Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Dane Hill, Oxfordshire
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Dane Hill, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
Chimney survey in Dane Hill
If you are buying a home with chimneys, it’s worth knowing their condition before you exchange. Cracked flaunching, failed flashings and worn pointing are common findings on older stacks. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. Typical surveys look at damaged chimney pots and cowls and lifted or split lead flashings, on lead flashings, brick chimney stacks and shared and party-wall stacks.
In a village or hamlet like Dane Hill, older cottages and farmhouses often sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few 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 normally the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, sent by email. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Location
- Dane Hill (OX25)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Practical tips
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
Many people use the report to get quotes for the work. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
Places near Dane Hill
Also in Dane Hill
How we price chimney surveys
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. That comes down to:
- Height and safe access
- Which survey package you book
- How big the roof is
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
For a price for your roof in Dane Hill, call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a few details. We’ll confirm the figure before booking.
What to let us know when you get in touch
There is no need for technical words. Just let us know:
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- What made you get in touch
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Questions from Dane Hill
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Heyford station?
Of course. We just need to know who will give access, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Will you come out to Dane Hill?
Yes. Dane Hill is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We survey roofs across London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
How do I arrange a chimney survey in Dane Hill?
To book, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know the address and what you want to find out. We will confirm the price and find a day that suits.
Do you need to go on the roof to check the chimney?
We inspect from wherever is safe: from the ground, windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there’s access. Our Premium Survey includes a drone inspection where it applies. We note anything we couldn’t see.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey seven days a week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Just tell us the days that suit you.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We point out what can be seen, such as sagging or deflection, but we don’t carry out calculations or give an engineer’s opinion. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
How the survey works
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the chimney stack as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photos go into the written report. The visit usually takes roughly 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Around Dane Hill, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it’s safe.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Preparing for the visit
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Check we can get to the back of the property
How to book
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We’ll confirm the price before you book.
Related advice
When to book a survey in Dane Hill
Stacks that were used for open fires for many years can weaken from the inside. 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.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- A stack that appears to lean
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
If you let a flat or house near Heyford station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- Their report turnaround times
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
What this survey can’t tell you
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- Hidden damage within the stack
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer before you book. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
What a chimney survey looks like in Dane Hill
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. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look. If your home is older, it’s worth knowing whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before planning roof work. Listed building consent covers changes to a listed building’s special interest, and an Article 4 direction can bring extra controls in a conservation area.
The streets around a church such as Church of St Mary are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Dane Hill is about 7 miles south of Banbury, in Oxfordshire. We cover Dane Hill and the rest of Oxfordshire, as part of our work across London and the South East. Dane Hill is one of the places in Oxfordshire we cover for chimney surveys. We also survey roofs in Oxford.
Every address in OX25 is covered for chimney surveys. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include North Aston (1 mile east), Duns Tew (1 mile south-west), Middle Aston (2 miles south), Deddington (2 miles north) and Hempton (2 miles north-west). Further out, we also cover Oxford (15 miles south), Banbury (7 miles north), Bicester (8 miles south-east), Witney (14 miles south-west), Kidlington (10 miles south) and Headington Quarry (15 miles south).
Around Dane Hill
Dane Hill’s nearest station is Heyford station, about 3 miles south of the centre. A little further out are Deddington Castle (1.4 miles north).
Roof by roof
Chimney pots and cowls
On redundant flues, we check how the pots are capped. Capping without ventilation can trap moisture.
Flaunching
The sloping mortar around the pots is called flaunching. Cracks in it let water into the stack.