Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Witney
Not sure what state the chimney stack is in? We carry out chimney surveys in Witney and across Oxfordshire.
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Witney
Chimney stacks take more weather than almost any other part of a house. Over the years, the flaunching cracks, the pointing wears and flashings lift. 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. If you’ve noticed flashings pulling away from the stack and frost-damaged brickwork on the stack, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
In a town like Witney, most homes are houses whose owners look after their own roofs. Small faults, like a cracked ridge, a slipped tile or a blocked gutter, are cheaper to deal with early. The report sets out what needs attention, prioritised by urgency where relevant. The photographs let you see the parts of the roof you cannot get to.
The written findings come by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Place
- Witney (OX28, OX29)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we cannot see
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will recommend the right survey. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
Signs you need a chimney survey in Witney
Stacks that were used for open fires for many years can weaken from the inside. Flue gases and damp can break down the mortar, sometimes more on one side than the other, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
Here are some of the things we see frequently:
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- A stack that appears to lean
If you own a rental within reach of Finstock station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
What to check before booking
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- Whether you get a written report with photos
Nearby places to Witney
What else we do in Witney
Before and after the survey
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. Our suggestions:
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
If the stack is shared, you can pass the report to your neighbour. The photos show the problem and which side it’s on from the viewpoints we used.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. With binoculars, you can often see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
Local roofs in Witney
West Oxfordshire’s older buildings frequently carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their thatch. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. With Minster Lovell Hall about 1.9 miles north-west, Witney sits in an area with a long building history. 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 a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
Anyone responsible for a site like Tower Hill Community Primary School will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. The streets around a church such as Witney Congregational Church are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Witney is about 11 miles west of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. Whether the building in Witney is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, we can survey the roof on a weekday or at the weekend. Witney is one of the places in Oxfordshire we cover. There is also a page for Oxford.
We cover every part of the OX28 and OX29 postcode area for chimney surveys. We offer chimney surveys to properties on Carpenters Square, High Street and Market Square and the roads around them. Main roads around Witney include the A40 and A415, so getting to you is simple. We also cover Cogges (1 mile east), Madley Park (1 mile east), Ducklington (1 mile south), High Cogges (2 miles east) and South Leigh (3 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (11 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (12 miles south-east), Carterton (5 miles west), Wantage (14 miles south), Grove (13 miles south) and Faringdon (10 miles south-west). As one of the bigger places in Oxfordshire, Witney has every kind of building, from houses and flats to offices.
Near you in Witney
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Wood Green School, New Inn Public House and The Henry Box School, among other places. The nearest railway station is Finstock station, about 4.6 miles north. Nearby you will also find Cogges Manor Farm Museum (0.6 miles east).
Leave it or get it looked at?
Cracked flaunching and worn pointing are often modest repairs when they’re caught early. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks and the job gets bigger. On a house in a town like Witney, wet loft insulation stops working and can stay damp for a long time. That’s an extra cost on top of the roof work itself.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report isn’t charged as an extra. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Witney
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Clear package prices, including VAT
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or two real surveys.
For landlords and managing agents
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords. Bigger roofs take more time.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Witney and across Oxfordshire can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
What we do, step by step
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. If you have questions on the day, just ask. In Witney, parking is rarely complicated, though it is useful to know about driveways or restrictions. We check the roof from the ground and from windows, then from the loft where there is safe access, and from the roof itself where it is safe.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before we arrive
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Find any records of previous roof work
Booking a survey
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Read more
Questions from Witney
How do I find out if my home in Witney is listed?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Do you cover Witney?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Witney as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
How long is the visit?
Most surveys take an hour or two for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. The report follows by email.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only when it is safe. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. We use safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where it applies.
Do you use drones?
Where it helps and it is safe, yes. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator.
Does someone need to be in?
Not necessarily. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.