Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Upton, Oxfordshire
Chimney surveys in Upton, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photographs.
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
What you can safely check yourself
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us as you book.
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Chimney survey in Upton
Each stack is looked at from the safest viewpoints available: from the ground, from windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there’s access. A drone inspection is part of our Premium Survey where applicable. If we cannot see part of the stack, the report makes that clear. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. Common reasons to book are damaged chimney pots and cowls and worn or missing pointing, on chimney pots and cowls, chimney breasts and shared and party-wall stacks.
Somewhere as small as Upton, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often 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 often need the most attention.
What you get is a clear record of the chimney stack on the day we saw it. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later.
- Where
- Upton (OX11)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Common questions in Upton
Can a landlord with a rental near Didcot Parkway station book a roof survey?
Of course. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Will you come out to Upton?
Yes. Upton is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
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 we’ll say if anything suggests the flue needs checking.
Can you survey a chimney stack we share with next door?
Yes. Shared stacks are common on terraced and semi-detached houses. We record the stack as far as we can see it and flag anything on the neighbour’s side.
What insurance do you have?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
A redundant chimney needs looking after like any other. If it is capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside. We check how it is capped and its condition, so you can decide with a builder what to do.
Will you check the loft?
Usually, if there’s one and it can be reached safely. The roof space can show things the outside cannot, such as damp timbers, staining or daylight.
For landlords and managing agents
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.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client, photographs included.
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings
Flashings can lift in wind or pull out of their mortar joints. We photograph any we find that look loose or damaged.
Rendered stacks
A rendered stack can mask problems in the bricks below. The survey checks for cracking, bulging and staining in the render.
What we are asked to look at in Upton
Some owners book because a chimney breast has been removed below and they want to know about the stack above. We record what we can see in the loft and outside, and the report recommends a structural engineer if support is a concern.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- A stack that appears to lean
If you let a flat or house near Didcot Parkway station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
What to check before booking
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Will the report include photos?
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
Practical tips
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Do not use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
If the report recommends a structural engineer, a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer, it will say why. It gives them a clear starting point.
Get small mortar repairs done while they’re small. Small repairs now can save bigger work later.
Places near Upton
Also in Upton
Chimney surveys in Upton: local notes
West Oxfordshire’s older buildings frequently carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their thatch. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Whatever the covering, it is frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. The wider area around Upton has a long history of building, with Brightwell Manor about 4.7 miles north-east. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
The streets around a church such as Church of St Mary 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. If you look after a building like Blewbury Endowed Church of England Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Upton is about 2 miles south of Didcot, in Oxfordshire. Roofs in Upton get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Oxfordshire. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Upton. We also survey roofs in Oxford.
We survey roofs across OX11 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. If you need a chimney survey at a property on High Street, London Road and Pound Lane or a nearby road, we can help. If you are just outside Upton, we cover West Hagbourne (1 mile north), Coscote (1 mile north), East Hagbourne (1 mile north-east), Blewbury (1 mile south-east) and Chilton (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (12 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (7 miles north), Wantage (7 miles west), Grove (7 miles west), Faringdon (15 miles west) and Benson (7 miles north-east).
Landmarks near Upton
In Upton, that means homes and buildings near St Birinus School and The George at Upton pub. The closest station to Upton is Didcot Parkway station, about 2.4 miles north. Other landmarks nearby include Atlas Computer Laboratory (2.4 miles west) and Brightwell Castle (4.7 miles north-east). For a walk, there’s Churn Hill and Mowbray Fields.
What happens on the day
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. The inspection then takes between one and two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Cottages and farmhouses around Upton often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We check the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Before we arrive
- Tell us about parking before the day
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
Booking a survey
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.