Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Ardley, Oxfordshire
We take a careful look at the chimney stack at your property in Ardley, and put it all in a written report with photos.
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- A stack that appears to lean
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
Chimney survey in Ardley: what you get
If you are buying a home with chimneys, it is worth knowing their condition before you exchange. Cracked flaunching, failed flashings and worn pointing are common findings on older stacks. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It works alongside a RICS home survey, not instead of one. Typical surveys look at mortar washing out of the joints and a chimney out of line, on flaunching, chimney breasts and shared and party-wall stacks.
Somewhere as small as Ardley, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are frequently old. We report on everything that’s safely in view, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it is normally the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Ardley (OX27)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Do you need a chimney survey in Ardley?
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Mortar can deteriorate unevenly from flue gases and moisture, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Signs that a stack is leaning
If you let a flat or house near Bicester North station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
What to check before booking
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Will the report include photos?
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
How the survey works
It helps to start with what’s prompted the survey: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. That way we can focus on what matters to you. Most visits take an hour or two at a typical home, or half a day or so for a commercial building. In a small place like Ardley, access is usually the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Getting ready for the survey
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Let us know about parking near the property
How to book
To get a price for chimney surveys in Ardley, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us give you an accurate price.
Advice
Surveys for landlords and agents in Ardley
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Ardley. To discuss a property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed beforehand. We survey on any day of the week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Ardley homes and their roofs
Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. To find out, check Historic England’s list and ask the council about conservation areas. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent. West Oxfordshire’s older buildings often carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their thatch. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Whatever the covering, it is frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of St Mary, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Ardley is about 4 miles north-west of Bicester, in Oxfordshire. We visit Ardley as part of our work across Oxfordshire, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. We cover towns and villages across Oxfordshire, large and small. For surveys nearby, see our Oxford page.
We cover every part of OX27 for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on Church Road, Station Road and Somerton Road or a nearby road, we can survey it. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Fewcott (1 mile north-west), Fritwell (1 mile north-west), Upper Heyford (2 miles south-west), Middleton Stoney (2 miles south) and Souldern (3 miles north-west). Further out, we also cover Oxford (13 miles south), Banbury (10 miles north-west), Bicester (4 miles south-east), Kidlington (9 miles south), Headington Quarry (13 miles south) and Bure Park (3 miles south-east).
Near you in Ardley
We work in homes and buildings around The Fox and Hounds pub. The nearest railway station is Bicester North station, about 3.8 miles south-east of the centre. A little further out are Ardley Castle (under half a mile west) and Bicester Community Hospital (3.9 miles south-east). For a walk, there is Graven Hill.
Nearby places to Ardley
Other services in Ardley
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney breasts and the loft
Where a breast has been taken out, we look at what supports the stack. Confirming the support is a job for a structural engineer.
Brick stacks
Brick stacks rely on sound pointing to keep water out. We check the bricks for spalling and the joints for erosion.
Useful tips for Ardley property owners
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
Questions about the findings are always welcome. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. Small repairs now can save bigger work later.
Your questions about chimney surveys in Ardley
Can a landlord with a rental near Bicester North station book a roof survey?
Yes, landlords and letting agents book with us as well as owners. You can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and some details.
Is Ardley within the area you cover?
Yes, Ardley is covered. We work right across London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only when it is safe. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. Safe viewpoints, the loft and a drone where applicable let us see the rest, and the report records anything we couldn’t see.
How many surveys have you done?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it is applicable. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
When does the report arrive?
That depends on the survey you book: the Basic Survey report arrives within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey the same day. Reports are sent by email.
Which parts of the chimney do you look at?
The whole stack, as far as it can safely be seen: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings. Leaning, unused stacks and damp on chimney breasts are recorded too.
Can I check my roof myself?
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey.
A lot can be seen 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.