Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Cothill
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Cothill. We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Worn or missing pointing
- A stack that appears to lean
How a chimney survey works in Cothill
Our survey covers the structure of the stack and its weathering details. It isn’t a flue inspection, a sweep or a gas safety check. For the flue itself, you will need a sweep or, for gas appliances, a Gas Safe registered engineer. If something we see points to the flue, we will say so. Typical surveys look at pots or cowls that look unsafe and staining on walls around the chimney, on shared and party-wall stacks, brick chimney stacks and flaunching.
Somewhere as small as Cothill, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are often old. 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 is typically the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
The report doesn’t just list problems. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend.
- Location
- Cothill (OX13)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, with the most urgent items set out first.
What we are asked to look at in Cothill
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Flue gases and damp can break down the mortar, sometimes more on one side than the other, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
Common reasons to book include:
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- A stack that appears to lean
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Dry Sandford Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- What follow-up you get after the report
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
Places near Cothill
Also in Cothill
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings
Some older stacks have mortar fillets instead of lead. They tend to crack, so we check them closely.
Brick stacks
Older brick stacks often have soft lime mortar. Repairs should suit the original materials, which we mention where relevant.
Cothill: your questions answered
I let a flat near Radley station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and a few details, including who will give access on the day.
Is Cothill within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We survey roofs across London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. Access is agreed with you as you book.
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. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Does the report include photographs?
Yes, plenty. Each finding is shown in a picture where possible, which makes the report easy to follow.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. We check everything that can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the loft space, from the roof itself where safe and by drone where applicable. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
What’s the best way to book?
It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Let us know the address and a little about the roof. We survey on any day of the week.
Tips that help
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
After the visit, we write up the report with photos of each stack. It explains the condition of each part of the stack and any damp inside. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24 to 48 hours and Premium reports the same day.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
Chimney surveys around Cothill
Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often 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. About 1.8 miles north-west lies Appleton Manor, a reminder of how long the area around Cothill has been built on. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Landlords with a home close to Radley station may find that the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at. Take an older house close to Church of St Helen: its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Cothill is about 2 miles north-west of Abingdon-on-Thames, in Oxfordshire. If you’re in Cothill, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Our area takes in places right across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. There is also a page for Oxford.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: OX13. Other places close to Cothill include Dry Sandford (1 mile north-east), Shippon (1 mile south-east), Frilford Heath (1 mile south-west), Tubney (2 miles west) and Marcham (2 miles south). We also work in nearby towns such as Oxford (6 miles north-east), Didcot (7 miles south-east), Witney (10 miles north-west), Carterton (12 miles north-west), Wantage (8 miles south-west) and Grove (7 miles south-west).
Local landmarks in Cothill
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Merry Miller pub and Larkmead School. The nearest railway station is Radley station, about 3.9 miles east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Abingdon Community Hospital (2 miles south-east) and FitzHarris Castle (2.4 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Cumnor Hill and Dry Sandford Pit.
How the survey works
It’s useful to start with what’s prompted the survey: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. Most visits take about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Older roofs in small places like Cothill can have low, tight loft spaces, so it is useful to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- 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 loft space.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
How to book
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Read more
What this survey cannot tell you
A survey is a proper look at the chimney stack, but it can’t do everything. Its limits include:
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Parts of the stack that can’t be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we cannot access
- Conditions inside walls
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll tell you. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings