Buckinghamshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Little London, Buckinghamshire
Find out what’s going on with the chimney stack before you spend money on it. Chimney surveys in Little London.
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Mortar washing out of the joints
How a chimney survey works in Little London
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. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause. That points the work in the right direction. If you’ve noticed damp patches on chimney breasts and a stack that appears to lean, we can find out what’s behind it.
Some older homes in villages like Little London are 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, whichever applies.
- Place
- Little London (HP18)
- Wider area
- Buckinghamshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Little London
Is Little London within the area you cover?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Little London?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Will you check the loft?
Normally, if there’s one and it can be reached safely. From inside, the underside of the roof often shows damp, staining or daylight that can’t be seen from outside.
How quickly is the report sent?
Report times are set by the package. Basic is within 48 hours, Standard is 24–48 hours and Premium is the same day. Mention any deadline as you book.
My chimney looks like it’s leaning. What should I do?
It is worth having a leaning stack checked. Our survey notes how it looks and the condition of the bricks and joints, and recommend a structural engineer where it may be a structural concern.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
No. We survey the stack and its weathering, not the flue. The flue should be checked by a sweep, or by a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances.
How long will you be at the property?
It normally takes roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. We’ll confirm the timing as you book.
The survey, step by step
Every roof is different; as a rough guide, the survey takes an hour or two at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. You are welcome to ask questions while we are there. In a small place like Little London, access is normally the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- We check every stack from wherever it can be seen safely.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there’s access.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Keep pets in another room
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Booking a survey
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. Prices start from £150, including VAT. To book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
Do you need a chimney survey in Little London?
Many chimneys are no longer used. 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.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Worn or missing pointing
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Mary, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- What insurance they carry
- What exactly goes into their report
What we look for on each type of roof
Rendered stacks
Water can get in through cracks and then struggle to dry out. We record any cracking and where it is.
Flaunching
We often find flaunching that has cracked or broken away. Caught early, it’s often a small job.
What we cannot see
It is useful to know what a survey won’t do before you book:
- Parts of the stack that cannot be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we cannot access
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will suggest the right survey. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching
Should I look at the roof myself first?
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight.
Local roofs in Little London
Historic houses like Boarstall Tower, about 1.7 miles north-west, show how far back building in the area around Little London goes. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. A number of Buckinghamshire villages keep thatched roofs on their older buildings. 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 look after a building such as Oakley Church of England Combined School, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Little London is about 6 miles north-west of Thame, in Buckinghamshire. Surveys in Little London work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Our Buckinghamshire coverage includes Little London. You can also see our page for Oxford.
Surveys in HP18 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on Brill Road, Bicester Road and The Nap or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Oakley (1 mile west), Brill (1 mile north-east), Piddington (3 miles north), Ludgershall (3 miles north) and Blackthorn (5 miles north). Larger places within reach include Aylesbury (11 miles east), Buckingham (14 miles north), Elmhurst (11 miles east), Southcourt (11 miles east), Princes Risborough (12 miles south-east) and Haydon Hill (10 miles east).
What’s near Little London
We work in homes and buildings around The Royal Oak pub, among other places. Other landmarks nearby include Thame Community Hospital (5.9 miles south-east) and Waterperry Gardens Rural Museum (3.9 miles south). For a walk, there is Bernwood Meadows.
Places near Little London
More services for Little London
Why get it checked now?
A loose pot or brick can fall from height. A survey picks them out so they can be made safe by a suitable contractor. Older cottages and farmhouses around Little London can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
All our prices include VAT. Prices start from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for your survey before booking.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Little London
- 20+ years’ experience
- Plain-English reports with photos
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- 98% of clients satisfied
Read our cost guide and our case studies.