Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Kingston Stert, Oxfordshire
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Kingston Stert and the rest of Oxfordshire. Surveys run on any day of the week.
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Kingston Stert
Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Whatever the covering, it’s frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. Historic houses like Adwell House, about 2.1 miles south-west, show how far back building in the area around Kingston Stert goes. 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.
Landlords with a home close to Princes Risborough station may find that knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Aston Rowant Church of England Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Kingston Stert is about 3 miles south of Thame, in Oxfordshire. Kingston Stert is part of the area we cover across London and South East England. We cover towns and villages across Oxfordshire. Oxford is in our area too.
Chimney surveys in OX39 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Other places close to Kingston Stert include Sydenham (1 mile north-east), Emmington (1 mile north-east), Chinnor (2 miles east), Towersey (3 miles north) and Thame (3 miles north). Further out, we also cover Oxford (13 miles west), Didcot (14 miles south-west), Abingdon-on-Thames (14 miles west), Henley-on-Thames (12 miles south), Benson (9 miles south-west) and Headington Quarry (11 miles west).
Landmarks near Kingston Stert
In Kingston Stert, that means homes and buildings near The Crown Inn and the streets around them. The closest station to Kingston Stert is Princes Risborough station, about 4.6 miles east. Well-known places in the area include Thame Museum (3.5 miles north-west) and Thame Community Hospital (3 miles north). Open spaces near Kingston Stert include Bald Hill and Oakley Hill nature reserve.
Chimney survey in Kingston Stert: what you get
Damp on a chimney breast can have several causes. Water may be getting in at the top through cracked flaunching or an uncapped pot, through the brickwork, or at the flashings. Condensation inside an unventilated stack is another common cause. We look at each possibility and record what we find. You then know where to start. If you’ve noticed pots or cowls that look unsafe and flashings pulling away from the stack, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on chimney breasts, chimney pots and cowls and brick chimney stacks alike.
Some older homes in villages like Kingston Stert are listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Place
- Kingston Stert (OX39)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Kingston Stert: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Kingston Stert?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
I let a flat near Princes Risborough station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that is a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
What does a roof survey cost?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your survey before booking. For a price, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
We’re covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
What if it rains on the day?
Light rain is usually fine; heavy rain and wind are different. High wind or heavy rain can make access unsafe and ground a drone, so we’d move the date with you.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Flights depend on the weather on the day and airspace rules. We are a CAA-registered drone operator.
Is Kingston Stert in your area?
Yes, we do. Kingston Stert is part of the area we cover, and the service is the same as everywhere else we work.
Other services in Kingston Stert
What we do, step by step
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the loft space if there’s safe access. In total, it takes about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Older roofs in small places like Kingston Stert can have low, tight loft spaces, so it’s useful to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it’s safe.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- 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.
Before the survey
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Keep pets in another room
Booking a survey
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price before booking.
Related advice
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney pots and cowls
On redundant flues, we check how the pots are capped. Poor capping can lead to damp inside the stack.
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.
What we are asked to look at in Kingston Stert
Aerials and dishes are often fixed to stacks. The extra load in wind can work bricks and joints loose. We check fixings on the stack as part of the survey.
Look out for signs like these:
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- A stack that appears to lean
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Worn or missing pointing
If you live in an older home near Church of St Mary, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Questions to ask before booking
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Will the report include photos?
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
Surveys for landlords and agents in Kingston Stert
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the addresses.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed beforehand. We survey on any day of the week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Tips from our surveys
Small things make a difference. Our tips:
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
If the report recommends a structural engineer, a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer, it will say why. It gives them a clear starting point.
Have aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked, and moved if they’re working it loose. Less load on the stack means less strain in wind.
What you can safely check yourself
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.