Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Thurnham, Kent
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Thurnham, from an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photos.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
Chimney surveys in Thurnham: local notes
Stoneacre, about 2.6 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Thurnham. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof. Across Kent, older roofs are often handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. You’ll also find oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses among the county’s older buildings. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
Anyone responsible for a site like Valley Park School will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. If you live in an older home near St Mary the Virgin Church, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Thurnham is about 3 miles north-east of Maidstone, in Kent. We carry out chimney surveys in Thurnham for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings. Across Kent, we cover Thurnham.
Here we cover the ME14 postcode area for chimney surveys. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Thurnham Lane, Aldington Lane and Pilgrims Way or anywhere close by, we can survey it. If you are just outside Thurnham, we cover Detling (1 mile north-west), Bearsted (1 mile south-west), Weavering (2 miles south-west), Grove Green (2 miles west) and Harbourland (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (3 miles south-west), Sittingbourne (7 miles north-east), Gravesend (13 miles north-west), Tonbridge (15 miles south-west), Faversham (13 miles east) and Northfleet (14 miles north-west).
Landmarks near Thurnham
We work in homes and buildings around White Horse Wood and Black Horse Public House and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Bearsted station, roughly 1.1 miles south-west of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Allington Castle (3.3 miles west) and KIMS hospital (1.4 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Detling Hill.
Chimney survey in Thurnham
We inspect chimneys from wherever they can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there’s access. A drone inspection is part of our Premium Survey where applicable. If we can’t see part of the stack, the report makes that clear. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. We survey lead flashings, chimney breasts and flaunching, and common reasons people get in touch are a stack that appears to lean and unused flues sealed without airflow.
Older buildings in small places like Thurnham 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. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Place
- Thurnham (ME14)
- 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
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with the building owner or managing agent. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll plan the survey around it.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, putting the urgent items at the top.
How the survey works
You do not need to do much on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, like stains, drips or loose pieces, and we will take it from there. A typical survey takes about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Cottages and farmhouses around Thurnham often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- The stacks are looked at from ground level, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- Every part we can see is checked: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Where there is safe access, we look at the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- The findings are written up with photos and recommendations and emailed to you.
How to prepare
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
- Keep pets in another room
How to book
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
Before and after the survey
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. Here’s what helps most:
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
- Check unused flues are capped with ventilation
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
You get the report by email and can pass it to whoever does the work. We use plain English and a photo for each defect, so it’s easy to follow.
Look at your chimneys from ground level now and then, particularly after strong winds. With binoculars, you can often see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
Also near Thurnham
Also in Thurnham
What we’re asked to look at in Thurnham
Lots of homes have redundant stacks. If a stack is capped or blocked without ventilation, moisture can build up inside. That can lead to damp patches on chimney breasts, even with the roof in good order.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
For businesses in and around places such as The Mall Maidstone, a roof report helps plan work around trading rather than after a leak.
Questions to ask before booking
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
What we cannot see
It’s a careful look at the chimney stack, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Conditions inside walls
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Thurnham
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
Thurnham questions
How do I find out if my home in Thurnham is listed?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
Will you come out to Thurnham?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Should a redundant chimney be removed?
It depends on its condition and your plans. We record how the stack is doing and whether it is capped with ventilation. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need consent.
Will you walk on the roof?
Not always. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. Safe viewpoints, the loft and a drone where it applies let us see the rest.
What does a roof survey cost?
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for the job before you book. For a price, call 07833 053749 or email us.
What will the report tell me?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos, finishing with recommendations. Points are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Light rain is typically fine; heavy rain and wind are different. High wind or heavy rain can make access unsafe and ground a drone, so we’d move the date with you.
Can I check my roof myself?
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.