Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Highmoor
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching across Highmoor, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Get in touch for a price.
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Staining on walls around the chimney
What happens on the day
A survey visit follows a simple order: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. It typically takes between one and two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Somewhere as small as Highmoor, access is often the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You let us know how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- The stacks are looked at from the ground, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
Before we arrive
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Getting a price
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so phone 07833 053749 or email us with the details.
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How a chimney survey works in Highmoor
A chimney survey looks at the stack and everything around it: the pots and cowls, the flaunching on top, the pointing, the brickwork and the flashings where it meets the roof. We also look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access. The findings come in a written report with photos and recommendations. We survey single stacks on houses and groups of stacks on bigger buildings. We survey flaunching, lead flashings and brick chimney stacks, and people most often book us about signs that a stack is leaning and flashings pulling away from the stack.
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 often where weather gets in first.
The Standard Survey adds 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
- Highmoor (RG9)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we are asked to look at in Highmoor
Lots of homes have redundant stacks. If a stack is capped or blocked without ventilation, moisture can build up inside. That can lead to damp patches on chimney breasts, even with the roof in good order.
Common reasons to book include:
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
Take an older house close to Church of St Paul: its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
What to check before booking
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Their insurance cover
How we price chimney surveys
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Which survey package you book
- The roof’s overall size
- Building height and the viewpoints available
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
Helping us price your survey
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
Unsure which package suits your roof? It’s easiest to ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will explain the options and the price.
Chimney surveys in Highmoor: local notes
With Greys Court about 2 miles south-east, Highmoor sits in an area with a long building history. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. 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. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters.
If you own a rental within reach of Henley-On-Thames station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. Take a building like Stoke Row Church of England School: a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Highmoor is about 4 miles north-west of Henley-on-Thames, in Oxfordshire. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Highmoor can all book chimney surveys. Highmoor is one of the places in Oxfordshire we cover for chimney surveys. Reading is in our area too.
Every address in RG9 is covered for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Streets in the area include The Glebe and Holly Close, and we cover them all. Other places close to Highmoor include Highmoor Cross (1 mile south-east), Shepherd's Green (1 mile south-east), Catslip (1 mile north-east), Nettlebed (2 miles north) and Kingwood Common (2 miles south). Further out, we also cover Didcot (11 miles west), Abingdon-on-Thames (15 miles north-west), Thame (13 miles north), Henley-on-Thames (4 miles south-east), Benson (6 miles north-west) and Chinnor (11 miles north).
Landmarks near Highmoor
We work in homes and buildings around The Dog and Duck pub. For rail, the closest station is Henley-On-Thames station, roughly 4.5 miles east. For a walk, there’s Warburg Nature Reserve.
FAQs for Highmoor
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Highmoor?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Will you come out to Highmoor?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
How long is the visit?
Most surveys take about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. The report follows by email.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof, not the whole building. For the rest of the building, a RICS home survey is a separate job.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Visible signs like deflection or sagging are recorded, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. The report will say if you need an engineer.
How do you inspect a chimney without scaffolding?
We inspect from wherever is safe: from ground level, windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there’s access. A drone inspection is included in our Premium Survey where it applies. We note anything we couldn’t see.
Does the report include photos?
Yes. The report includes photos of what we found, so you can see exactly what each finding refers to.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Highmoor
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan.
Useful tips for Highmoor property owners
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
If anything in the report is not clear, just ask us. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Get small mortar repairs done while they’re small. Small repairs now can save bigger work later.
What happens if roof problems are left?
A damp chimney breast seldom dries out until the cause is found. It can spoil decoration and plaster. Knowing whether it’s the flaunching, flashings, brickwork or ventilation means the right fix can be planned. Around Highmoor, older homes often have old roof timbers, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
Price depends partly on the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, with VAT included. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Why book us in Highmoor
- An independent look at the roof
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Read how roof surveys are priced and our case studies.