Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Clifton Chimney Survey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching around Clifton, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- A stack that appears to lean
About our chimney survey in Clifton
If a chimney looks out of line, it is worth getting it checked. A stack may lean because the mortar on one side has weakened, which can happen over many years of use. We record the lean and the condition of the brickwork and pointing. Where it may be a structural concern, we’ll recommend a structural engineer. If you are worried about flaunching that has broken away and worn or missing pointing, we can find out what’s behind it, on shared and party-wall stacks, flaunching and brick chimney stacks alike.
In a small place like Clifton, many roofs stand in the open, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. 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.
You receive the findings by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Location
- Clifton (OX15)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Tell us about it when booking and we will plan the survey around it.
What we can’t see
Every survey has limits, and we’d rather be clear about that before you book. Bear these in mind:
- Areas we cannot view from safe positions
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- A structural engineer’s assessment
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll tell you before you book. The full list of what we check.
What we check
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
What you can safely check yourself
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, which helps when we check the roof.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
How the survey changes by roof type
Rendered stacks
We cannot see the bricks behind render without it being opened up, so the report explains what we could and couldn’t assess.
Brick stacks
Frost can damage bricks that have soaked up water, making the faces flake away. Any spalling is noted with photos.
Tips from our surveys
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Do not use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
If the report recommends a structural engineer, a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer, it will say why. It gives them a clear starting point.
Get small mortar repairs done while they’re small. It is far simpler than rebuilding a stack later.
Places near Clifton
Other services in Clifton
Clifton questions
Is Clifton within the area you cover?
Yes. Clifton is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Is my home in Clifton listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We carry out surveys on weekdays and at weekends. To find a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Will I get photos?
Yes, every report has them. Pictures sit next to the findings they show.
Do you look in the loft space?
If it is needed and safe to reach, yes. We look for staining, damp, daylight and signs of movement, as far as the space allows.
Which parts of the chimney do you look at?
The survey covers the pots and cowls, the flaunching, the pointing, the bricks and the flashings. We also check chimney breasts and the stack in the roof space where we can reach. Everything is written up with photos.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
Yes. We look at the parts we can see safely and the parts you can give us access to. If a defect seems to be on your neighbour’s side, the report records it and you can raise it with them.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Clifton
England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. 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. Older buildings in west Oxfordshire frequently have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
For landlords with property near Kings Sutton station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak. Whatever the street in Clifton, a roof costs least to look after when faults are caught early.
Clifton is about 6 miles south-east of Banbury, in Oxfordshire. If you’re in Clifton, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Clifton is one of the places in Oxfordshire we cover for chimney surveys. Our Oxford page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in OX15 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Local streets include County View, Tithe Lane and Clifton Road. We also cover the places around Clifton: Somerton (2 miles south), Souldern (2 miles east), Fritwell (3 miles south-east) and Upper Heyford (4 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Banbury (6 miles north-west), Bicester (8 miles south-east), Kidlington (11 miles south), Bure Park (8 miles south-east), Chipping Norton (11 miles west) and Headington (15 miles south).
Near you in Clifton
Around Clifton, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Duke Of Cumberlands Head Public House. The nearest railway station is Kings Sutton station, roughly 2.7 miles north. Other landmarks nearby include Horton General Hospital (5.3 miles north) and Deddington Castle (1.1 miles west).
The survey, step by step
Photographs are taken throughout the visit, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available, including by drone where it’s applicable and the weather allows. A typical visit takes roughly 1–2 hours for most houses; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. In a small place like Clifton, access is normally the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- You tell us how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can be seen safely.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Where there’s safe access, we check the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
Before the survey
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
Booking a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from ground level or a window, and please do not climb up for a closer look. To get started, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.