Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Hatford
Find out the condition of the chimney stack at your property in Hatford. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Cracked or missing flaunching
What we cannot see
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Flue inspections or sweeping
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
What we check
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
Chimney survey in Hatford
Chimney stacks take more weather than almost any other part of a house. In time, flaunching cracks, mortar washes out and flashings come loose. That lets water into the brickwork, which can show up as damp on a chimney breast or in the roof space. A survey finds these problems and records them with photos. Typical surveys look at eroded joints in the brickwork and damaged chimney pots and cowls, on shared and party-wall stacks, brick chimney stacks and lead flashings.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A roof report shows what needs attention first. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are frequently where weather gets in first.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Photographs show what each point refers to.
- Place
- Hatford (SN7)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Also near Hatford
Also in Hatford
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Hatford
Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. 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. Longworth House, about 3.9 miles north-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Hatford. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Stanford in the Vale Church of England Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. Take an older house close to Holy Trinity Church: corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Hatford is about 6 miles north-west of Wantage, in Oxfordshire. Hatford is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area across London and South East England. Hatford is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire where we work for chimney surveys. There is also a page for Oxford.
Every address in SN7 is within our area for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Stanford in the Vale (1 mile south), Bow (1 mile south-east), Shellingford (2 miles south-west), Buckland (2 miles north) and Baulking (3 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (14 miles north-east), Didcot (12 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (10 miles east), Witney (9 miles north), Carterton (9 miles north-west) and Wantage (6 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Hatford
Around Hatford, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Church of St Denys. A little further out are Faringdon Castle (2.6 miles west) and Longworth Hospital (3.1 miles west). The countryside around Hatford includes Badbury Hill.
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney pots and cowls
On redundant flues, we check how the pots are capped. Capping without ventilation can trap moisture.
Lead flashings
Where the chimney meets the roof slopes, lead flashings keep water out. The survey looks at whether the lead is tight, sound and well fixed.
FAQs for Hatford
How do I find out if my home in Hatford is listed?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Will you come out to Hatford?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Why is my chimney breast damp?
It can come from several places: water getting in at the top, through the brickwork or at the flashings, or moisture trapped in a stack with no ventilation. We check each one and note the most likely cause.
How long will you be at the property?
It typically takes about 1–2 hours for most houses, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. We’ll confirm the timing as you book.
Will you check the loft?
If it is needed and safe to reach, yes. Inside, we look for damp, staining, gaps and sagging, as far as the space allows.
What do you check on a chimney?
Every part of the stack we can see from safe positions: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings. We also note leaning, redundant stacks and damp inside.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We point out what can be seen, such as sagging or deflection, but we do not carry out calculations or give an engineer’s opinion. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
What happens if roof problems are left?
A small amount of repointing or new flaunching is usually a modest job. Leave it, and frost can work the stack loose and the job gets bigger. Older cottages and farmhouses around Hatford can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. You will know the figure before booking.
Why us?
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- 20+ years’ experience
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
What affects the price in Hatford
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
A Basic Survey starts from £150, with VAT included. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400. We confirm the price for your roof before booking.
What to let us know when you get in touch
These details help when you contact us:
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- What kind of property and roof it is
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
A quick phone call is normally the easiest start: ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
The survey, step by step
When we arrive, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that is worrying you. We then inspect everything that can be seen safely, from the ground, from windows, in the loft space and by drone where applicable. Most surveys take between one and two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Older roofs in small places like Hatford can have low, tight loft spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it is safe.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- The stacks are looked at from the ground, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- Every part we can see is checked: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
Getting ready for the survey
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
Getting a price
When you are ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or email us. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.