Kent · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Shirkoak
Chimney surveys across Shirkoak, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photographs.
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
When you need someone else
It’s useful to know what a survey won’t do before booking:
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Areas we cannot view from safe positions
- Conditions inside walls
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will recommend the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
About our chimney survey in Shirkoak
A leaning chimney stack is worth having looked at. A stack may lean because the mortar on one side has weakened, which can happen over many years of use. The survey notes how the stack looks, how far it seems to lean and the state of the bricks and joints. Where it may be a structural concern, we will recommend a structural engineer. If you’re worried about damaged chimney pots and cowls and frost-damaged brickwork on the stack, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on brick chimney stacks, lead flashings and chimney breasts alike.
Somewhere as small as Shirkoak, homes are often 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 everything that’s safely in view, and thatch is a specialist material. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs frequently need the most attention.
If any part of the chimney stack couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. That way, it is clear what was covered and what wasn’t.
- Location
- Shirkoak (TN26)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What a chimney survey looks like in Shirkoak
Across Kent, older roofs are frequently handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. The county’s older buildings also include oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. Whatever the covering, it’s often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. Smallhythe Place, about 4.8 miles south-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Shirkoak. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
If you look after a building such as Woodchurch Church of England Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Parish Church of All Saints, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Shirkoak is about 5 miles south-west of Ashford, in Kent. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Shirkoak can all book chimney surveys. We cover towns and villages across Kent. We also survey roofs in Maidstone.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: TN26. Local streets include Bethersden Road, Shirkoak Park and Redbrook Street, all of which we cover. If you’re just outside Shirkoak, we cover Woodchurch (1 mile south), Brattle (1 mile south), Brook Street (2 miles south), Leigh Green (3 miles south-west) and Appledore Heath (4 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Ashford (5 miles north-east), Hythe (14 miles east), Tenterden (4 miles south-west), Bearsted (15 miles north-west), Park Wood (14 miles north-west) and Kennington (7 miles north-east).
Around Shirkoak
Typical jobs here are in homes near Stone Wood and The Bonny Cravat Inn. For rail, the closest station is Ham Street station, roughly 4 miles south-east. Well-known places in the area include Romden Castle (4.6 miles north-west) and Woodchurch Village Life Museum (0.7 miles south). The countryside around Shirkoak includes Orlestone Forest.
Places near Shirkoak
Also in Shirkoak
What happens on the day
When we arrive, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. After that, we look at everything we can see safely. Most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours at most homes, or half a day or so for a commercial building. In a hamlet or village like Shirkoak, 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 with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Where there is safe access, we look at the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
How to prepare
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Arrange a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? It’s easiest to ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Related advice
Shirkoak questions
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Shirkoak?
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.
Is Shirkoak within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. We survey roofs across London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have completed more than 5,000 surveys, across 20+ years of surveying roofs, and 98% of clients are satisfied.
How long will you be at the property?
Most surveys take an hour or two for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. The report follows by email.
Will I get photos?
Yes. The report includes photos of what we found, so you can see each point for yourself.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only if it’s safe. We check everything that can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows, from inside the roof space, from the roof where it’s safe and by drone where it applies. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
What do I do with the report?
You’ll receive the report by email, and what you do next is up to you: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
Signs you need a chimney survey in Shirkoak
Where a chimney meets the roof, lead flashings keep water out. 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 flashings can also be stolen.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- A stack that appears to lean
- Cracked or missing flaunching
Landlords with a home close to Ham Street station may find that a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Questions to ask before booking
- Are they insured for the work?
- What they will not be able to tell you
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
Checking the roof from the ground
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Shirkoak
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer, and they’re priced for the size.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed ahead of time. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends, which can make access easier.
Why act early in Shirkoak
If you are buying, find out about the stacks before you exchange. Once you’ve exchanged, the work is down to you. A report gives you something specific to put to the seller. In a place like Shirkoak, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. It is worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Shirkoak
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
- Every finding written up with photos
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
See our cost guide or our case studies.