Hampshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Finkley, Hampshire
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Finkley. We have completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Finkley
If a chimney looks out of line, it’s worth getting it checked. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down, often after years of flue gases and damp. The survey notes how the stack looks, how far it seems to lean and the state of the bricks and joints. If the stack looks like a structural issue, the report recommends a structural engineer. If you’ve noticed disused chimneys trapping moisture and damp patches on chimney breasts, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Somewhere as small as Finkley, homes are frequently 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. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs often need the most attention.
Most points in the report come with a picture, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Where
- Finkley (SP11)
- Wider area
- Hampshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings
Some older stacks have mortar fillets instead of lead. They tend to crack, so we look at them closely.
Rendered stacks
We can’t see the bricks behind render without it being opened up, so the report says what can and cannot be judged.
Local roofs in Finkley
Some Hampshire villages still have thatched roofs. Older houses in the South East frequently have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look. An older home may be listed, or stand in a conservation area. To find out, check Historic England’s list and ask the council about conservation areas. Re-roofing in different materials may need permission there.
If you let a flat or house near Andover station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak. Take a building like Smannell and Enham Church of England (Aided) Primary School: large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Finkley is about 2 miles north-east of Andover, in Hampshire. We survey roofs in Finkley and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and South East England. Our area takes in places right across Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Our Southampton page covers surveys nearby.
We work across the SP11 postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. If you’re just outside Finkley, we cover Smannell (1 mile north-west), Finkley Down (1 mile south), Picket Piece (1 mile south-east), East Anton (1 mile south-west) and Little London (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include Basingstoke (15 miles east), Winchester (13 miles south-east), Hyde (13 miles south-east), Tidworth (9 miles west), Weeke (12 miles south-east) and Kempshott (13 miles east).
What’s near Finkley
In Finkley, that means homes and buildings near The Oak pub and Winton Community Academy. The nearest railway station is Andover station, roughly 2.4 miles south-west of the centre. A little further out are Finkley Down Farm Museum (0.8 miles south) and Andover War Memorial Hospital (2.4 miles south-west). The countryside around Finkley includes Mill Lake and Anton Lakes.
Checking the roof from the ground
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. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
You can learn a lot from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
How we price chimney surveys
Our packages start from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- The roof’s overall size
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all with VAT included. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Getting in touch
You don’t need to know any roofing terms. It’s enough to tell us:
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
Once you know what you need, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
Common roof problems in Finkley
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 can make a stack lean.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Christ Church, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- What insurance they carry
Practical tips
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
Questions about the findings are always welcome. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation.
Have aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked, and moved if they’re working it loose. Less load on the stack means less strain in wind.
How the survey works
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from each safe vantage point, take photos as we go and make notes for the report. Most visits take about one to two hours for a house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Cottages and farmhouses around Finkley often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We check every stack from wherever it can be seen safely.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there’s access.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Book a survey
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or email us to find out.
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Common questions in Finkley
Do you cover smaller places like Finkley?
Yes. Finkley is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Andover station?
Yes, letting agents and landlords book with us as well as owners. You can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and a few details.
Do you inspect the flue?
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.
What causes damp on a chimney breast?
Normally it’s water getting in from outside, or condensation in a sealed stack. The survey looks at the stack, the flashings and the capping, and record what we find.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not unless it is safe. Safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where it applies cover most of what’s needed, and anything out of sight is recorded in the report.
Does someone need to be in?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. We’ll talk about access as you book.
Does the report include photos?
Yes. The report includes photos of what we found, so you can see each point for yourself.