Kent · London and the South East
Gutter Survey in Arpinge
A survey of gutters, valleys, outlets and downpipes in Arpinge, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Blocked outlets and hoppers
- Leaking or loose downpipes
- Gutters overflowing in heavy rain
DIY checks: what’s safe
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground.
It helps to keep a 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.
About our gutter survey in Arpinge
Gutters are usually fixed to fascia boards, so fascias and soffits are part of the survey. Water that overflows for long enough can rot timber fascias and mark the soffits underneath. On buildings from before 2000, some soffits and rainwater goods may be asbestos cement. We don’t carry out asbestos testing, but we flag anything that could contain it. If you’ve noticed dripping or leaking gutter joints and hoppers and outlets full of debris, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on valley gutters, downpipes and eaves gutters alike.
Somewhere as small as Arpinge, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, frequently 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 is 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.
- Place
- Arpinge (CT18)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Common questions in Arpinge
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Arpinge?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Arpinge, take more of a battering?
Frequently, yes. Within about 3 miles of the sea, as Arpinge is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs like sagging are noted, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. If one is needed, the report says so.
Do you cover Arpinge?
Yes. We survey roofs across London and South East England, Arpinge included.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. It is a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
Will the survey check for asbestos?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos testing. Where gutters, downpipes or soffits could be asbestos cement, we flag them and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
Do you survey at weekends?
Yes. We survey on weekdays and at weekends. Just ring 07833 053749 or email us to arrange a day.
Tips that help
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Don’t leave hidden gutters out of a clear-out
- Have gutters cleared at least once a year
- Watch the gutters during heavy rain
- Don’t climb a ladder to look in the gutters
The report comes with photos and recommendations, prioritised by urgency where relevant. Share it with a contractor of your choice so they can see exactly what’s needed.
Deal with drips, sags and loose downpipes early. Left alone, they typically grow and spilled water harms brickwork and woodwork.
Nearby places to Arpinge
Other services in Arpinge
Common roof problems in Arpinge
Many gutter joints depend on rubber seals or sealant that age. Plastic gutters move with heat and cold, and in time their joints can drip. On cast iron, joints can rust and open up where the paint has failed.
Common reasons to book include:
- Choked outlets or hopper heads
- Brackets that have dropped or snapped
- Valley or box gutters that overflow inside
- Dripping or leaking gutter joints
Landlords with a home close to Folkestone West station may find that a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- What experience they bring
- Is VAT included in the price?
- What follow-up you get after the report
- When you’ll get the report
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Arpinge
Arpinge lies within about 3 miles of the sea, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Near the sea, metal fixings wear faster and loose pieces on a roof are more likely to lift. Older houses across Kent frequently have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung walls. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
Acrise Place, about 2.1 miles north, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Arpinge. Older roofs nearby often mix original materials with later repairs, and the survey shows where each one is. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Harcourt Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Arpinge is about 1 mile south-west of Hawkinge, in Kent. We carry out gutter surveys for homes and businesses in Arpinge and the surrounding area. Across Kent, we cover Arpinge and the places around it. There is also a page for Canterbury.
Postcode districts we cover here for gutter surveys: CT18. If you’re just outside Arpinge, we cover Hawkinge (1 mile north-east), Densole (2 miles north-east), Old Hawkinge (2 miles east), Swingfield Minnis (3 miles north-east) and Elham (3 miles north). Further out, we also cover Ashford (12 miles west), Canterbury (12 miles north), Dover (8 miles east), Deal (14 miles north-east), Hythe (3 miles south-west) and Tower Hamlets (7 miles east).
Local landmarks in Arpinge
Around Arpinge, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Cat & Custard Pot pub. The closest station to Arpinge is Folkestone West station, about 1.7 miles south-east. Well-known places in the area include Royal Victoria Hospital (2.2 miles south-east) and Folkestone Castle (1.4 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Cheriton Hill.
What we can’t see
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- What’s hidden inside a downpipe
- What’s behind fascias and inside walls
- Pipes below ground level
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll point you to the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- Downpipes
- Valley gutters
- Eaves gutters
- Parapet and box gutters
- Outlets and hoppers
- Fascias and soffits
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, putting the urgent items at the top.
Letting agents and landlords in Arpinge book surveys as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the gutter, with photos, useful for planning maintenance.
The survey, step by step
We’ll ask a few questions first, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. The inspection then takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, and more on a big or complicated roof. For a village or hamlet like Arpinge, the journey is planned ahead of time: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. The roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it’s safe.
- We start by hearing about any drips, overflows or damp patches.
- The eaves gutters, downpipes and fascias are looked at from ground level and vantage points.
- Any valley, parapet or box gutters are looked at as far as safe access allows.
- Where the loft can be reached safely, we check it for staining or damp.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Leave side gates unlocked
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Let us know about parking near the property
Book a survey
Booking is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or email us, let us know about the property and we’ll suggest the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.