Kent · London and the South East
Gutter survey in Ottinge, Kent
A survey of gutters, valleys, outlets and downpipes for Ottinge and the rest of Kent. Surveys run seven days a week.
- Blocked outlets and hoppers
- Dripping or leaking gutter joints
- Gutters full of debris and silt
How a gutter survey works in Ottinge
Gutters carry rain off the roof and away from the walls. When they block, leak or lose their fall, the water goes where it shouldn’t, frequently down the brickwork or into the building. Our survey looks at the whole rainwater system above ground, from eaves gutters and valleys to outlets, hoppers and downpipes. The findings go into a written report with photos. We survey valley gutters, downpipes and outlets and hoppers, and people most often book us about hoppers and outlets full of debris and rotten fascias or stained soffits.
Somewhere as small as Ottinge, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are often old. We report on what can be seen safely, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it’s normally the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
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.
- Where
- Ottinge (CT4)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Why get it checked now?
When a valley or parapet gutter blocks, the water has nowhere safe to go. It can overflow into the building typically during the worst downpours. Having them checked before autumn and winter makes sense. Older and listed buildings around Ottinge may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so leaving a defect until it’s urgent leaves less time to plan.
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all including VAT. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What you get with us
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Plain-English reports with photos
Take a look at our cost guide and what we found on two real jobs.
How the survey works
We do not take risks to get a closer look. Everything that can be seen safely is inspected, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. Most visits take about one to two hours for a house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Somewhere like Ottinge needs a little journey planning: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from the loft where there’s safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- We agree which parts of the building you are most worried about.
- We look along each run for debris, sagging and drips.
- Outlets, hoppers, downpipes and overflows are inspected.
- Fascias, soffits and the walls below are looked at for signs of overflow.
- You get photos and written recommendations, prioritised where relevant.
Preparing for the visit
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Let us know where we can park nearby
Book a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: ring 07833 053749 or email us. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Related advice
How we price gutter surveys
Survey packages start from £150, including VAT. The price for your roof depends on:
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package you pick makes a difference too. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
What we need to know
These details help when you contact us:
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
To get a price for gutter surveys in Ottinge, ring 07833 053749 or email us. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us give you an accurate price.
Ottinge questions
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Ottinge, take more of a battering?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Exposed details like ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch, and Ottinge is within about 5 miles of the coast.
Is my home in Ottinge listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
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. If you have a deadline, such as an exchange date, let us know when you book.
When is the best time for a gutter survey?
There’s no wrong time. If water is already spilling over, book sooner rather than later, because the walls take the water.
What will the report tell me?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos. The most urgent items are made clear.
Will you walk on the roof?
Not unless it’s safe. Safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where applicable cover most of what’s needed, and the report notes anything we couldn’t see.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it applies and safe. We are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where it applies.
Nearby places to Ottinge
Other services in Ottinge
Roof by roof
Cast iron gutters
Plenty of period homes still have cast iron rainwater goods. They last well when painted but corrode once the paint wears off.
Fascias and soffits
On buildings from before 2000, soffits may be asbestos cement. We flag any that could be for a specialist asbestos surveyor to check.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Ottinge
Ottinge is within about 5 miles of the coast, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. Historic houses such as Acrise Place, about 1.6 miles east, show how far back building in the area around Ottinge goes. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Take a building like Lyminge Church of England Primary School: long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. Take an older house close to Church of St Mary the Virgin: its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look. If you own a rental within reach of Sandling station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Ottinge is about 5 miles north of Hythe, in Kent. If you are in Ottinge, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Ottinge is one of the towns and villages in Kent where we work for gutter surveys. We also survey roofs in Canterbury.
All of CT4 is covered for gutter surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. You’ll find streets such as Canterbury Road, Boyke Lane and Shuttlesfield Lane. We also cover the places around Ottinge: Lyminge (1 mile south-west), Rhodes Minnis (1 mile west), Woodland (1 mile west), Skeete (2 miles south-west) and Hemsted (2 miles west). Further out, we also cover Ashford (10 miles west), Canterbury (10 miles north), Dover (9 miles east), Folkestone (5 miles south-east), Whitstable (15 miles north) and Deal (14 miles east).
Around Ottinge
The nearest railway station is Sandling station, about 3.7 miles south of the centre. A little further out are Elham Valley Countryside Centre And Railway Museum (3 miles south) and Folkestone Castle (4 miles south-east). The countryside around Ottinge includes Cheriton Hill.
Before and after the survey
Small things make a difference, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Some pointers:
- Leave gutter checks at height to someone equipped for it
- Check that downpipes are firmly fixed to the wall
- Watch ceilings under valley gutters for fresh marks
- Get the gutters cleaned out every year
How quickly the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. We email it to you once it’s done.
Have overhanging branches and climbing plants cut back from the roof using someone with the right kit. Less debris means fewer blocked outlets.
When you need someone else
To be straight with you, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Gutters out of sight from every safe viewpoint
- The inside of buried drains
- Blockages deep inside downpipes
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you before you book. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Ottinge
- Outlets and hoppers
- Downpipes
- Parapet and box gutters
- Fascias and soffits
- Eaves gutters
- Valley gutters