Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Shipbourne, Kent
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Shipbourne. We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Signs that a stack is leaning
What we’re asked to look at in Shipbourne
Flashings seal the gap where a stack passes through the roof. With age they can lift, split or come away from the joints. When flashings fail, water often shows up in the loft or on the chimney breast. Lead is also a target for theft.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- A chimney out of line
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
If you let a flat or house near Borough Green & Wrotham station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- Is VAT included in the price?
- Their insurance cover
Chimney survey in Shipbourne
On terraced and semi-detached houses, a chimney stack is frequently shared with next door. We inspect the parts we can see safely and the parts the owner gives us access to. If a defect appears to be on the neighbour’s side, we note it, so you can talk to them. You get a report with photographs and what we recommend. We survey lead flashings, chimney breasts and flaunching, and people most often book us about damp patches on chimney breasts and damaged chimney pots and cowls.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. 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. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Location
- Shipbourne (TN11)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Chimney surveys around Shipbourne
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. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. Historic houses such as Ightham Mote, about 1.1 miles north-west, show how far back building in the area around Shipbourne goes. If you own one of the older houses, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof.
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St Giles, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look. For site and facilities teams at buildings like Shipbourne School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Shipbourne is about 3 miles north of Tonbridge, in Kent. In Shipbourne, as across Kent, every roof gets the same careful survey. Our Kent coverage includes Shipbourne. Our Maidstone page covers surveys nearby.
We cover every part of the TN11 postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. We cover properties on Upper Green Road, Upper Green Lane and Back Lane and the roads around them. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Budds (1 mile west), Yopps Green (1 mile north), Sheet Hill (2 miles north), Ivy Hatch (2 miles north) and Coldharbour (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (11 miles east), Dartford (14 miles north), Sevenoaks (5 miles north-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (8 miles south), Gravesend (13 miles north) and Tonbridge (3 miles south).
Around Shipbourne
Around Shipbourne, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Ivy Hatch Nature Reserve, Hugh Christie Technology College and The Chaser Public House, among other places. The nearest railway station is Borough Green & Wrotham station, about 3.3 miles north. Nearby you will also find Ightham Court (3.3 miles north) and Hadlow Tower museum (2.8 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Barden Lake.
Questions from Shipbourne
Can a landlord with a rental near Borough Green & Wrotham station book a roof survey?
Yes, that is a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Will you come out to Shipbourne?
Yes, Shipbourne is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey seven days a week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Just tell us the days that suit you.
Will I get photos?
Yes, plenty. Pictures sit next to the findings they show.
What does a chimney survey cover?
The survey covers the pots and cowls, the flaunching, the pointing, the bricks and the flashings. We also check chimney breasts and the stack in the loft space where we can reach. Everything is written up with photographs.
What do I do with the report?
The report arrives by email, with photographs and clear recommendations. With Standard there is a follow-up consultation; with Premium, an in-person consultation.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. Shared stacks are common on terraced and semi-detached houses. We record the stack as far as we can see it and flag anything on the neighbour’s side.
What you can safely check yourself
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Don’t go up yourself.
How it works
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. If you have questions on the day, just ask. In a hamlet or village like Shipbourne, 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.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- 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.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
How to prepare
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
Book a survey
We survey roofs seven days a week. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Read more
Honest limits
To be straight with you, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
For landlords and managing agents
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out with the most urgent first where relevant, which helps when budgeting.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work with less disruption.
Also near Shipbourne
Other services in Shipbourne
Tips from our surveys
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Check unused flues are capped with ventilation
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. Early signs are easier to trace.