Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Shilton, Oxfordshire
Chimney surveys in Shilton, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- A chimney out of line
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Flaunching that has broken away
Chimney survey in Shilton
If a chimney looks out of line, it’s worth getting it checked. A stack may lean because the mortar on one side has weakened, which can happen over many years of use. The survey notes how the stack looks, how far it seems to lean and the state of the bricks and joints. Where it may be a structural concern, we will recommend a structural engineer. If you’re worried about a chimney out of line and disused chimneys trapping moisture, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Somewhere as small as Shilton, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, frequently with chimneys that have stood a long time. We report on everything that’s safely in view, and thatch is a specialist material. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs frequently need the most attention.
Most points in the report come with a picture, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Location
- Shilton (OX18)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. We survey seven days a week, which can make access easier.
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps when budgeting.
Can I check my roof myself?
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and falls from height are serious. That’s where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
The survey, step by step
We check the roof from outside and, where it is relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the loft space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. The whole visit typically takes about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. In a small place like Shilton, access is usually the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- 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.
- Every part we can see is checked: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access.
- You get a written report with photos and our recommendations.
Before the survey
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
Getting a price
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Related advice
Honest limits
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
How the survey changes by roof type
Lead flashings
Lead flashings seal the joint between the stack and the roof. We check for lifting, splits and gaps in the joints.
Chimney pots and cowls
On redundant flues, we look at how the pots are capped. Poor capping can lead to damp inside the stack.
Your questions about chimney surveys in Shilton
Is Shilton in the area you cover?
Yes, Shilton is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos.
Will you come out to Shilton?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
We’re covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
Do you inspect the flue?
No. A flue inspection, sweep or gas safety check is a separate job. We check the structure and weathering of the stack and any damp and flag anything that suggests the flue needs a look.
How much does a chimney survey cost in Shilton?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for the job before booking. To get a price, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We do not sample or test for asbestos. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it’s disturbed.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. We inspect everything that’s safely in view and what you give us access to. If a defect seems to be on your neighbour’s side, the report records it and you can raise it with them.
More services for Shilton
Chimney surveys around Shilton
Historic houses such as Minster Lovell Hall, about 4 miles north-east, show how far back building in the area around Shilton goes. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. 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. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
Anyone responsible for a site like Carterton Community College will know that long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. The streets around a church such as Church of the Holy Rood are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Shilton is about 1 mile north-west of Carterton, in Oxfordshire. From houses to flats and shops in Shilton, we can survey the roof on a weekday or at the weekend. Shilton is one of the places in Oxfordshire where we work. Oxford is in our area too.
All of OX18 is within our area for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Whether your property is on The Hill, Church Lane and Ladburn Lane or anywhere close by, we can survey it. If you are just outside Shilton, we cover Bradwell (1 mile west), Kencot (2 miles south) and Alvescot (3 miles south). Larger places within reach include Witney (5 miles east), Wantage (15 miles south-east), Grove (14 miles south-east), Faringdon (9 miles south), Kidlington (14 miles east) and Chipping Norton (12 miles north).
Near you in Shilton
Around Shilton, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Carterton Primary School and The Rose And Crown Inn and the streets around them. Well-known places in the area include Bronze Age Bowl Barrow (2.9 miles south-east) and Swinford Museum (3.2 miles south-west).
What a survey costs
Prices vary from roof to roof, and it comes down to:
- Roof area
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. We’ll give you the figure before anything is booked.
What to let us know when you contact us
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Anything about access we should know
- The kind of building and roof involved
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
We confirm the exact price before booking, so you know the cost up front. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, phone 07833 053749 or email us.