Medway · London and the South East
Wouldham Chimney Survey
Chimney surveys around Wouldham, with a written report you can act on. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
Chimney survey in Wouldham
Many homes have chimneys that are no longer used. Even when it is not used, a stack has to stay weathertight. Capping a stack without ventilation can trap moisture and lead to damp inside. We check how redundant stacks have been capped and look for damp in the chimney breasts. The report sets out what we found and what we recommend. Common reasons to book are a stack that appears to lean and damp on a chimney breast inside, on brick chimney stacks, flaunching and chimney breasts.
Somewhere as small as Wouldham, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often 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’s normally the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
Most points in the report come with a picture, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Location
- Wouldham (ME1)
- Wider area
- Medway
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
DIY checks: what’s safe
It is useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
The survey, step by step
Once we have finished looking, we write up our findings as a photo-illustrated written report, sent to you by email. As for time on site, it typically takes roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, and more on a big or complicated roof. In a small place like Wouldham, access is typically the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- 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.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Getting ready for the survey
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Tell us where we can park nearby
Booking a survey
We confirm the price for your roof before booking, so you know where you stand. Prices start from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Practical tips
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
If anything in the report is not clear, just ask us. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
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.
What we look for on each type of roof
Flaunching
Flaunching is the mortar on top of a stack that holds the pots and sheds water. Once it cracks, water can get straight into the brickwork.
Rendered stacks
Some stacks are rendered, which can hide the condition of the brickwork beneath. We look for cracks, hollow areas and staining.
Towns and villages near Wouldham
Also in Wouldham
Wouldham homes and their roofs
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. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. With Starkey Castle about 0.9 miles north, Wouldham sits in an area with a long building history. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years.
Homes near green spaces such as Holborough Marshes can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls. If you run a business near Pentagon Shopping Centre, a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions.
Wouldham is about 3 miles west of Chatham, in Medway. Bookings from Wouldham are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Wouldham is one of the towns and villages in Medway we cover for chimney surveys. Maidstone is in our area too.
Every address in ME1 is within our area for chimney surveys. Streets in the area include High Street, Oldfield Drive and Meadow Way. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Peters Village (1 mile south), Halling (1 mile west), Scarborough (1 mile south-east), Holborough (1 mile south-west) and North Halling (1 mile north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Gillingham (5 miles east), Chatham (3 miles east), Rochester (3 miles north-east), Rainham (6 miles east), Strood (3 miles north) and Luton (4 miles east).
Around Wouldham
We work in homes and buildings around Holborough Marshes, The Five Bells pub and The Thomas Aveling School, among other places. The nearest railway station is Halling station, roughly 0.6 miles west of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Rochester Castle (3.3 miles north-east) and Pentagon Shopping Centre (3.6 miles north-east). Not far away are Blue Bell Hill and Burham Down.
Common questions in Wouldham
Is my home in Wouldham listed or in a conservation area?
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, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Will you come out to Wouldham?
Yes. Wouldham is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Is a leaning chimney dangerous?
Have it checked rather than leaving it. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down. We record its condition with photographs, and a structural engineer can assess whether it needs work.
Do you need to get into the loft?
If there is a loft and safe access to it, yes. The loft space can show things the outside can’t, like damp timbers, staining or daylight.
How soon will I get the report?
Report times are set by the package. Basic is within 48 hours, Standard is 24–48 hours and Premium is the same day. Mention any deadline as you book.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drones can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. We’ll rearrange with you if the weather isn’t right.
Does the report include photos?
Yes, every report has them. Each finding is shown in a picture where possible, so you can see what we mean.
What we are asked to look at in Wouldham
Chimney stacks stand above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. Frost opens up cracks in the mortar, and rain gets into worn bricks and joints. People normally call us when they notice damp or a problem with the stack, or before a purchase.
Look out for signs like these:
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- A stack that appears to lean
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Staining on walls around the chimney
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of All Saints, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
Honest limits
It helps to know what a survey won’t do before you book:
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll point you to the right survey before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we look at
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching