Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Stowting Common, Kent
Find out what’s going on with the chimney stack before you decide what to do next. We carry out chimney surveys in Stowting Common.
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- A stack that appears to lean
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
What we look for on each type of roof
Rendered stacks
A rendered stack can mask problems in the bricks below. The survey checks for cracking, bulging and staining in the render.
Chimney pots and cowls
Pots sit in the flaunching on top of the stack, and cowls or caps sit on the pots. We check that they look secure and undamaged.
How a chimney survey works in Stowting Common
A chimney survey is about the outside of the stack and the roof around it. It isn’t a flue inspection, a sweep or a gas safety check. If you use a fire or a gas appliance, the flue should be checked by a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer as appropriate. We will tell you if we see anything that suggests they should take a look. We survey chimney pots and cowls, brick chimney stacks and flaunching, and people most often book us about damp patches on chimney breasts and redundant stacks capped without ventilation.
Somewhere as small as Stowting Common, 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. We report on whatever is safely visible, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it’s normally the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend.
- Where
- Stowting Common (TN25)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. The inspection then takes about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. For a village or hamlet like Stowting Common, the journey is planned in advance: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before we arrive
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
Arrange a survey
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll explain the options and the price.
Advice
When to book a survey in Stowting Common
Stacks that were used for open fires for many years can weaken from the inside. Flue gases and damp can break down the mortar, sometimes more on one side than the other, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
Most people get in touch after spotting something like this:
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- A stack that appears to lean
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
If you live in an older home near Church of St Mary, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- How soon the report will arrive
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
Chimney surveys in Stowting Common: local notes
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. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. With Westenhanger Castle about 3.7 miles south, Stowting Common sits in an area with a long building history. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If you look after a building such as Stowting 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 you own a rental within reach of Westenhanger station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Stowting Common is about 6 miles north of Hythe, in Kent. Stowting Common is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area across London and South East England. Stowting Common is one of the towns and villages in Kent where we work. There is also a page for Canterbury.
Chimney surveys in TN25 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We cover properties on Brabourne Lane and Stowting Hill. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Stowting (1 mile south), Hemsted (1 mile south-east), Skeete (2 miles south-east), Woodland (2 miles south-east) and Rhodes Minnis (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Ashford (7 miles west), Canterbury (9 miles north), Dover (12 miles east), Folkestone (7 miles south-east), Whitstable (14 miles north) and Faversham (13 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Stowting Common
In Stowting Common, that means homes and buildings near Spong Wood and the streets around them. The closest station to Stowting Common is Westenhanger station, about 3.7 miles south. Well-known places in the area include William Harvey Hospital (5.1 miles west). For a walk, there is Hatch Park and Tolsford Hill.
Other services in Stowting Common
Why act early in Stowting Common
For a buyer, the best time to learn about a chimney is before exchange. Once you’ve exchanged, the work is down to you. A report gives you something specific to put to the seller. In a small place like Stowting Common, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. We’ll give you the figure before anything is booked.
Why book with us
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- A written report with photos
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- An independent view of the roof
FAQs for Stowting Common
Is my home in Stowting Common 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.
Can a landlord with a rental near Westenhanger station book a roof survey?
Of course. We just need to know who will give access, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Just tell us the days that suit you.
Do you inspect the flue?
No. A flue inspection, sweep or gas safety check is a separate job. We look at the stack, pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings, and damp inside and flag anything that suggests the flue needs a look.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. It is a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose, and it is agreed before booking.
Will I get photos?
Yes. Photos are taken throughout the survey, and they go into the written report alongside our recommendations.
Tips that help
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Do not use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Check your stacks from ground level after strong winds
After the visit, we write up the report with photos of each stack. It covers the pots, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings, and any damp we found inside. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Unused stacks should be capped in a way that still lets air through. That helps stop damp building up inside.
Checking the roof from the ground
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when you book.
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and falls from height are serious. That’s where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.