Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Farnborough, Oxfordshire
Know where you stand with the chimney stack before you spend money on it. Chimney surveys in Farnborough, with photographs and a clear written report.
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- A stack that appears to lean
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
Chimney surveys around Farnborough
Older buildings in west Oxfordshire frequently have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. If your home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission, so the council is the place to ask.
Take an older house close to Church of All Saints: corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Farnborough is about 4 miles south-east of Wantage, in Oxfordshire. We provide chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Farnborough and the surrounding area. Farnborough is one of the places in Oxfordshire we cover for chimney surveys. There’s also a page for Oxford.
Every address in OX12 is covered for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We also cover Catmore (2 miles south-east), Brightwalton (2 miles south), Brightwalton Green (2 miles south), West Ilsley (3 miles east) and Stanmore (3 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Didcot (8 miles north-east), Abingdon-on-Thames (11 miles north), Wantage (4 miles north-west), Grove (6 miles north-west), Faringdon (12 miles north-west) and Benson (13 miles north-east).
What’s near Farnborough
A little further out are Atlas Computer Laboratory (3.8 miles north-east). The countryside around Farnborough includes Letcombe Valley and Chain Hill.
Chimney survey in Farnborough
Many terraced and semi-detached homes share their chimney stacks with a neighbour. We inspect the parts we can see safely and the parts the owner gives us access to. Where a problem seems to involve a neighbour’s side, the report records it, so you can talk to them. Everything is written up with photos and our recommendations. If you are worried about flashings pulling away from the stack and a stack that appears to lean, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In a small place like Farnborough, 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. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are frequently the first to give way.
It is not only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend.
- Place
- Farnborough (OX12)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
The survey, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we listen to what’s been worrying you, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Somewhere like Farnborough needs a little journey planning: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect everything that’s safely in view, inside and out.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- 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.
How to prepare
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
How to book
A quick phone call is typically the easiest start: call 07833 053749 or drop us an email, and we’ll ask about the building and what you need. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Advice
Surveys for landlords and agents in Farnborough
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords. Larger roofs take longer, and they’re priced for the size.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out in order of urgency where relevant, which helps when budgeting.
When you need someone else
Before you book, it’s worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- Areas we cannot view from safe positions
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Hidden damage within the stack
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will suggest the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
What we look at
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
Signs you need a chimney survey in Farnborough
TV aerials, satellite dishes and their brackets are often fixed to chimneys. Their weight and the wind on them can loosen bricks and pointing. We check fixings on the stack as part of the survey.
People typically book a survey after spotting one of these:
- A stack that appears to lean
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
In and around Farnborough, as anywhere, a roof is easiest to deal with when its problems are found early.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- What exactly goes into their report
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- How long the report takes to arrive
Questions from Farnborough
Do you carry out roof surveys in Farnborough?
Yes, Farnborough is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Farnborough as anywhere else.
Is my home in Farnborough listed or in a conservation area?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Is a leaning chimney dangerous?
Don’t ignore it. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down. The survey records what we can see, and a structural engineer can assess whether it needs work.
What insurance do you have?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability.
What happens next?
We email you the written report with photographs and recommendations. You can use it to talk to a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent, whichever applies.
What’s the best way to book?
To book, call 07833 053749 or email us and tell us the address and what you want to find out. We’ll confirm the price and agree a day with you.
Do I need to be at home?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that in advance, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Useful tips for Farnborough property owners
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- 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
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
The report is emailed to you, ready to share with a roofer or builder. Each defect is described in plain words and shown in a photo, so it’s easy to follow.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. Small repairs now can save bigger work later.
Leave it or get it looked at?
If you’re buying, find out about the stacks before you exchange. After that, any work is yours to arrange and pay for. A report gives you something specific to put to the seller. Outbuildings and barns around Farnborough are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. It is worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
We offer three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, all inc. VAT. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What you get with us
- Plain-English reports with photos
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
- Clear package prices, inc. VAT
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and our case studies.