Kent · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Speed Gate
Wondering about the chimney stack at a property in Speed Gate? We carry out chimney surveys in Speed Gate and across Kent.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
Can I check my roof myself?
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Chimney survey in Speed Gate: what you get
A leaning chimney stack is worth having looked at. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down, often after years of flue gases and damp. The survey notes how the stack looks, how far it seems to lean and the state of the bricks and joints. If the stack looks like a structural issue, the report recommends a structural engineer. If you are worried about unused flues sealed without airflow and flashings pulling away from the stack, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Village roofs frequently face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A roof report shows what needs attention first. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are frequently 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.
- Place
- Speed Gate (DA3)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near Speed Gate
Also in Speed Gate
Why get it checked now?
If a stack seems to lean, don’t leave it. We record its condition and recommend a structural engineer where needed, so you know where you stand. Older and listed buildings around Speed Gate may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, including VAT, and we’ll tell you which fits.
Why book with us
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- PI and public liability insurance
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
Read what a roof survey costs or two real surveys.
Chimney surveys around Speed Gate
Many older homes in Kent have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles held by pegs through two holes, and tile-hanging on their upper walls. You will also find oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses among the county’s older buildings. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters. Historic houses like Lullingstone Castle, about 3.2 miles west, show how far back building in the area around Speed Gate goes. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Anyone responsible for a site like Longfield Academy will know that a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. For landlords with property near Longfield station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Speed Gate is about 5 miles south of Dartford, in Kent. Speed Gate is one of many places we visit across Kent, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Across Kent, we cover Speed Gate. We also survey roofs in Maidstone.
Surveys in DA3 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Close by, we survey roofs in Fawkham Green (1 mile south-east), West Yoke (1 mile east), Ash (1 mile south-east), Maplescombe (2 miles south-west) and West Kingsdown (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (13 miles south-east), Dartford (5 miles north), Sevenoaks (7 miles south-west), Gravesend (6 miles north-east), Tonbridge (12 miles south) and Northfleet (5 miles north-east).
Near you in Speed Gate
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Rising Sun pub and the streets around them. The closest station to Speed Gate is Longfield station, roughly 2.3 miles north-east of the centre. Nearby you will also find Darent Valley Hospital (4.5 miles north) and Eynsford Castle (2.4 miles west).
How the survey changes by roof type
Rendered stacks
What’s behind the render can’t be seen without removing some, so the report explains what we could and couldn’t assess.
Lead flashings
Lead flashings seal the joint between the stack and the roof. We check for lifting, splits and gaps in the joints.
What happens on the day
On the day, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you need to know. After that, we look at everything we can see safely, from ground level, from windows, in the loft space and by drone where applicable. The survey usually takes roughly 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Somewhere as small as Speed Gate, access is frequently the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can be seen safely.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft space.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Leave a clear route to the loft
How to book
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from the ground or a window; never climb up to get a better view. To get started, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Read more
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. That comes down to:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Which survey package you book
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so they’re priced to match. You will know the figure before booking.
Getting in touch
A little information up front helps. It is useful to include:
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- What kind of property and roof it is
- The address and postcode of the property
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.
FAQs for Speed Gate
Can a landlord with a rental near Longfield station book a roof survey?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. Just call 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 Speed Gate is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, if the freeholder or managing agent agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we are allowed to reach.
What’s the best way to book?
Just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. After a few questions, we confirm the price and fix a day, weekday or weekend.
Do you inspect the flue?
No. A flue inspection, sweep or gas safety check is a separate job. We check the stack, pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings, and damp inside and flag anything that suggests the flue needs a look.
What do I do with the report?
You’ll get the report by email, with photographs and clear recommendations. With Standard there’s a follow-up consultation; with Premium, an in-person consultation.
What causes damp on a chimney breast?
It can come from several places: water getting in at the top, through the brickwork or at the flashings, or moisture trapped in a stack with no ventilation. We look at each one and note the most likely cause.
Useful tips for Speed Gate property owners
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Check unused flues are capped with ventilation
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. Because everyone is pricing the same findings, the quotes are easier to compare.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. With binoculars, you can frequently see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.