Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Walmer, Kent
Wondering about the chimney stack at a property in Walmer? You can book a chimney survey in Walmer and across Kent.
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- A chimney out of line
- Bricks with flaking faces
What we do, step by step
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. After that, we check everything we can see safely, from the ground, from windows, in the loft space and by drone where it applies. Most surveys take about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Some parts of a survey depend on the weather, so a visit to Walmer is booked with the forecast in mind: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from ground level and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- 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.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We check the chimney breasts and the stack in the roof space where we can reach them.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
How to prepare
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
Book a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Related advice
About our chimney survey in Walmer
A damp patch on a chimney breast does not always come from the same place. Water may be getting in at the top through cracked flaunching or an uncapped pot, through the brickwork, or at the flashings. Condensation inside an unventilated stack is another common cause. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause. That points the work in the right direction. Common reasons to book are staining on walls around the chimney and spalled or crumbling bricks, on brick chimney stacks, flaunching and lead flashings.
Around Walmer, older cottages sit alongside bungalows and newer houses. Older roofs can have slate, clay tiles or other traditional coverings, while many later ones have concrete tiles. Chimneys, valleys and gutters on older homes frequently need the most attention. The fixings under an older roof often fail before good slates or tiles do.
The written findings come by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Location
- Walmer (CT14)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Common questions in Walmer
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Walmer?
It can do. Walmer is within about 1 mile of the sea, and coastal roofs tend to see faster wear on metal parts and more wind lifting loose pieces.
Is my home in Walmer listed or in a conservation area?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We’re roof surveyors, not structural engineers. We’ll recommend an engineer if we see signs that call for one.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Typically, if there’s one and it can be reached safely. The loft space can show things the outside cannot, such as damp timbers, staining or daylight.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. We check everything that can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows, from inside the roof space, from the roof where it is safe and by drone where applicable. Anything we can’t see is noted in the report.
Our stack is shared. Can you still survey it?
Yes. We inspect whatever is safely visible and what you give us access to. Where a problem appears to be on next door’s side, we note it, so you can discuss it with them.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Walmer
The coast is about 1 mile or less from Walmer, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, and strong wind lifts anything already loose on a roof, while driving rain finds any gap. 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. 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.
The streets around a church such as St Mary's Church are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. Walmer Castle, about 0.3 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Walmer. Older roofs nearby often mix original materials with later repairs, and the survey shows where each one is.
Walmer is about 6 miles north-east of Dover, in Kent. In Walmer, as across Kent, every roof gets the same careful survey. Walmer is one of the places in Kent where we work for chimney surveys. There is also a page for Canterbury.
We work across the CT14 postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Lawn Road, York Road and Grams Road, and we cover them all. Walmer is on the A258, so it’s easy for us to get to. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Deal (1 mile north), Mill Hill (1 mile north-west), Great Mongeham (2 miles north-west), Sholden (2 miles north-west) and Ripple (2 miles west). Further out, we also cover Canterbury (15 miles west), Margate (12 miles north), Dover (6 miles south-west), Folkestone (13 miles south-west), Ramsgate (9 miles north) and Broadstairs (11 miles north).
Around Walmer
Typical jobs here are in homes near Goodwin Academy and The Telegraph pub and the streets around them. The closest station to Walmer is Walmer station, about 0.7 miles west. Nearby you’ll also find Kent Museum of the Moving Image (1.4 miles north) and Walmer Castle (within half a mile south-east).
When to book a survey in Walmer
Where a chimney meets the roof, lead flashings keep water out. They can lift in wind, crack with age or pull out of the mortar joints. Failed flashings are one of the most common causes of damp around chimneys. Lead is also a target for theft.
We’re often asked to look at:
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Mortar washing out of the joints
If you look after a building such as The Downs Church of England Primary School, large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Will the report include photos?
What happens if roof problems are left?
For a buyer, the best time to learn about a chimney is before exchange. After that, any work is yours to arrange and pay for. A report gives you something specific to put to the seller. Blocked gutters on homes around Walmer overflow and soak walls. Dealing with the cause is simple; drying out a wall is not.
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package you pick makes a difference too. The price is always agreed first.
Why us?
- 20+ years’ experience
- Package prices that include VAT
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Weekday and weekend surveys
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and our case studies.
Places near Walmer
Also in Walmer
Surveys for landlords and agents in Walmer
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too. Bigger roofs take more time.
Honest limits
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Hidden damage within the stack
- Whether the flue is safe to use
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. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
DIY checks: what’s safe
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date, which helps when we check the roof.