Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Hethe
Chimney surveys in Hethe from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and South East England.
- A chimney out of line
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
Chimney survey in Hethe
A chimney survey looks at the stack and everything around it: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and the flashings at the roof line. We also look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access. You get a photo-illustrated written report and our recommendations. It suits a single stack on a house as well as several on a larger building. Typical surveys look at staining on walls around the chimney and gaps where the stack meets the roof, on shared and party-wall stacks, chimney breasts and chimney pots and cowls.
Village roofs frequently face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, 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 often the first to give way.
What you get is a clear record of the chimney stack on the day we saw it. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, such as when you want to compare after future work.
- Place
- Hethe (OX27)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney breasts and the loft
Inside, chimney breasts can show damp when water gets into the stack. We check them and at the stack in the loft where there is safe access.
Lead flashings
Lead flashings seal the joint between the stack and the roof. We check for lifting, splits and gaps in the joints.
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
Not every roof costs the same to survey, for these reasons:
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The size of the roof
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
Helping us price your survey
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, tell us:
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, so call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the details.
Towns and villages near Hethe
Other services in Hethe
What this survey can’t tell you
Some things can’t be seen without opening up the roof, and that sets some limits:
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Parts of the stack that can’t be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we can’t access
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll suggest the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Shared and party-wall stacks
Hethe: your questions answered
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Bicester North station?
Yes, that is a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Hethe?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. We look at the parts we’re given access to.
Do you need to get into the loft?
If there’s a loft and safe access to it, yes. The loft space can show things the outside can’t, such as damp timbers, staining or daylight.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and details are available on request.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. We check the parts we can see safely and the parts you can give us access to. Where a problem appears to be on next door’s side, we note it and you can raise it with them.
Do I need to be at home?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the roof space, someone has to give us access.
Local roofs in Hethe
Listing and conservation areas can both shape what roof work is allowed on an older home. The council is the place to check, along with Historic England’s list. Older buildings in west Oxfordshire frequently have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
Anyone responsible for a site like Fringford Church of England Primary School will know that a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. Take an older house close to Church of St Edmund and George: corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. Landlords with a home close to Bicester North station may find that the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Hethe is about 4 miles north of Bicester, in Oxfordshire. Roofs in Hethe get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Oxfordshire. Our area takes in places right across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Our Oxford page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in OX27 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We cover properties on Main Street and Hardwick Road. Other places close to Hethe include Fringford (1 mile south-east), Hardwick (1 mile west), Stoke Lyne (2 miles south-west), Stratton Audley (2 miles south-east) and Caversfield (3 miles south). Larger places within reach include Oxford (15 miles south), Banbury (11 miles north-west), Bicester (4 miles south), Kidlington (12 miles south-west), Headington Quarry (14 miles south) and Bure Park (4 miles south).
Around Hethe
In Hethe, that means homes and buildings near Whitmore Arms Public House, among other places. The nearest railway station is Bicester North station, about 4 miles south. Other landmarks nearby include Bicester Community Hospital (4.6 miles south) and Beaumont Castle (3 miles north).
How it works
We work from the outside in: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the loft space where it can be reached. All told, expect about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Older roofs in small places like Hethe can have low, tight loft spaces, so it is useful to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it’s safe.
- You let us know how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access.
- You get a written report with photos and our recommendations.
Before the survey
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
Getting a price
To get a price for chimney surveys in Hethe, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. A few details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.
Read more
Tips that help
Getting the most from a chimney survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
You get the report by email and can pass it to whoever does the work. We use plain English and a photo for each defect so anyone reading it can see what we saw.
Check fixings on the stack are sound and taken off if they’re no longer needed. Removing unused fixings takes strain off the brickwork.
Why it is worth a survey now in Hethe
Chimneys are easy to forget because you rarely see the top of them. Defects tend to go unseen until there’s a stain. Surveying the stack now can catch problems first. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Hethe, driving rain gets into any weakness, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
Why book with us
- An independent look at the roof
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- A photo-illustrated written report
- 5,000+ surveys completed
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or what we found on two real jobs.