Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Marston, Oxfordshire
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Marston. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Bricks with flaking faces
What a chimney survey looks like in Marston
The wider area around Marston has a long history of building, with Holywell Manor about 1.5 miles south. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
Trees in and around Oxford University Parks shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters. If you run a business near Clarendon Shopping Centre, knowing the roof’s condition lets you budget for work rather than pay for emergencies. If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Church of St Nicholas, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Marston is about 2 miles north of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Marston can all book chimney surveys, with a written report and photographs every time. Our area takes in places right across Oxfordshire, large and small.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: OX3 and OX2. Local streets include Back Lane, Mill Lane and Butts Lane, and we cover them all. If you are just outside Marston, we cover Northway (1 mile south-east), New Marston (1 mile south), Norham Manor (1 mile south-west), Summertown (1 mile west) and North Oxford (1 mile west). Further out, we also cover Didcot (12 miles south), Bicester (9 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (7 miles south), Witney (11 miles west), Carterton (15 miles west) and Thame (12 miles east).
Around Marston
We work in homes and buildings around Oxford University Parks, Oxford Academy and Swan School and the streets around them. Also close by are Victoria Arms (0.5 miles west) and St Hugh's College Main Building Including Library (1.3 miles south-west). For rail, the closest station is Oxford station, roughly 2.2 miles south-west of the centre. A little further out are Pitt Rivers Museum (1.5 miles south-west) and Oxford Castle (2.1 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Headington Hill and Hook Meadow and The Trap Grounds.
How a chimney survey works in Marston
A damp patch on a chimney breast does not always come from the same place. It might come in at the top, through worn pointing or porous bricks, or where the flashings meet the roof. Moisture trapped inside a stack with no ventilation can also cause damp. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause. That points the work in the right direction. We survey chimney breasts, brick chimney stacks and chimney pots and cowls, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are loose, cracked or missing pots and a stack that appears to lean.
In a small place like Marston, many roofs stand in the open, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are frequently 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.
- Place
- Marston (OX3, OX2)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What a survey costs
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Roof area
For a price for your roof in Marston, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and some details. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Getting in touch
A few details help us point you to the right survey and price. When you contact us, let us know:
- The kind of building and roof involved
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- When you need the report by
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll explain the options and the price.
Common questions in Marston
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Oxford station?
Yes, landlords and agents book with us as well as owners. You can phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and some details.
Is my home in Marston listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
My chimney looks like it is leaning. What should I do?
A leaning stack should be looked at. Our survey notes how it looks and the condition of the bricks and joints, and if it may be a structural issue, we recommend a structural engineer.
What will the report tell me?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos, and ends with what we recommend. Points are put by urgency where it matters.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but we don’t provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. The report will say if you need an engineer.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime. Just say which days work for you.
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. Finding the cause means the right work can be planned. In a small place like Marston, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we will tell you which fits.
Why book with us
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Every finding written up with photos
- Packages from £150, with VAT included
See how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
How the survey works
We photograph the roof as we go, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available, including by drone where it is applicable and the weather allows. Most surveys take an hour or two at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Older rural homes like those around Marston can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Booking a survey
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Advice
Practical tips
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Our tips:
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
You can send the report to roofers or builders for quotes. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
What this survey cannot tell you
Some things cannot be seen without opening up the roof, so a survey has limits:
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Whether the flue is safe to use
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
Nearby places to Marston
What else we do in Marston
What you can safely check yourself
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Don’t go up yourself.