Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Sutton Valence, Kent
Need a chimney survey in Sutton Valence? We can help, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Worn or missing pointing
Practical tips
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Photograph damp patches with the date
After the visit, we write up the report with photographs of each stack. 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.
Look at your chimneys from ground level now and then, especially after strong winds. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
About our chimney survey in Sutton Valence
If you’re buying a home with chimneys, it is worth knowing their condition before you exchange. Cracked flaunching, failed flashings and worn pointing are common findings on older stacks. You get photographs and findings you can take back to the seller or agent. It works alongside a RICS home survey, not instead of one. Common reasons to book are frost-damaged brickwork on the stack and worn or missing pointing, on lead flashings, chimney breasts and flaunching.
Older buildings in small places like Sutton Valence may be listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is often expected.
If any part of the chimney stack couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Place
- Sutton Valence (ME17)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to Sutton Valence
Also in Sutton Valence
How we price chimney surveys
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. That comes down to:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- How big the roof is
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we can help you choose.
What we need to know
A few details help us point you to the right survey and price. When you contact us, it is useful to mention:
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- When you need the report by
- The property’s address and postcode
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and falls from height are serious. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
Chimney surveys in Sutton Valence: local notes
Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. Oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of the county’s older buildings too. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. About 2.8 miles north lies Stoneacre, a reminder of how long the area around Sutton Valence has been built on. If yours is one of the older homes, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
For an older house near a landmark like Church of St Mary, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. Anyone responsible for a site like Sutton Valence Primary School will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Sutton Valence is about 5 miles south-east of Maidstone, in Kent. Anywhere in Sutton Valence, we can come and survey your property. Our Kent coverage includes Sutton Valence and the places around it.
We work across ME17 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. You will find streets such as High Street, Lower Road and School Lane, and we cover them all. We also cover Warmlake (1 mile north), Five Wents (1 mile north), Chart Sutton (1 mile north-west), Langley Heath (2 miles north) and Langley (2 miles north). We also work in nearby towns like Maidstone (5 miles north-west), Ashford (13 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (11 miles north-east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (15 miles west), Tonbridge (14 miles west) and Faversham (15 miles north-east).
What’s near Sutton Valence
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Clothworkers Arms, among other places. The closest station to Sutton Valence is Staplehurst station, roughly 3.4 miles south-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include The Dog Collar Museum (2.8 miles north-east) and Sutton Valence Castle (under half a mile east).
Questions from Sutton Valence
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Sutton Valence?
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.
I let a flat near Staplehurst station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. You can call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a few details, including who will give access on the day.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, if whoever owns or manages the building agrees access. We look at the parts we are given access to, and the report makes that clear.
What should I do with a chimney I do not use?
There’s no single answer. The survey shows its condition and how it’s been capped. If you are thinking of removing it, check with the council first in a conservation area or on a listed building.
How do I book a survey in Sutton Valence?
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or email us and let us know the address and what you want to find out. We’ll confirm the price and find a day that suits.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing are not part of what we do. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings, and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
What a chimney survey doesn’t cover
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- Areas we cannot view from safe positions
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will tell you. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
What we’re asked to look at in Sutton Valence
Flaunching is the mortar bed that holds the pots and throws water off the top. Once it cracks, water gets in and frost makes the cracks bigger. Loose pots can follow.
A survey can pick up problems like:
- A chimney out of line
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
If you own a rental within reach of Staplehurst station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Questions to ask before you book
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Will the report include photos?
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
The survey, step by step
Safety comes first on every visit. We inspect what can safely be seen, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. The survey typically takes about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Around Sutton Valence, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it helps to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- The stacks are looked at from the ground, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- Every part we can see is looked at: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
Getting ready for the survey
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Booking a survey
If you are buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or email us when you’re ready.