Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Upper Heyford, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Get in touch for a price.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
About our chimney survey in Upper Heyford
A chimney stands up above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. 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. Typical surveys look at mortar washing out of the joints and disused chimneys trapping moisture, across flaunching, chimney pots and cowls and brick chimney stacks.
Around Upper Heyford, older cottages sit alongside bungalows and newer houses. Older roofs can have slate, clay tiles or other traditional coverings, while many later ones have concrete tiles. Chimneys, valleys and gutters on older homes often need the most attention. The fixings under an older roof often fail before good slates or tiles do.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Where
- Upper Heyford (OX25)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Chimney surveys around Upper Heyford
An older home may be listed, or stand in a conservation area. Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the council can say whether a street is in a conservation area. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent. Older buildings in west Oxfordshire frequently 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.
Landlords with a home close to Heyford station may find that a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Upper Heyford is about 5 miles west of Bicester, in Oxfordshire. Roofs in Upper Heyford get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Oxfordshire. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Upper Heyford and the places around it. You can also see our page for Oxford.
Every address in OX25 is covered for chimney surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Streets in the area include Hampden Square, High Street and Gordon Road, all of which we cover. Other places close to Upper Heyford include Caulcott (1 mile south), Lower Heyford (1 mile south-west), Middleton Stoney (2 miles south-east), Somerton (2 miles north) and Ardley (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Oxford (12 miles south), Banbury (10 miles north), Bicester (5 miles east), Witney (14 miles south-west), Kidlington (7 miles south) and Headington Quarry (12 miles south).
Near you in Upper Heyford
Typical jobs here are in homes near Barley Mow pub and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Heyford station, about 1.8 miles west. A little further out are Bicester Community Hospital (4.8 miles south-east) and Ardley Castle (2 miles north-east).
Common roof problems in Upper Heyford
Flaunching is the mortar bed that holds the pots and throws water off the top. Once it cracks, water gets in and frost makes the cracks bigger. Loose pots can follow.
Problems we come across often include:
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- A chimney out of line
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
The streets around a church such as Heyford Park Chapel are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Questions to ask before booking
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Is VAT included in the price?
- What insurance they carry
- How soon the report will arrive
What a chimney survey does not cover
A survey is a close look at the chimney stack, but it can’t do everything. The main limits are:
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Conditions inside walls
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will point you to the right survey before you book. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
Common questions in Upper Heyford
Do you cover smaller places like Upper Heyford?
Yes, Upper Heyford is covered. We survey roofs across London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
How do I find out if my home in Upper Heyford is listed?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We note visible signs such as sagging or deflection, but we’re not structural engineers and do not carry out calculations. If we think you need an engineer, the report says so.
Is a leaning chimney dangerous?
Have it checked rather than leaving it. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down. The survey records what we can see, and a structural engineer can assess whether it needs work.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We don’t sample or test for asbestos. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
What happens next?
You will receive the report by email, and what you do next is up to you: raise it with a seller, send it to an insurer, brief a roofer or share it with a managing agent.
What does a chimney survey cover?
The whole stack, as far as it can be seen safely: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings. We also note leaning, redundant stacks and damp inside.
What a survey costs
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
- Height and safe access
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. The price is confirmed before booking.
What to tell us when you get in touch
We will usually ask about:
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- Anything about access we should know
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or email us to find out.
The survey, step by step
On the day, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you want to find out. After that, we check everything we can see safely, using the ground, windows, the loft and a drone where it applies. The survey normally takes about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. With a bit of garden around a house, as there often is around Upper Heyford, the roof can be viewed from several angles. Let us know if any side is fenced off or hard to reach. Inside, the loft is checked where it can be reached safely.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Getting ready for the survey
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Booking a survey
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. Prices start from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Related advice
Surveys for landlords and agents in Upper Heyford
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, with the report sent to whoever needs it. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait.
Nearby places to Upper Heyford
What else we do in Upper Heyford
DIY checks: what’s safe
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.