Buckinghamshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Upper North Dean, Buckinghamshire
Find out the condition of the chimney stack at your property in Upper North Dean from an independent roof surveyor. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
About our chimney survey in Upper North Dean
Our survey covers the structure of the stack and its weathering details. It is not a flue inspection, a sweep or a gas safety check. For the flue itself, you’ll need a sweep or, for gas appliances, a Gas Safe registered engineer. We’ll tell you if we see anything that suggests they should take a look. We survey brick chimney stacks, shared and party-wall stacks and chimney breasts, and the problems we are asked to look at most are eroded joints in the brickwork and damp on a chimney breast inside.
In a small place like Upper North Dean, many roofs stand in the open, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
It is not only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend.
- Location
- Upper North Dean (HP14)
- Wider area
- Buckinghamshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Why get it checked now?
Chimneys are easy to forget because you rarely see the top of them. Defects tend to go unseen until there’s a stain. A survey gives you a clear picture before that happens. For older village homes like those around Upper North Dean, the right replacement materials aren’t always easy to find quickly. That’s one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on the size and height of the roof, how it can be seen safely and which survey you book.
Why us?
- 98% of customers satisfied
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Photos and a written report every time
- Visits on any day of the week
See our cost guide or our case studies.
What a chimney survey doesn’t cover
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Conditions inside walls
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll recommend the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Upper North Dean
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
Towns and villages near Upper North Dean
Also in Upper North Dean
Can I check my roof myself?
You can learn a lot from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: 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 questions in Upper North Dean
I let a flat near Saunderton station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and a few details, including who will give access on the day.
Do you cover smaller places like Upper North Dean?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Will I get photos?
Yes. Photos are taken throughout the survey, and the report uses them to show each finding alongside our recommendations.
Which parts of the chimney do you look at?
The survey covers the pots and cowls, the flaunching, the pointing, the bricks and the flashings. Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access. Everything is written up with photographs.
Should I worry about a leaning stack?
A leaning stack should be looked at. Our survey notes how it looks and the condition of the bricks and joints, and if it may be a structural issue, we recommend a structural engineer.
How long will you be at the property?
That depends on the size and shape of the roof, but most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. The report is sent afterwards by email.
How experienced are you?
We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys, over more than 20 years, with 98% customer satisfaction.
Useful tips for Upper North Dean property owners
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
If anything in the report is not clear, just ask us. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Have aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked and taken off if they’re no longer needed. Less load on the stack means less strain in wind.
Prices for chimney surveys in Upper North Dean
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before you book. These are the things that affect it:
- Roof area
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- House, block, shop or office
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. The price is always agreed first.
What we need to know
When you call or email, these details help:
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
Once you know what you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
How the survey works
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof, but as a rough guide the survey takes between one and two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. You are welcome to ask questions while we’re there. Somewhere as small as Upper North Dean, access is often the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- We check every stack from wherever it can be seen safely.
- 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.
Before the survey
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Tell us where we can park nearby
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Booking a survey
We confirm the price for the job 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 send us an email.
Advice
Upper North Dean homes and their roofs
Historic houses such as Hughenden Manor, about 2.4 miles south, show how far back building in the area around Upper North Dean goes. 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. Thatch survives on some older buildings in Buckinghamshire’s villages. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Whatever the covering, it’s frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
Take a building like Speen CofE VA School: large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. Take an older house close to Speen Church (Baptist): its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. If you own a rental within reach of Saunderton station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Upper North Dean is about 4 miles north of High Wycombe, in Buckinghamshire. Surveys in Upper North Dean work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photos and a written report. Upper North Dean is one of the towns and villages in Buckinghamshire where we work. You can also see our page for Reading.
We cover every part of HP14 for chimney surveys. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Lower North Dean (1 mile south-east), Bryant's Bottom (1 mile north-east), Speen (1 mile north-west), Walter's Ash (1 mile south-west) and Stony Green (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Aylesbury (9 miles north), High Wycombe (4 miles south), Chesham (7 miles east), Marlow (8 miles south), Amersham (7 miles east) and Beaconsfield (7 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Upper North Dean
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Pipers Corner School and King William IV Public House and the streets around them. Upper North Dean’s nearest station is Saunderton station, about 2.3 miles west of the centre. Nearby you will also find Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre (3.2 miles north-east) and Chiltern Hospital (3.4 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Beacon Hill and Prestwood Local Nature Reserve.