Buckinghamshire · London and the South East
North Marston Chimney Survey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in North Marston, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- A chimney out of line
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
About our chimney survey in North Marston
Many homes have chimneys that are no longer used. A disused stack still needs looking after. Capping a stack without ventilation can trap moisture and lead to damp inside. Our survey looks at how each unused stack has been capped and checks the breasts for damp. The report sets out what we found and what we recommend. Common reasons to book are pots or cowls that look unsafe and gaps in the mortar around the pots, on chimney pots and cowls, lead flashings and chimney breasts.
Older buildings in small places like North Marston may be 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 records the chimney stack as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, for instance when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Where
- North Marston (MK18)
- Wider area
- Buckinghamshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
North Marston homes and their roofs
The wider area around North Marston has a long history of building, with Claydon House about 3.8 miles north-west. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, 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. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Whatever the covering, it’s frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
Take an older house close to Church of St Mary: its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look. Anyone responsible for a site like North Marston Church of England School will know that long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
North Marston is about 6 miles north-west of Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire. In North Marston, as across Buckinghamshire, every roof gets the same careful survey. North Marston is one of the towns and villages in Buckinghamshire where we work for chimney surveys. There’s also a page for Milton Keynes.
We survey roofs across the MK18 postcode area for chimney surveys. You’ll find streets like High Street, Elmers Meadow and Dudley Close, all of which we cover. We also cover Oving (1 mile south-east), Pitchcott (1 mile south), Whitchurch (2 miles south-east), Hardwick (3 miles south-east) and Weedon (4 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns like Aylesbury (6 miles south-east), Buckingham (8 miles north-west), Elmhurst (6 miles south-east), Southcourt (7 miles south), Princes Risborough (12 miles south) and Haydon Hill (5 miles south).
Near you in North Marston
We work in homes and buildings around The Pilgrim pub. The closest station to North Marston is Aylesbury Vale Parkway station, about 4.7 miles south of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Bolbec Castle (2 miles south-east) and Royal Buckinghamshire Hospital (5.9 miles south-east).
What happens on the day
Before we start, tell us why you’ve booked: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. That way we can focus on what matters to you. The visit typically takes about 1–2 hours for most houses, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Rural addresses near North Marston can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can be seen safely.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Where there is safe access, we look at the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- You get a written report with photos and our recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
Arrange a survey
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form to find out.
Read more
Landlord and commercial surveys in North Marston
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords. Larger roofs take longer.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client, photos included.
FAQs for North Marston
Is my home in North Marston listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. 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.
Do you cover smaller places like North Marston?
Yes, North Marston is covered. Our area covers London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only where it’s safe to do so. We check everything that can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows, from inside the loft space, from the roof where it is safe and by drone where it applies. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
When does the report arrive?
That depends on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. The report is emailed to you.
What’s the best way to book?
The quickest way is to call 07833 053749 or email us. Give us the address and a few details about the roof, and we’ll point you to the right survey. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. We check the roof, not the whole building, so it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
Will you photograph what you find?
Yes, plenty. Pictures sit next to the findings they show.
Checking the roof from ground level
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Don’t go up yourself.
Common roof problems in North Marston
Flaunching is the mortar bed that holds the pots and throws water off the top. Cracked flaunching lets water in, and each winter makes it worse. In time, the pots can become loose.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Staining on walls around the chimney
If you own a rental within reach of Aylesbury Vale Parkway station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Will the report include photos?
Also near North Marston
More services for North Marston
Roof by roof
Brick stacks
Brick stacks rely on sound pointing to keep water out. We check the bricks for spalling and the joints for erosion.
Lead flashings
Some older stacks have mortar fillets instead of lead. They crack with age, and we check them too.
What we can’t see
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Parts of the stack that can’t be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we cannot access
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll recommend the right survey. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks