Buckinghamshire · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Hillesden
Find out the condition of the chimney stack at your property in Hillesden. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
The survey, step by step
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 for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Somewhere as small as Hillesden, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. 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.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Where there is safe access, we look at the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- The findings are written up with photographs and recommendations and emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Note where any stains or damp appear
Arrange a survey
When you are ready to go ahead, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.
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How a chimney survey works in Hillesden
Each stack is looked at from the safest viewpoints available: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the loft space where it’s safe. With our Premium Survey, a drone inspection is included where it applies. Where part of a stack can’t be seen, the report says so. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. If you are worried about lifted or split lead flashings and staining on walls around the chimney, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Older buildings in small places like Hillesden may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent.
- Where
- Hillesden (MK18)
- Wider area
- Buckinghamshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to Hillesden
Also in Hillesden
What a chimney survey looks like in Hillesden
Claydon House, about 3 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Hillesden. If yours is one of the older homes, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Some villages in Buckinghamshire still have thatched roofs. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
Hillesden is about 3 miles south of Buckingham, in Buckinghamshire. Wherever you are in Hillesden, we can come and survey your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Our area takes in places right across Buckinghamshire. There’s also a page for Milton Keynes.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: MK18. We also cover Preston Bissett (2 miles north-west), Gawcott (2 miles north), Twyford (2 miles south-west), Calvert (3 miles south) and Charndon (3 miles south). Further out, we also cover Aylesbury (12 miles south-east), Buckingham (3 miles north), Elmhurst (12 miles south-east), Southcourt (13 miles south-east), Haydon Hill (11 miles south-east) and Turnfurlong (13 miles south-east).
Near you in Hillesden
Well-known places in the area include Buckingham Movie Museum (3.3 miles north) and Buckingham Castle (3.1 miles north). For a walk, there is Calvert Jubilee.
Useful tips for Hillesden property owners
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
Once we’ve been, the findings are written up with photos. It explains the condition of each part of the stack and any damp inside. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Look at your chimneys from the ground now and then, especially after strong winds. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
Questions from Hillesden
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Hillesden?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Is Hillesden in the area you cover?
Yes. We work right across London and the South East, and Hillesden is part of that. Just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the property.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the loft space, someone has to give us access.
What’s in the report?
A written report with photos, covering the condition of the chimney stack, the defects we found and what we recommend. Standard adds moisture detection and a structural check; Premium adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable and structural analysis.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey seven days a week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Let us know which days suit you when you book.
How long does the survey take?
That depends on the size and shape of the roof, but most surveys take about 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. The written report follows by email.
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney pots and cowls
For unused flues, we check whether caps or cowls allow ventilation. Capping without ventilation can trap moisture.
Flaunching
Sitting at the very top, flaunching is fully exposed. We look for cracks, gaps around the pots and missing pieces.
What we’re asked to look at in Hillesden
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Mortar can deteriorate unevenly from flue gases and moisture, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- A stack that appears to lean
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Church of All Saints, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Questions to ask before booking
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Are they insured for the work?
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
Can I check my roof myself?
It is useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey.
What a chimney survey does not cover
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Areas we can’t view from safe positions
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will suggest the right survey. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching