Kent · London and the South East
Small Hythe Roof Leak Investigation
We take a careful look at the leaking roof at your property in Small Hythe, with photos and a written report.
- Damp on a chimney breast
- Leaks that appear only in driving rain
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
DIY checks: what’s safe
You can learn a lot from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Roof leak investigation in Small Hythe: what you get
Some ‘leaks’ are not leaks at all. In a badly ventilated roof space, condensation can form under the roof and drip, and the stains look much like a leak. Knowing which it is means the right fix can be done, since the cure for one will not solve the other. We check the pattern of damp, the weather and the ventilation before reaching a view. Common reasons to book are drips in the loft during heavy rain and water marks that spread in wet weather, across the roof space, lead flashings and valleys and parapet gutters.
Roofs in small places like Small Hythe often stand in the open, so storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hard. Damp in old stone, brick or timber walls is slow to dry out, so it pays to find the cause quickly. A record with photographs is useful if you need to show the damage to anyone else.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent.
- Location
- Small Hythe (TN30)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Places near Small Hythe
More services for Small Hythe
Small Hythe: your questions answered
Is my home in Small Hythe listed or in a conservation area?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Will you come out to Small Hythe?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning. Mention it when you get in touch and we will explain what’s needed.
How quickly is the report sent?
Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24–48 hours and Premium reports on the same day. Each one is emailed, ready to forward.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where applicable and safe. We are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. It’s included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where applicable, the Premium Survey.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
Could my leak actually be condensation?
Condensation can look very like a leak. Widespread damp on the underside of the roof in cold weather, with blocked vents, suggests condensation. We check the pattern of damp and the ventilation, then say which is most likely.
How the survey changes by roof type
Valleys
Debris in a valley slows the water and pushes it sideways. During a downpour, water can back up under the coverings.
Chimney stacks
Chimneys let water in through pointing, flaunching, flashings and open pots. Each is checked from each safe vantage point.
What this survey cannot tell you
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Faults hidden behind ceilings or boarding
- Leaks that only appear in weather we cannot recreate
- Putting the leak right
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Flat roof details
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Slate and tile slopes
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Lead flashings
- Rooflights and dormers
The survey, step by step
We look at the roof from outside and, where it is relevant and there is safe access, from inside the loft space too. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging. All in, the survey typically takes roughly 1–2 hours for a house, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Somewhere like Small Hythe needs a little journey planning: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect everything that’s safely in view, inside and out.
- You tell us where the water appears, when, and what the weather was doing.
- Inside, we look at the stain and the ceiling around it.
- In the loft, we follow any signs of water back towards the roof.
- We inspect the likely entry points outside, from ground level, windows and the roof where safe.
- You receive a report with the likely source, photos and recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Book a survey
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price before booking.
Read more
What we’re asked to look at in Small Hythe
Chimneys can let water in by several routes. Water can enter through crumbling mortar, cracked flaunching, worn flashings or uncapped pots. It can show up on the chimney breast, nearby ceilings or in the roof space.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
- Condensation that looks like a leak
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
Take a building like Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre: tracing a leak on a big roof starts with where the water appears and works back.
Before you book anyone
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Their report turnaround times
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Leaks and storm damage in Small Hythe
Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. You will also find oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses among the county’s older buildings. The covering and its details give the first clues when tracing where water is coming from. Historic houses like Smallhythe Place, about 0.2 miles south, show how far back building in the area around Small Hythe goes. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years.
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of St John the Baptist, water on an older roof tends to find its way in at the lead, the valleys or the chimney.
Small Hythe is about 10 miles south-west of Ashford, in Kent. Small Hythe gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Our area takes in places right across Kent. There is also a page for Maidstone.
Surveys in TN30 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Other places close to Small Hythe include Broad Tenterden (1 mile north), Tenterden (2 miles north), Strood (2 miles north-west), Rolvenden Layne (3 miles west) and Rolvenden (3 miles west). We also work in nearby towns such as Ashford (10 miles north-east), Park Wood (15 miles north-west), Kennington (12 miles north-east), New Romney (11 miles east), Staplehurst (11 miles north-west) and Stanhope (9 miles north-east).
What’s near Small Hythe
Other landmarks nearby include Benenden Hospital (4.8 miles north-west) and Smallhythe Place (under half a mile south). For a walk, there is Flatropers Wood.
Tips that help
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Check whether pipes or tanks run near the stain
- Catch drips in a bucket and protect the floor
- Write down the wind direction and rain when it leaks
- Let us know what has already been tried
With the Standard Survey you get a follow-up consultation, and Premium includes an in-person consultation. You can ask us about anything that isn’t clear.
Check the loft after heavy rain, with care and a good torch. Watch for water marks, wet underlay and damp wood. Take photos of anything that changes.