Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Fingest, Oxfordshire
Chimney surveys in Fingest, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Bricks with flaking faces
Fingest: your questions answered
I let a flat near Saunderton station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that’s a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
How do I find out if my home in Fingest is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. If a 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.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
It depends on its condition and your plans. We record how the stack is doing and whether it is capped with ventilation. If you’re thinking of removing it, check with the council first in a conservation area or on a listed building.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but we don’t provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. The report will say if you need an engineer.
Do you look in the loft space?
If the survey needs it and the loft space can be reached safely, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day. Let us know your preferred days when booking.
When does the report arrive?
Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24–48 hours and Premium reports on the same day. Each one is emailed, ready to forward.
Chimney survey in Fingest: what you get
We inspect chimneys from wherever they can safely be seen: from the ground, from windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there is access. With our Premium Survey, a drone inspection is included where it applies. Where part of a stack cannot be seen, the report says so. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. If you’ve noticed a stack that appears to lean and pots or cowls that look unsafe, we can find out what’s behind it, on lead flashings, chimney breasts and chimney pots and cowls alike.
Older buildings in small places like Fingest may be listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Older materials like clay tiles, slate and stone are frequently matched when work is done.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Where
- Fingest (RG9)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Practical tips
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
You can send the report to roofers or builders for quotes. Because everyone is pricing the same findings, the quotes are easier to compare.
Unused stacks should be capped in a way that still lets air through. That helps stop damp building up inside.
Chimney surveys around Fingest
Stonor Park, about 2.5 miles south-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Fingest. If yours is one of the older homes, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often 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.
If you let a flat or house near Saunderton station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. If you look after a building such as Cadmore End CofE School, large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Fingest is about 5 miles north-west of Marlow, in Oxfordshire. We survey roofs in Fingest across London and South East England. Our area takes in places right across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Reading.
Every address in RG9 is covered for chimney surveys. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Turville (1 mile west), Little Frieth (1 mile south-east), Cadmore End (1 mile north-east), Frieth (1 mile south-east) and Bolter End (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Thame (10 miles north-west), Henley-on-Thames (6 miles south), Benson (10 miles west), Chinnor (6 miles north), Tilehurst (13 miles south-west) and Wallingford (11 miles west).
Around Fingest
We work in homes and buildings around The Chequers Inn. For rail, the closest station is Saunderton station, roughly 4.8 miles north-east. A little further out are Wycombe Hospital (5.4 miles east). Not far away are Warburg Nature Reserve and Bald Hill.
Why it’s worth a survey now in Fingest
A loose pot or brick can fall from height. A survey picks them out so they can be made safe by a suitable contractor. In a place like Fingest, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, how it can safely be seen and which survey you book.
What you get with us
- Visits on any day of the week
- 20+ years’ experience
- A photo-illustrated written report
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
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
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
Places near Fingest
What else we do in Fingest
How the survey works
We’ll ask a few questions first, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes about 1–2 hours for most houses, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Around Fingest, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
How to prepare
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Tell us where we can park nearby
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
Arrange a survey
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Read more
Roof by roof
Flaunching
We often find flaunching that has cracked or broken away. It is usually a modest repair when it is caught early.
Brick stacks
Many older stacks were built with lime mortar. We note where repairs should match the original mortar.
Common roof problems in Fingest
Flashings seal the gap where a stack passes through the roof. With age they can lift, split or come away from the joints. Failed flashings are one of the most common causes of damp around chimneys. Lead is also a target for theft.
Common reasons to book include:
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- A chimney out of line
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
If you live in an older home near Church of St Bartholomew, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- How soon the report will arrive
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Will the report include photos?
- Whether VAT is added on top