Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Northend
Find out the condition of the chimney stack at your property in Northend. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Staining on walls around the chimney
What we’re asked to look at in Northend
Stacks that were used for open fires for many years can weaken from the inside. Mortar can deteriorate unevenly from flue gases and moisture, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
People normally book a survey when they’ve noticed something like this:
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Worn or missing pointing
In and around Northend, as anywhere, a roof is easiest to deal with when its problems are found early.
Before you book anyone
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
How a chimney survey works in Northend
Redundant chimneys are common, especially where fires have been replaced by central heating. Even when it isn’t used, a stack has to stay weathertight. 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. If you’re worried about redundant stacks capped without ventilation and damp patches on chimney breasts, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on flaunching, shared and party-wall stacks and brick chimney stacks alike.
Village roofs frequently face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. 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.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, sent by email. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Place
- Northend (RG9)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Leave it or get it looked at?
Before deciding what to do with a redundant stack, a survey shows how it’s doing. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need permission from the council and the council can advise. For older village homes like those around Northend, the right replacement materials are not always easy to find quickly. That’s one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Why book with us
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- Prices that include VAT
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
Read how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
Can I check my roof myself?
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Useful tips for Northend property owners
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
You get the report by email and can pass it to whoever does the work. We use plain English and a photo for each defect, so it’s easy to follow.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. Early signs are easier to trace.
How the survey works
It helps to start with what’s prompted the survey: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. Most visits take about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Rural addresses near Northend can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there is access.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
How to prepare
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Arrange a survey
To get a price for chimney surveys in Northend, call 07833 053749 or email us. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us give you an accurate price.
Read more
What a chimney survey looks like in Northend
About 2.1 miles south lies Stonor Park, a reminder of how long the area around Northend has been built on. If your home is one of the older ones, 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. 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 is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
Northend is about 8 miles north-west of Marlow, in Oxfordshire. Bookings from Northend are handled just like any other: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Northend. Reading is in our area too.
We work across the RG9 postcode area for chimney surveys. If you are just outside Northend, we cover Christmas Common (1 mile west), Turville Heath (1 mile south-east), Ibstone (1 mile north-east), Stonor (2 miles south) and Howe Hill (2 miles west). We also work in nearby towns like Oxford (15 miles north-west), Didcot (13 miles west), Abingdon-on-Thames (15 miles west), Thame (8 miles north), Henley-on-Thames (7 miles south) and Benson (7 miles west).
Landmarks near Northend
Open spaces near Northend include Bald Hill and Aston Rowant NNR.
Towns and villages near Northend
Also in Northend
FAQs for Northend
Do you carry out roof surveys in Northend?
Yes, Northend is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Northend as anywhere else.
How do I find out if my home in Northend is listed?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. It’s a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
How soon will I get the report?
Each package has its own report time. Basic: within 48 hours. Standard: 24 to 48 hours. Premium: the same day. If you have a deadline, such as an exchange date, let us know when booking.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only if it is safe. We inspect what can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the loft space, from the roof itself where safe and by drone where applicable. Anything we can’t see is noted in the report.
Should a redundant chimney be removed?
A redundant chimney needs looking after like any other. If it’s capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside. Our survey records its condition and how it’s capped, so you can plan what to do with it.
What this survey can’t tell you
Some things can’t be seen without opening up the roof, and that sets some limits:
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- Hidden damage within the stack
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will point you to the right survey. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts