Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Chilswell, Oxfordshire
Chimney surveys in Chilswell from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us.
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Bricks with flaking faces
Chimney survey in Chilswell
A chimney survey is about the outside of the stack and the roof around it. It is not a flue inspection, a sweep or a gas safety check. For the flue itself, you’ll need a sweep or, for gas appliances, a Gas Safe registered engineer. If something we see points to the flue, we will say so. If you’ve noticed staining on walls around the chimney and lifted or split lead flashings, we can find out what’s behind it.
Somewhere as small as Chilswell, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. On older roofs, it’s usually the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- Chilswell (OX1)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Before and after the survey
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
You can send the report to roofers or builders for quotes. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. Early signs are easier to trace.
How we price chimney surveys
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. That comes down to:
- House, block, shop or office
- The shape of the roof and its details
- Which survey package you book
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we can help you choose.
Helping us price your survey
There is no need for technical words. It’s enough to let us know:
- Your timetable, like an exchange date
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Where the property is, with the postcode
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine; never climb up to get a better view. To get started, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
What we do, step by step
Once we have finished looking, we write up our findings as a written report with photographs, sent to you by email. On timing, most surveys take between one and two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Older roofs in small places like Chilswell can have low, tight loft spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
How to prepare
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Book a survey
Booking is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email, let us know about the property and we will explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
Advice
Why get it checked now?
For a buyer, the best time to learn about a chimney is before exchange. Once you’ve exchanged, the work is down to you. A report gives you something specific to put to the seller. Older cottages and farmhouses around Chilswell can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
Prices start from £150, inc. VAT, for a Basic Survey. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400, both including VAT. We confirm the price for your survey before booking.
Why book us in Chilswell
- Visits on any day of the week
- 20+ years’ experience
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
Take a look at our cost guide and two real surveys.
When to book a survey in Chilswell
TV aerials, satellite dishes and their brackets are often fixed to chimneys. The extra load in wind can work bricks and joints loose. We check fixings on the stack as part of the survey.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Worn or missing pointing
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
Shop and office owners around Westgate Shopping Centre may find that a roof report helps plan work around trading rather than after a leak.
Before you book anyone
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Will the report include photos?
- Is VAT included in the price?
- Their insurance cover
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Chilswell
About 2.6 miles north-east lies Holywell Manor, a reminder of how long the area around Chilswell has been built on. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years. Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
The streets around a church like Church of St Lawrence are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. Living close to Raleigh Park is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall.
Chilswell is about 3 miles south-west of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. Surveys in Chilswell work the same way as everywhere we cover: a close look at what can be seen safely, photos and a clear written report. We cover towns and villages across Oxfordshire.
We survey roofs across OX1 for chimney surveys. Other places close to Chilswell include Boars Hill (1 mile south), Hinksey Hill (1 mile east), Harcourt Hill (1 mile north), South Hinksey (1 mile north-east) and Bayworth (1 mile south). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (3 miles north-east), Didcot (8 miles south), Bicester (13 miles north-east), Abingdon-on-Thames (3 miles south), Witney (10 miles north-west) and Carterton (13 miles west).
Local landmarks in Chilswell
Around Chilswell, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Raleigh Park. The nearest railway station is Oxford station, roughly 2 miles north. Well-known places in the area include Westgate Shopping Centre (2 miles north-east) and Radcliffe Infirmary (2.6 miles north-east). The countryside around Chilswell includes Harcourt Hill and Lashford Lane Fen.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Chilswell
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps with budgets and planning.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work around your tenants.
Places near Chilswell
Other services in Chilswell
FAQs for Chilswell
How do I find out if my home in Chilswell is listed?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
I let a flat near Oxford station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that is a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Yes, where the survey calls for it and there is safe access. We look for staining, damp, daylight and signs of movement, as far as the space allows.
What causes damp on a chimney breast?
Usually it’s water getting in from outside, or condensation in a sealed stack. The survey looks at the stack, the flashings and the capping and records the likely cause.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. It is a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. Shared stacks are common on terraced and semi-detached houses. We survey what we can see safely, and note anything that seems to involve next door.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Light rain doesn’t typically stop a survey. 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.