Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Kencot, Oxfordshire
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Kencot, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Get in touch for a price.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
Chimney survey in Kencot: what you get
On terraced and semi-detached houses, a chimney stack is often shared with next door. We inspect the parts we can see safely and the parts the owner gives us access to. Where a problem seems to involve a neighbour’s side, the report records it, so you can talk to them. You get a written report with photos and our recommendations. If you’ve noticed gaps in the mortar around the pots and damp on a chimney breast inside, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
In a small place like Kencot, many roofs stand in the open, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A roof report shows what needs attention first. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Where
- Kencot (OX18)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Can I check my roof myself?
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level.
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- House, block, shop or office
All our prices include VAT. Prices start from £150, including VAT. You will know the price for your roof before you book.
Helping us price your survey
Some details help us point you to the right survey and price. When you contact us, tell us:
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
You can call us seven days a week. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
What a chimney survey looks like in Kencot
The wider area around Kencot has a long history of building, with Kelmscott Manor about 4 miles south. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. West Oxfordshire’s older buildings often carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their thatch. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
If you live in an older home near Church of St Peter, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Kencot is about 2 miles south-west of Carterton, in Oxfordshire. Kencot gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. We cover towns and villages across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. We also survey roofs in Oxford.
Surveys in OX18 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Other places close to Kencot include Alvescot (1 mile south-east), Shilton (2 miles north) and Bradwell (3 miles north-west). Larger places within reach include Abingdon-on-Thames (15 miles east), Witney (6 miles north-east), Wantage (13 miles south-east), Grove (12 miles south-east), Faringdon (6 miles south) and Kidlington (15 miles east).
Around Kencot
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Plough pub and Carterton Community College. Nearby you’ll also find Swinford Museum (1.9 miles west) and Longworth Hospital (5.9 miles south).
Tips from our surveys
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out:
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Check your stacks from the ground after strong winds
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
After the visit, we write up the report with photos of each stack. 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.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. It is far simpler than rebuilding a stack later.
Common roof problems in Kencot
Removing a chimney breast inside can leave questions about how the stack is supported. We note what’s visible in the roof space and outside, and the report recommends a structural engineer if support is a concern.
Most people get in touch after spotting one of these:
- A stack that appears to lean
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
For site and facilities teams at buildings like St Peter's Church of England School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Their report turnaround times
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
Kencot questions
Do you cover smaller places like Kencot?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Do you cover Kencot?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Kencot as anywhere else.
Will you check the loft?
Typically, if there’s one and it can be reached safely. From inside, the underside of the roof often shows damp, staining or daylight that cannot be seen from outside.
What happens next?
We email you the written report with photographs and recommendations. It is yours to share with a seller, insurer, roofer or managing agent, whichever applies.
Why is my chimney breast damp?
There are a few common causes: cracked flaunching, worn pointing, failed flashings, uncapped pots, or damp trapped in an unventilated stack. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
No. It is not a flue, sweep or gas safety inspection. We look at the stack, pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings, and damp inside and flag anything that suggests the flue needs a look.
How long is the visit?
Time on site depends on the roof; most visits take an hour or two for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. The report is sent afterwards by email.
How it works
Every roof is different; as a rough guide, the survey takes about one to two hours at a typical home, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. If you have questions on the day, just ask. For a village or hamlet like Kencot, the journey is planned beforehand: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect everything that’s safely in view, inside and out.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Getting ready for the survey
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
How to book
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email to find out.
Read more
What we can’t see
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Kencot
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings