Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Sittingbourne, Kent
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Sittingbourne. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
Chimney survey in Sittingbourne: what you get
Chimney stacks take more weather than almost any other part of a house. In time, flaunching cracks, mortar washes out and flashings come loose. Water then gets into the stack and can show as damp on a chimney breast or a stain in the loft. We record what we find with photographs and recommendations. Typical surveys look at lifted or split lead flashings and mortar washing out of the joints, across chimney pots and cowls, chimney breasts and flaunching.
Sittingbourne mixes older houses, often slate or clay tiled, with newer estates, many of them with concrete tiles. Older homes frequently keep chimney stacks long after the fireplaces went, and their flashings and pointing still matter. Later houses have their own typical faults, from loose ridge tiles to blocked gutters.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Where
- Sittingbourne (ME10, ME9)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What a chimney survey doesn’t cover
It is a careful look at the chimney stack, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
What you can safely check yourself
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
You can learn a lot from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
For landlords and managing agents
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out by urgency where it matters, which helps with budgets and planning.
With a portfolio of properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To discuss a number of properties, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Practical tips
You do not need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
If the stack is shared, you can pass the report to your neighbour. It shows what we found and where, as far as we could see.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.
Questions from Sittingbourne
I let a flat near Sittingbourne station. Can you check the roof?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. Just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details, and we will talk through which survey suits.
How do I find out if my home in Sittingbourne is listed?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. We check the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We carry out surveys on weekdays and at weekends. To find a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
What does a roof survey cost?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. You will know the price for the job before booking, and it depends on the roof’s size, access and the package you choose. To get a price, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years, across London and South East England.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Light rain is usually fine; heavy rain and wind are different. High wind or heavy rain can make access unsafe and ground a drone, and we’d agree another day.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Loose pots and bricks on a stack are a safety concern. A survey picks them out so they can be made safe by a suitable contractor. Extensions and dormers on homes around Sittingbourne often hide the first signs of trouble at their joints with the main roof. A few wet winters later, it can mean new plaster and decorating as well as roof work.
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package you pick makes a difference too. The price is always agreed first.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Sittingbourne
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- An independent view of the roof
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Visits on any day of the week
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
The survey, step by step
When we arrive, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. After that, we check everything we can see safely, from the ground, from windows, in the loft space and by drone where it applies. Most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours for most houses, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. In Sittingbourne, parking is rarely complicated, though it’s useful to know about driveways or restrictions. The inspection covers what can be seen safely from outside, from windows and from the loft space, and from the roof itself where it’s safe.
- 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.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before the survey
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Getting a price
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, so call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details.
Read more
Towns and villages near Sittingbourne
Also in Sittingbourne
What a chimney survey looks like in Sittingbourne
Sittingbourne is within about 2 miles of the coast, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. Listing and conservation areas can both shape what roof work is allowed on an older home. The council is the place to check, along with Historic England’s list.
The streets around a church such as Church of the Holy Trinity are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. If you let a flat or house near Sittingbourne station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. If you live near a park such as Milton Creek Country Park, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Sittingbourne is about 37 miles east of London, in Kent. Wherever you are in Sittingbourne, we can come and survey your property. Our area takes in places right across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. For surveys nearby, see our Maidstone page.
Every address in ME10 and ME9 is within our area for chimney surveys. Streets in the area include High Street, Roman Square and Moonstone Square. With the A2 and A249 close by, Sittingbourne is simple for us to get to for chimney surveys. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Murston (1 mile east), Milton Regis (1 mile north-east), Kemsley (1 mile north), Howt Green (1 mile north-west) and Heart's Delight (1 mile south-west). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (10 miles south-west), Ashford (15 miles south), Whitstable (13 miles east), Faversham (7 miles east), Minster (6 miles north-east) and Kings Hill (15 miles west). Sittingbourne is among the bigger towns we cover in Kent.
Landmarks near Sittingbourne
Around Sittingbourne, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Milton Court Primary Academy, The Golden Hope pub and Milton Creek Country Park, among other places. Sittingbourne has its own railway station: Sittingbourne station. Well-known places in the area include Bayford Court (within half a mile east) and Court Hall Museum (less than half a mile north).