Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Fernham, Oxfordshire
Not sure what state the chimney stack is in? We carry out chimney surveys in Fernham and across Oxfordshire.
- Worn or missing pointing
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
Why get it checked now?
Cracked flaunching and worn pointing are often modest repairs when they’re caught early. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks and the job gets bigger. In a small place like Fernham, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
All our prices include VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before booking.
Why book us in Fernham
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- 5,000+ surveys completed
Read our cost guide and our case studies.
How a chimney survey works in Fernham
On terraced and semi-detached houses, a chimney stack is frequently shared with next door. We look at whatever is safely visible and what the owner gives us access to. If a defect appears to be on the neighbour’s side, we note it, so you can talk to them. Everything is written up with photos and our recommendations. If you’re worried about frost-damaged brickwork on the stack and damp on a chimney breast inside, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Somewhere as small as Fernham, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, frequently 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. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs often need the most attention.
Where we cannot see part of the chimney stack, the report says so. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Place
- Fernham (SN7)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
It helps to start with what’s prompted the survey: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. That way we can focus on what matters to you. Most visits take about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Older rural homes like those around Fernham can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. Each part is looked at from wherever it can be seen safely.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- 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.
Before we arrive
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
How to book
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Read more
Can I check my roof myself?
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and falls from height are serious. That’s where a survey comes in.
More services for Fernham
FAQs for Fernham
Is Fernham in the area you cover?
Yes, Fernham is within the area we cover. Our area covers London and South East England. You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and a few details, and we will talk through which survey suits.
How do I find out if my home in Fernham is listed?
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.
Which parts of the chimney do you look at?
The whole stack, as far as it can safely be seen: from the pots and flaunching down to the flashings. Leaning, unused stacks and damp on chimney breasts are recorded too.
Does the weather affect the survey?
It can, depending on the survey. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions aren’t right, we’ll talk to you about another date.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
No. We survey the stack and its weathering, not the flue. The flue should be checked by a sweep, or by a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
There’s no single answer. The survey shows its condition and how it’s been capped. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need consent.
Do I need to be at home?
It depends on what we need to see. For inside areas and the loft space, someone has to give us access.
Tips that help
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Check your stacks from ground level after strong winds
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
Questions about the findings are always welcome. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation.
Unused stacks should be capped in a way that still lets air through. Ventilation helps keep the stack dry.
When you need someone else
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Conditions inside walls
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll tell you before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
For landlords and managing agents
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, including offices, shops and units. Bigger roofs take more time, so they’re priced to suit.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work.
Local roofs in Fernham
Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. Historic houses such as Buscot Park, about 4.3 miles north-west, show how far back building in the area around Fernham goes. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
The streets around a church such as Church of St John are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Faringdon Community College, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Fernham is about 7 miles west of Wantage, in Oxfordshire. Wherever you are in Fernham, we can carry out chimney surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Fernham is one of the places in Oxfordshire where we work for chimney surveys. Oxford is in our area too.
Chimney surveys in SN7 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. If you need a chimney survey at a property on High Street, Church Lane and The Green or anywhere close by, we can help. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Little Coxwell (1 mile north-west), Baulking (2 miles south-east), Uffington (2 miles south-east), Shellingford (2 miles north-east) and Faringdon (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Didcot (14 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (13 miles east), Witney (12 miles north), Carterton (10 miles north), Wantage (7 miles east) and Grove (7 miles east).
Near you in Fernham
Nearby you’ll also find Faringdon Castle (2.4 miles north) and Uffington Museum (1.8 miles south). Not far away are Badbury Hill.