Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Oakley, Oxfordshire
We carry out chimney surveys in Oakley and the rest of Oxfordshire. We survey on any day of the week.
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Bricks with flaking faces
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Oakley
Chimney stacks take more weather than almost any other part of a house. In time, flaunching cracks, mortar washes out and flashings come loose. Water then gets into the stack and can show as damp on a chimney breast or a stain in the loft. A survey finds these problems and records them with photos. Common reasons to book are flaunching that has broken away and a stack that appears to lean, across flaunching, brick chimney stacks and chimney pots and cowls.
Around Oakley, gardens, hedges and nearby trees can mean leaves and moss end up on roofs and in gutters. Once gutters and outlets block, water spills over and soaks the walls, and moss holds water against tiles. A report spots that kind of slow problem before it becomes damp inside. Plants growing from a gutter or moss on the tiles are signs worth noting from the ground.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- Oakley (OX39)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer, and they’re priced for the size.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out in order of urgency where relevant, which helps when budgeting.
Common questions in Oakley
How do I find out if my home in Oakley is listed?
We cannot confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Can a landlord with a rental near Princes Risborough station book a roof survey?
Yes, landlords and letting agents book with us as well as owners. You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and a few details.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
What’s in the survey report?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, backed by photos. Anything we couldn’t see safely is noted too.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
Yes. We look at the parts we can see safely and the parts you can give us access to. Where a problem appears to be on next door’s side, we note it and you can raise it with them.
How do I book a survey in Oakley?
To book, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price and find a day that suits.
What should I do with a chimney I do not use?
It depends on its condition and your plans. We record how the stack is doing and whether it is capped with ventilation. If you are thinking of removing it, check with the council first in a conservation area or on a listed building.
What we look for on each type of roof
Rendered stacks
We can’t see the bricks behind render without it being opened up, so the report explains what we could and couldn’t assess.
Chimney breasts and the loft
If a chimney breast has been removed below, we note what we can see of the support above. A structural engineer should confirm whether it is adequate.
Chimney surveys in Oakley: local notes
Adwell House, about 3.2 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Oakley. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, 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. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
If you look after a building such as Mill Lane Community Primary School, large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Andrew, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Oakley is about 4 miles south-east of Thame, in Oxfordshire. From houses to flats and shops in Oakley, we can survey the roof. Oakley is one of the places in Oxfordshire where we work. There is also a page for Oxford.
All of OX39 is covered for chimney surveys. That includes homes and businesses on Mill Lane, Beech Road and Oakley Lane and the roads around them. Other places close to Oakley include Crowell (1 mile south-west), Kingston Blount (1 mile south-west), Crowell Hill (1 mile south-east), Aston Rowant (2 miles south-west) and Postcombe (3 miles west). We also work in nearby towns such as Oxford (14 miles west), Didcot (15 miles south-west), Thame (4 miles north-west), Henley-on-Thames (12 miles south), Benson (10 miles south-west) and Headington Quarry (13 miles west).
What’s near Oakley
In Oakley, that means homes and buildings near The Wheatsheaf pub, among other places. The closest station to Oakley is Princes Risborough station, about 3.5 miles east. A little further out are Thame Community Hospital (3.8 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Bald Hill and Oakley Hill nature reserve.
Honest limits
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Hidden damage within the stack
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will point you to the right survey. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in Oakley
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Brick chimney stacks
Signs you need a chimney survey in Oakley
The flaunching on top of a stack holds the pots in place and sheds water. Cracked flaunching lets water in, and each winter makes it worse. In time, the pots can become loose.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Worn or missing pointing
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Cracked or missing flaunching
For landlords with property near Princes Risborough station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Questions to ask before booking
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Whether VAT is added on top
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
Nearby places to Oakley
Also in Oakley
Should I look at the roof myself first?
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
The survey, step by step
We’ll ask a few questions first, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. The inspection then takes about one to two hours for a house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Being in a smaller place like Oakley doesn’t change how the visit works: outside, inside and from any safe vantage point, in that order. Point out any stains, cracks or loose pieces you’ve spotted.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We check every stack from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft space.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Before we arrive
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Let us know where we can park nearby
How to book
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email to find out.