Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Bradwell, Oxfordshire
An experienced roof surveyor for chimney surveys in Bradwell. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and the South East.
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Bricks with flaking faces
Chimney survey in Bradwell: what you get
Redundant chimneys are common, particularly where fires have been replaced by central heating. 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. The report sets out what we found and what we recommend. Common reasons to book are spalled or crumbling bricks and pots or cowls that look unsafe, on shared and party-wall stacks, flaunching and chimney breasts.
Older buildings in small places like Bradwell may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
Nothing in the report is left vague: where something needs attention, it says so plainly.
- Where
- Bradwell (OX18)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Should I look at the roof myself first?
It is useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us as you book and it will help the survey.
You can learn a lot from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
What we do, step by step
Before we start, tell us why you’ve booked: 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 house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Rural addresses near Bradwell 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. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the roof space.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Check we can get to the back of the property
Arrange a survey
We survey roofs on weekdays and at weekends. To find a date that works for you, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and the days you’d prefer.
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Prices for chimney surveys in Bradwell
We confirm the price for your survey before booking. This is what makes a difference:
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
Prices start from £150, with VAT included, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400. You’ll know the price for your roof before booking.
Booking your survey
If you can, have these to hand when you contact us:
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- What made you get in touch
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Anything about access we should know
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from ground level or a window, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To get started, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Loose pots and bricks on a stack are a safety concern. Finding them early means they can be dealt with before they come down by a suitable contractor. Around Bradwell, older homes often have old roof timbers, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package matters as well. The price is always agreed first.
Why book us in Bradwell
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Clear package prices, inc. VAT
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
Take a look at what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
When to book a survey in Bradwell
Many chimneys are no longer used. If a stack is capped or blocked without ventilation, moisture can build up inside. Damp patches can appear on chimney breasts even when nothing is leaking.
We are often asked to look at:
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St Mary, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Before you book anyone
- What they will not be able to tell you
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Will the report include photos?
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
What else we do in Bradwell
Before and after the survey
Getting the most from a chimney survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
Once we have been, the findings are written up with photos. It covers the pots, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings, and any damp we found inside. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24 to 48 hours and Premium reports the same day.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. Early signs are easier to trace.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Bradwell
There are about 500,000 buildings on England’s list of listed buildings, and around 10,000 conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, so the council is the place to ask. Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Burford School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Bradwell is about 2 miles west of Carterton, in Oxfordshire. We survey roofs in Bradwell and the rest of Oxfordshire, as part of our work across London and South East England. We cover towns and villages across Oxfordshire. Oxford is in our area too.
Chimney surveys in OX18 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Local streets include Woodside Drive, Glissard Way and Birch Drive, all of which we cover. If you’re just outside Bradwell, we cover Shilton (1 mile east), Kencot (3 miles south-east) and Alvescot (3 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Witney (7 miles east), Grove (15 miles south-east), Faringdon (9 miles south), Chipping Norton (12 miles north), Woodstock (14 miles east) and Cogges (7 miles east).
Around Bradwell
A little further out are Swinford Museum (3 miles south) and Bronze Age Bowl Barrow (3.9 miles south-east).
Bradwell questions
Do you cover smaller places like Bradwell?
Yes, Bradwell is covered. We work right across London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Is Bradwell in the area you cover?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos.
How long is the visit?
It normally takes about 1–2 hours for a house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. You’ll then get the report by email, on the timescale of your package.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Normally, if there’s one and it can be reached safely. The loft space can show things the outside cannot, such as damp timbers, staining or daylight.
My chimney looks like it is leaning. What should I do?
Have it checked rather than leaving it. Leaning often comes from mortar breaking down unevenly. We record its condition with photos, and a structural engineer can assess whether it needs work.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
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.