Kent · London and the South East
Gutter survey in Sholden, Kent
A survey of gutters, valleys, outlets and downpipes in Sholden. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Sagging gutters and loose brackets
- Leaking or loose downpipes
- Gutters packed with leaves or moss
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
Gutter survey in Sholden
We look at the rainwater system above ground level, from the gutters down to where the downpipes meet the ground. It’s not a CCTV drain survey, so we cannot see inside underground pipes. Where water seems to be backing up from below ground, we will say so in the report, so you can get the drains checked separately. Anything we find above ground, such as a split hopper or a leaking downpipe, is photographed and recorded. Common reasons to book are water spilling over the gutter edge and downpipes that are split or coming away, on fascias and soffits, downpipes and parapet and box gutters.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are frequently the first to give way.
Findings are set out part by part, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets. It records what’s sound as well as what isn’t.
- Place
- Sholden (CT14)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Places near Sholden
More services for Sholden
What happens on the day
There is not much for you to do on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, like stains, drips or loose pieces, and we will get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. For a village or hamlet like Sholden, the journey is planned in advance: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- First, we agree the areas to focus on.
- Each gutter run is checked for blockages, sags and leaking joints.
- Outlets, hoppers, downpipes and overflows are inspected.
- We check fascias, soffits and walls for water damage.
- Findings are photographed and set out in a written report.
Getting ready for the survey
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Getting a price
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know the cost up front. Prices start from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Gutter surveys in Sholden: local notes
Sholden lies within about 2 miles of the sea, 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. Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. The county’s older buildings also include oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
If you live in an older home near Church of St Nicholas, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs. If you let a flat or house near Deal station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Sholden is about 1 mile north-west of Deal, in Kent. We visit Sholden as part of our work across Kent, for homes and businesses alike. Sholden is one of the places in Kent we cover for gutter surveys. We also survey roofs in Canterbury.
All of CT14 is covered for gutter surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. If you need a gutter survey at a property on The Street, London Road and Colmanton Grove or anywhere close by, we can help. Other places close to Sholden include Sholden Meadows (1 mile west), Mill Hill (1 mile south), Great Mongeham (1 mile south-west), Deal (1 mile south-east) and Finglesham (1 mile north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Canterbury (13 miles west), Margate (11 miles north), Dover (7 miles south-west), Folkestone (13 miles south-west), Ramsgate (8 miles north) and Broadstairs (10 miles north).
Landmarks near Sholden
Typical jobs here are in homes near Betteshanger Park, Castle Community College and The Magnet pub, among other places. Sholden’s nearest station is Deal station, about 1.1 miles east of the centre. A little further out are Deal Castle (1.4 miles east) and Kent Museum of the Moving Image (1.2 miles east). For a walk, there’s Monk's Wall nature reserve.
What happens if roof problems are left?
When a valley or parapet gutter blocks, the water has nowhere safe to go. It can back up into the roof space and the rooms below typically during the worst downpours. Having them checked before autumn and winter makes sense. For older village homes like those around Sholden, the right replacement materials aren’t always easy to find quickly. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
Why us?
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Surveys seven days a week
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Read our cost guide and two real surveys.
Signs you need a gutter survey in Sholden
Leaves are behind most blocked gutters. Every autumn, trees fill gutters with leaves, twigs and seeds and the debris builds up at the outlets. Once an outlet is choked, the gutter fills and overflows.
Typical things we are asked to look at include:
- Gutters full of debris and silt
- Leaks at the gutter joints
- Gutters that have fallen out of line
- Fascia boards damaged by overflowing water
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Sholden Church of England Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
What to check before booking
- How soon the report will arrive
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
Sholden: your questions answered
How do I find out if my home in Sholden is listed?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Is the coastal weather around Sholden hard on roofs?
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.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. It’s 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.
What’s in the survey report?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, backed by photos. It also says if any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely.
Can you tell me if my old gutters contain asbestos?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos testing. If rainwater goods or soffits look like they could contain asbestos, we note it and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
What happens after the survey?
You will receive the report by email, and what you do next is up to you: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
Does someone need to be in?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the loft space, someone has to give us access; we’ll agree the details as you book.
Practical tips
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Get the gutters cleaned out every year
- Look for new stains on ceilings below valleys after rain
- Check that downpipes are firmly fixed to the wall
- Ask for valleys and parapet gutters to be cleared too
Where the evidence points to drains below ground, the report says so, so a drain survey can be arranged. We also note anything else we spot on the roof while we’re there.
Don’t forget valley, parapet and box gutters. They collect leaves and silt just like eaves gutters but they’re much harder to spot, so ask for them to be included when gutters are cleared.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photographs included.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work around your tenants.