Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Merton, Oxfordshire
Need a chimney survey in Merton? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- A stack that appears to lean
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
About our chimney survey in Merton
Our survey covers the structure of the stack and its weathering details. It is not a flue inspection, a chimney sweep or a gas safety inspection. If you use a fire or a gas appliance, the flue should be checked by a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer as appropriate. If something we see points to the flue, we’ll say so. We survey flaunching, lead flashings and chimney pots and cowls, and common reasons people get in touch are lifted or split lead flashings and damp on a chimney breast inside.
Older buildings in small places like Merton may be 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. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is frequently expected.
Nothing in the report is left vague: where something needs attention, it says so plainly.
- Place
- Merton (OX25)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Why get it checked now?
If you are thinking of removing or reducing a stack, it helps to know its condition first. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need permission from the council, so check with them first. Matching old materials, like handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. That is one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
We offer three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What you get with us
- Every finding written up with photos
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Drones and thermal imaging where applicable
- 98% of clients satisfied
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or two real surveys.
Other services in Merton
What this survey cannot tell you
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Parts of the stack that cannot be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we cannot access
- Hidden damage within the stack
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Merton
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching
What happens on the day
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes an hour or two for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. If you have questions on the day, just ask. In a small place like Merton, access is normally the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- First you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We check the chimney breasts and the stack in the loft space where we can reach them.
- The findings are written up with photographs and recommendations and emailed to you.
Before the survey
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
Arrange a survey
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: call 07833 053749 or email us, and we’ll ask about the building and what you need. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
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FAQs for Merton
Can a landlord with a rental near Bicester Village station book a roof survey?
Of course. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Will you come out to Merton?
Yes, Merton is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
Yes. Shared stacks are common on terraced and semi-detached houses. We record the stack as far as we can see it and flag anything on the neighbour’s side.
Will I get photos?
Yes, plenty. Pictures sit next to the findings they show.
Do I need to be at home?
Not necessarily. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. If you need a full building survey, you will need a RICS survey as well.
Can you find out why my chimney breast is damp?
Normally it is water getting in from outside, or condensation in a sealed stack. The survey looks at the stack, the flashings and the capping, and record what we find.
What we look for on each type of roof
Flaunching
The sloping mortar around the pots is called flaunching. Once it cracks, water can get straight into the brickwork.
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.
Tips that help
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
You can send the report to roofers or builders for quotes. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
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.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Merton
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords. Bigger roofs take more time, and they’re priced for the size.
Local roofs in Merton
Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. Boarstall Tower, about 3.7 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Merton. If you own one of the older houses, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
For businesses in and around places such as Bicester Avenue, a written record of the roof’s condition helps you plan maintenance rather than react to leaks. For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Swithin, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. If you let a flat or house near Bicester Village station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Merton is about 3 miles south of Bicester, in Oxfordshire. We survey roofs in Merton and the surrounding area across London and South East England. Across Oxfordshire, we cover Merton and the places around it. We also survey roofs in Oxford.
Every address in OX25 is within our area for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. If you are just outside Merton, we cover Fencott (1 mile south), Murcott (1 mile south-east), Charlton-on-Otmoor (1 mile south-west), Wendlebury (2 miles north-west) and Lower Arncott (2 miles east). Further out, we also cover Oxford (8 miles south), Bicester (3 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (13 miles south), Witney (15 miles west), Thame (11 miles south-east) and Kidlington (6 miles south-west).
Landmarks near Merton
In Merton, that means homes and buildings near The Old Plough pub. For rail, the closest station is Bicester Village station, about 2.7 miles north of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Bicester Community Hospital (2.9 miles north) and Bicester Avenue (2.3 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Graven Hill and Woodsides Meadow.