Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Aston Rowant
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching across Aston Rowant, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Get in touch for a price.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Flaunching that has broken away
Chimney survey in Aston Rowant
Many homes have chimneys that are no longer used. Even when it isn’t used, a stack has to stay weathertight. Capping a stack without ventilation can trap moisture and lead to damp inside. Our survey looks at how each unused stack has been capped and checks the breasts for damp. You get photos of each stack and our recommendations. If you’ve noticed redundant stacks capped without ventilation and frost-damaged brickwork on the stack, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In a small place like Aston Rowant, many roofs stand in the open, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. 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. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are frequently where weather gets in first.
After the visit, you get a photo-illustrated written report, sent by email. It explains the condition of the chimney stack, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Place
- Aston Rowant (OX49)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What a chimney survey looks like in Aston Rowant
West Oxfordshire’s older buildings often carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their thatch. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. The wider area around Aston Rowant has a long history of building, with Adwell House about 2 miles west. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of St Peter and St Paul, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Aston Rowant is about 4 miles south of Thame, in Oxfordshire. Surveys in Aston Rowant work the same way as everywhere we cover: a proper look at everything that’s safely in view, photographs and a clear written report. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Aston Rowant and the places around it. There’s also a page for Oxford.
We work across OX49 for chimney surveys. We offer chimney surveys to properties on London Road, Aston Park and Aston Rowant Road and the roads around them. Close by, we survey roofs in Kingston Blount (1 mile north-east), Crowell (1 mile north-east), Lewknor (1 mile south-west), Postcombe (1 mile west) and South Weston (2 miles west). Further out, we also cover Oxford (13 miles west), Didcot (14 miles west), Abingdon-on-Thames (14 miles west), Thame (4 miles north), Henley-on-Thames (11 miles south) and Benson (8 miles south-west).
Around Aston Rowant
Around Aston Rowant, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Lambert Arms and the streets around them. Nearby you will also find Thame Community Hospital (4.3 miles north). For a walk, there’s Aston Rowant NNR and Bald Hill.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Aston Rowant
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. Surveys run on any day of the week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Aston Rowant and across Oxfordshire can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Before and after the survey
Small things make a difference. Our tips:
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Don’t use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Photograph damp patches with the date
You get the report by email and can pass it to whoever does the work. Each defect is described in plain words and shown in a photo so anyone reading it can see what we saw.
Unused stacks should be capped in a way that still lets air through. Ventilation helps keep the stack dry.
Aston Rowant: your questions answered
Will you come out to Aston Rowant?
Yes, Aston Rowant is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Is my home in Aston Rowant listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. Visible signs like deflection or sagging are recorded, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. If one is needed, the report says so.
Does someone need to be in?
Someone needs to let us in if we are looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you when you book.
How do I arrange a chimney survey in Aston Rowant?
It is easiest to phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. Tell us the address and a little about the roof, and we’ll suggest the right survey. Surveys run seven days a week.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
No. We survey the stack and its weathering, not the flue. The flue should be checked by a sweep, or by a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances.
Can you survey in bad weather?
A survey can normally go ahead in light rain. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so we will agree a new date if the weather isn’t suitable.
How the survey changes by roof type
Flaunching
Flaunching is the mortar on top of a stack that holds the pots and sheds water. Once it cracks, water can get straight into the brickwork.
Rendered stacks
Cracked render can let water in and trap it behind. Cracks are photographed and noted.
The survey, step by step
We’ll ask a few questions first, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes between one and two hours at a typical home, and longer for a large or complex roof. Somewhere as small as Aston Rowant, access is often the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before we arrive
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Arrange a survey
Not sure which survey you need? It is easiest to ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Read more
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Signs you need a chimney survey in Aston Rowant
Flaunching is the mortar bed that holds the pots and throws water off the top. Once it cracks, water gets in and frost makes the cracks bigger. In time, the pots can become loose.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Worn or missing pointing
- Signs that a stack is leaning
Anyone responsible for a site like Aston Rowant Church of England Primary School will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Questions to ask before you book
- What follow-up you get after the report
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs