Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Smarden, Kent
Chimney surveys in Smarden, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photographs.
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
About our chimney survey in Smarden
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. We record the lean and the condition of the brickwork and pointing. If the stack looks like a structural issue, the report recommends a structural engineer. We’re often asked to look into staining on walls around the chimney and lifted or split lead flashings, across shared and party-wall stacks, chimney breasts and chimney pots and cowls.
In a small place like Smarden, 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 roof report shows what needs attention first. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are frequently the first to give way.
You receive the findings by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Location
- Smarden (TN27)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Smarden
If your home is older, it’s worth knowing whether it is listed or in a conservation area before planning roof work. Listed building consent covers changes to a listed building’s special interest, and an Article 4 direction can bring extra controls in a conservation area. Older houses across Kent frequently have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung walls. Oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of the county’s older buildings too. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters.
Take a building like Smarden Primary School: long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. If you live in an older home near Church of St Michael, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Smarden is about 8 miles west of Ashford, in Kent. Bookings from Smarden are handled just like any other: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Smarden is one of the towns and villages in Kent we cover for chimney surveys. You can also see our page for Maidstone.
We work across the TN27 postcode area for chimney surveys. We offer chimney surveys to properties on The Street, The Acorns and Water Lane and the roads around them. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Biddenden Green (1 mile north-east), Smarden Bell (1 mile north-west), Monk's Hill (1 mile south-west), Swift's Green (1 mile north-west) and Standen (2 miles south-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Maidstone (11 miles north-west), Ashford (8 miles east), Sittingbourne (13 miles north), Faversham (14 miles north-east), Kings Hill (15 miles north-west) and Davington (14 miles north-east).
Landmarks near Smarden
We work in homes and buildings around The Chequers Inn and the streets around them. The closest station to Smarden is Pluckley station, roughly 2.6 miles east. Nearby you will also find Romden Castle (1 mile east) and Benenden Hospital (5.3 miles south-west).
How it works
There is not much for you to do on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will take it from there. The survey itself takes an hour or two at a typical home, and more on a big or complicated roof. Around Smarden, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it is useful to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We check the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
How to prepare
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Getting a price
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine; never climb up to get a better view. To get started, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Why act early in Smarden
A small amount of repointing or new flaunching is normally a modest job. Leave it, and frost can work the stack loose and the job gets bigger. Outbuildings and barns around Smarden are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. It is worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
All our prices include VAT. Prices start from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for your survey before booking.
Why us?
- Packages from £150, with VAT included
- Surveys seven days a week
- A written report with photos
- An independent view of the roof
See how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
Roof by roof
Chimney pots and cowls
Pots sit in the flaunching on top of the stack, and cowls or caps sit on the pots. The survey looks for cracked, loose or missing pots and cowls.
Brick stacks
Many older stacks were built with lime mortar. We note where repairs should match the original mortar.
What we’re asked to look at in Smarden
Lots of homes have redundant stacks. A stack sealed without ventilation can trap damp. Damp patches can appear on chimney breasts even when nothing is leaking.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
For landlords with property near Pluckley station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Is VAT included in the price?
- When you will get the report
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- What exactly goes into their report
More services for Smarden
FAQs for Smarden
Will you come out to Smarden?
Yes, we do. We work right across London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Smarden?
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.
Does someone need to be in?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. We will talk about access when booking.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
No. Our survey covers the outside of the stack and the roof around it. The flue should be checked by a sweep, or by a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances.
Is a leaning chimney dangerous?
Do not ignore it. Leaning often comes from mortar breaking down unevenly. The survey records what we can see, and a structural engineer can confirm whether it’s stable.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
Will you check the loft?
Where it’s relevant to the survey and there’s safe access, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps, and if the loft can’t be reached safely, the report says so.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out in order of urgency where relevant, which helps when budgeting.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client, photographs included.
Useful tips for Smarden property owners
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
If anything in the report is not clear, just ask us. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. It’s far simpler than rebuilding a stack later.