Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Begbroke, Oxfordshire
Chimney surveys in Begbroke from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us.
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Worn or missing pointing
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
How the survey changes by roof type
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.
Lead flashings
Where the chimney meets the roof slopes, lead flashings keep water out. The survey looks at whether the lead is tight, sound and well fixed.
Chimney survey in Begbroke: what you get
A damp patch on a chimney breast doesn’t always come from the same place. Water may be getting in at the top through cracked flaunching or an uncapped pot, through the brickwork, or at the flashings. Condensation inside an unventilated stack is another common cause. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause. You then know where to start. We’re often asked to look into flaunching that has broken away and flashings pulling away from the stack, across flaunching, brick chimney stacks and chimney pots and cowls.
In a village or hamlet like Begbroke, older cottages and farmhouses frequently sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are frequently old. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs frequently need the most attention.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the coverings down to the gutters, with a note and a photo for each point. You will see the good as well as the bad.
- Where
- Begbroke (OX5)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What a survey costs
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. You’ll know the figure before booking.
Getting in touch
Before you get in touch, it helps to have:
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Why act early in Begbroke
A small amount of repointing or new flaunching is typically a modest job. Leave it, and frost can work the stack loose, and the work grows. Matching old materials, like handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. That’s one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, how it can be seen safely and which survey you book.
Why us?
- Surveys on any day of the week
- A written report with photos
- An independent view of the roof
- Clear package prices, inc. VAT
See what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
What else we do in Begbroke
Local roofs in Begbroke
Blenheim Palace, about 2.2 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Begbroke. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Older buildings in west Oxfordshire frequently have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters.
Take a building like William Fletcher Primary School: large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. Landlords with a home close to Oxford Parkway station may find that a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Begbroke is about 6 miles north-west of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. In Begbroke, as across Oxfordshire, every roof gets the same careful survey. Our area takes in places right across Oxfordshire, large and small. Oxford is in our area too.
Surveys in OX5 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include Woodstock Road, Woodstock Road East and Woodstock Road West, all of which we cover. Other places close to Begbroke include Yarnton (1 mile south-east), Thrupp (1 mile north-east), Bladon (1 mile west), Worton (2 miles south-west) and Shipton-on-Cherwell (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Oxford (6 miles south-east), Didcot (15 miles south), Bicester (9 miles north-east), Abingdon-on-Thames (10 miles south), Witney (8 miles west) and Carterton (12 miles west).
Around Begbroke
Around Begbroke, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Gosford Hill School and The Royal Sun pub, among other places. Begbroke’s nearest station is Oxford Parkway station, about 2.3 miles south-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Acland Hospital (4.9 miles south-east) and Oxford Bus Museum (2.3 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Hook Meadow and The Trap Grounds.
What this survey can’t tell you
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Whether the flue is safe to use
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll recommend the right survey before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
Common roof problems in Begbroke
Flashings seal the gap where a stack passes through the roof. They can lift in wind, crack with age or pull out of the mortar joints. Failed flashings are one of the most common causes of damp around chimneys. Lead flashings can also be stolen.
A survey can pick up problems like:
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Cracked or missing flaunching
If you live in an older home near Church of St Philip, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
What to check before booking
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Which limits apply to the survey
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
Begbroke questions
Is Begbroke within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Oxford Parkway station?
Of course. We just need to know who will give access, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so the building owner or managing agent needs to agree access. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
No. A flue inspection, sweep or gas safety check is a separate job. We look at the stack, pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings, and damp inside, and we will say if anything suggests the flue needs checking.
Should a redundant chimney be removed?
An unused stack still needs to stay weathertight and ventilated. If it’s capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside. We check how it’s capped and its condition, so you can decide with a builder what to do.
Do you look in the roof space?
If the survey needs it and the roof space can be reached safely, yes. Please clear anything stored under the hatch.
What do I do with the report?
The report comes by email, and you decide the next step: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
What we do, step by step
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. You are welcome to ask questions while we’re there. Rural addresses near Begbroke can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We check every stack from wherever it can be seen safely.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there is access.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Book a survey
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and give us some details about the property and we will recommend the right survey. The price is agreed up front.