Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in St Margarets, Kent
Find out the condition of the chimney stack at your property in St Margarets from an independent roof surveyor. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
How the survey changes by roof type
Flaunching
Cracked flaunching is one of the most common chimney defects we record. It’s normally a modest repair when it is caught early.
Rendered stacks
Water can get in through cracks and then struggle to dry out. Cracks are photographed and noted.
Chimney survey in St Margarets: what you get
Our chimney survey covers the stack and the details that keep water out around it: the pots and cowls, the flaunching on top, the pointing, the brickwork and the flashings where it meets the roof. We also look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access. The findings come in a written report with photos and recommendations. It suits a single stack on a house as well as several on a larger building. We survey shared and party-wall stacks, brick chimney stacks and flaunching, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are bricks with flaking faces and disused chimneys trapping moisture.
Somewhere as small as St Margarets, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, frequently with chimneys that have stood a long time. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. On older roofs, it is typically the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
Where we cannot see part of the chimney stack, the report says so. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Location
- St Margarets (DA4)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near St Margarets
More services for St Margarets
Why act early in St Margarets
Most people never get a close look at their chimney stacks. Problems often go unnoticed until damp appears inside. A survey gives you a clear picture before that happens. Older cottages and farmhouses around St Margarets can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Why us?
- Surveys seven days a week
- A written report with photos
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- 98% customer satisfaction
Read our cost guide or our case studies.
Surveys for landlords and agents in St Margarets
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf. Access is agreed with the tenant beforehand.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Tell us about it when you book and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in St Margarets
Lullingstone Castle, about 4.5 miles south-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around St Margarets. 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. 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. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
Shop and office owners around Bluewater may find that a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions. If you let a flat or house near Farningham Road station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at. Living close to Darenth Country Park is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls.
St Margarets is about 3 miles south-east of Dartford, in Kent. We survey roofs in St Margarets as part of our work across London and the South East. St Margarets is one of the towns and villages in Kent we cover for chimney surveys. There is also a page for Maidstone.
Surveys in DA4 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We also cover South Darenth (1 mile south-west), Darenth (1 mile north), Green Street Green (1 mile east), Sutton at Hone (1 mile west) and Grubb Street (1 mile east). We also work in nearby towns such as Maidstone (15 miles south-east), Dartford (3 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (9 miles south), Gravesend (5 miles east), Tonbridge (15 miles south) and Northfleet (4 miles north-east).
What’s near St Margarets
We work in homes and buildings around Darenth Country Park, Leigh Academy and Fox & Hounds pub. For rail, the closest station is Farningham Road station, about 1.1 miles south-west. A little further out are Stone Museum of Geology (2.5 miles north) and Darent Valley Hospital (1.7 miles north). The countryside around St Margarets includes Sawyers Lake and Wansunt Pit.
Tips from our surveys
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
Once we’ve been, the findings are written up with photos. It covers the pots, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings, and any damp we found inside. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24 to 48 hours and Premium reports the same day.
Make sure fixings on the stack are sound, and moved if they’re working it loose. Removing unused fixings takes strain off the brickwork.
What we do, step by step
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof, but as a rough guide the survey takes an hour or two for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. If you have questions on the day, just ask. In a hamlet or village like St Margarets, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the roof space.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Getting a price
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email when you are ready.
Related advice
Honest limits
It’s a careful look at the chimney stack, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will suggest the right survey. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
Your questions about chimney surveys in St Margarets
I let a flat near Farningham Road station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, landlords and agents book with us as well as owners. Just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the building, including who will give access on the day.
Is my home in St Margarets listed or in a conservation area?
We cannot confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Do you need to go on the roof to check the chimney?
We inspect from wherever is safe: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the roof space. Our Premium Survey includes a drone inspection where it applies. If part of a stack can’t be seen, the report says so.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is frequently shared, so we need permission from the building owner or managing agent. We can only inspect what we are given access to.
Our stack is shared. Can you still survey it?
Yes. Many houses share stacks with a neighbour. We survey what we can see safely, and note anything that seems to involve next door.
What does the report include?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos, finishing with recommendations. Points are put in order of urgency where relevant.
Do you work in St Margarets?
Yes. We survey roofs in St Margarets and the rest of Kent. To book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.