets include Headcorn Road, Sandway Road and Old Ham Lane, all of which we cover. Other places close to Sandway include Platt's Heath (1 mile south-west), Liverton Street (1 mile south-west), Boughton Malherbe (1 mile south), Marley (1 mile north-west) and Harrietsham (1 mile north-west). Further out, we also cover Maidstone (8 miles west), Ashford (9 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (8 miles north), Faversham (10 miles north-east), Minster (14 miles north) and Kings Hill (13 miles west).
Around Sandway
We work in homes and buildings around Kiln Wood, The Lenham School and Wishful Thinker pub and the streets around them. The closest station to Sandway is Lenham station, about 0.5 miles north-east. Nearby you’ll also find The Dog Collar Museum (3.2 miles north-west) and Coldbridge Castle (2.1 miles south).
For landlords and managing agents
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work.
What we do, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from each safe vantage point, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Older rural homes like those around Sandway can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- 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.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Getting ready for the survey
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
Arrange a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply phone 07833 053749 or send us an email whenever suits you.
Read more
What happens if roof problems are left?
Most people never get a careful look at their chimney stacks. Defects tend to go unseen until there’s a stain. A survey gives you a clear picture before that happens. For an older or listed building in a place like Sandway, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
We offer three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why book us in Sandway
- An independent view of the roof
- Packages from £150, including VAT
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
Read how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney pots and cowls
For unused flues, we check whether caps or cowls allow ventilation. Capping without ventilation can trap moisture.
Brick stacks
Frost can damage bricks that have soaked up water, making the faces flake away. We record any we can see.
Before and after the survey
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. Our suggestions:
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
You can send the report to roofers or builders for quotes. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.