Kent · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Yelsted, Kent
We carry out chimney surveys in Yelsted and the rest of Kent. Surveys run seven days a week.
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
How a chimney survey works in Yelsted
A chimney stands up above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. In time, flaunching cracks, mortar washes out and flashings come loose. That lets water into the brickwork, which can show up as damp on a chimney breast or in the loft space. A survey finds these problems and records them with photos. If you’ve noticed damp patches on chimney breasts and loose, cracked or missing pots, we can find out what’s behind it.
Older buildings in small places like Yelsted may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Older materials like clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, each with a short note and a photo. It records what’s sound as well as what isn’t.
- Location
- Yelsted (ME9)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Common questions in Yelsted
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Yelsted, take more of a battering?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch, and Yelsted is within about 5 miles of the coast.
Is Yelsted within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. We survey roofs across London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
What happens next?
The report comes by email, and you decide the next step: raise it with a seller, send it to an insurer, brief a roofer or share it with a managing agent.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first, with the freeholder or managing agent. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the survey around it.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys.
How can you see the top of the stack?
We inspect from wherever is safe: from the ground, windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there’s access. A drone inspection is included in our Premium Survey where it applies. If part of a stack can’t be seen, the report says so.
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings
Where the chimney meets the roof slopes, lead flashings keep water out. We check for lifting, splits and gaps in the joints.
Rendered stacks
Some stacks are rendered, which can hide the condition of the brickwork beneath. The survey checks for cracking, bulging and staining in the render.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Yelsted
Yelsted lies within about 5 miles of the sea, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Near the sea, metal fixings wear faster and loose pieces on a roof are more likely to lift. An older home may be listed, or stand in a conservation area. Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the council can say whether a street is in a conservation area. Re-roofing in different materials may need permission there.
Trees in and around Stockbury Hill Wood shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. If you look after a building such as St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Yelsted is about 3 miles south-east of Gillingham, in Kent. We visit Yelsted as part of our work across Kent. Our Kent coverage includes Yelsted. Our Maidstone page covers surveys nearby.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: ME9. We cover properties on Yelsted Road and Yelsted Lane and the roads around them. We also cover Stockbury (1 mile east), Meresborough (1 mile north), Hartlip (1 mile north-east), Lower Hartlip (2 miles north-east) and Rainham (2 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (6 miles south-west), Sittingbourne (5 miles east), Gravesend (12 miles north-west), Faversham (12 miles east), Northfleet (14 miles north-west) and Minster (10 miles north-east).
What’s near Yelsted
Typical jobs here are in homes near Leigh Academy Rainham and Stockbury Hill Wood. Yelsted’s nearest station is Rainham (Kent) station, roughly 2.5 miles north of the centre. Well-known places in the area include KIMS hospital (4 miles south-west). The countryside around Yelsted includes Detling Hill.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Do you need a chimney survey in Yelsted?
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Flue gases and damp can break down the mortar, sometimes more on one side than the other, which can make a stack lean.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Bricks with flaking faces
If you own a rental within reach of Rainham (Kent) station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Before booking anyone
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- What happens after the report arrives
- Their insurance cover
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
Landlords, agents and block managers in Yelsted
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps when budgeting.
What happens on the day
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. Most visits take about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. In a hamlet or village like Yelsted, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- First you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access.
- You get a written report with photos and our recommendations.
Before the survey
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Book a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will ask a few questions about the roof. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
Advice
Towns and villages near Yelsted
Also in Yelsted
What this survey can’t tell you
Some things cannot be seen without opening up the roof, and that sets some limits:
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- Parts of the stack that can’t be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we can’t access
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will tell you. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts