Reading · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Arborfield Garrison
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Arborfield Garrison, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photos.
- Worn or missing pointing
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- A chimney out of line
What happens on the day
The visit usually starts outside and finishes in the loft: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the loft space where it can be reached. All told, expect about one to two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. In a smaller place like Arborfield Garrison, parking is seldom the issue; lanes, gates and long drives are worth mentioning. Low roofs on bungalows can often be seen well from the ground, and the loft shows the rest, while taller roofs may need other vantage points or the drone where applicable.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft space.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- Keep pets in another room
How to book
We survey roofs seven days a week. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Chimney survey in Arborfield Garrison: what you get
Many homes have chimneys that are no longer used. Even when it isn’t used, a stack has to stay weathertight. Capping a stack without ventilation can trap moisture and lead to damp inside. Our survey looks at how each unused stack has been capped and checks the breasts for damp. You get photos of each stack and our recommendations. We survey brick chimney stacks, chimney breasts and chimney pots and cowls, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are damaged chimney pots and cowls and worn or missing pointing.
Around Arborfield Garrison, gardens, hedges and nearby trees can mean leaves and moss end up on roofs and in gutters. Blocked gutters overflow and soak the walls below, and moss holds water against tiles. It’s the kind of slow problem a roof report picks up early. Plants growing from a gutter or moss on the tiles are signs worth noting from ground level.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, sent by email. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Location
- Arborfield Garrison (RG2, RG40)
- Wider area
- Reading
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near Arborfield Garrison
Also in Arborfield Garrison
Signs you need a chimney survey in Arborfield Garrison
TV aerials, satellite dishes and their brackets are frequently fixed to chimneys. The extra load in wind can work bricks and joints loose. We check fixings on the stack as part of the survey.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Bricks with flaking faces
- A stack that appears to lean
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Staining on walls around the chimney
If you live near a park like Shepperlands Farm Nature Reserve, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- Their report turnaround times
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
Common questions in Arborfield Garrison
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Arborfield Garrison?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Can a landlord with a rental near Wokingham station book a roof survey?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. Just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know about the building, including who will give access on the day.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. Access is agreed with you when booking.
Is a leaning chimney dangerous?
It’s worth having a leaning stack checked. Our survey notes how it looks and the condition of the bricks and joints, and recommend a structural engineer where it may be a structural concern.
Do you use drones?
Where it helps and the rules allow, yes. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
What does a roof survey cost?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the exact price before booking, and it depends on the roof’s size, access and the package you choose. To get a price, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
Tips from our surveys
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
Where another specialist is needed, such as a structural engineer or sweep, we explain why. That helps you brief them.
Get small mortar repairs done while they’re small. It’s far simpler than rebuilding a stack later.
Chimney surveys around Arborfield Garrison
The wider area around Arborfield Garrison has a long history of building, with Stratfield Saye House about 4.8 miles south-west. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
If you own a rental within reach of Wokingham station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant. If you own one of the older houses in the streets near St Eligius, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Arborfield Garrison is about 3 miles south-west of Wokingham, in Reading. Wherever you are in Arborfield Garrison, we can come and survey your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. We cover towns and villages across Reading, large and small. Our Reading page covers surveys nearby.
Every address in RG2 and RG40 is covered for chimney surveys. If you need a chimney survey at a property on Rowcroft Road, Lance Way and Infirmary Court or anywhere close by, we can help. Close by, we survey roofs in Langley Common (1 mile north), California (1 mile east), Barkham (1 mile north-east), Eversley (2 miles south) and Lower Common (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include Caversham (7 miles north-west), Norcot (8 miles north-west), West Reading (6 miles north-west), Tilehurst Within (8 miles north-west), Shinfield (3 miles north-west) and Caversham Heights (8 miles north-west). Being one of Reading’s larger places, Arborfield Garrison has homes, rented property and businesses of every kind.
What’s near Arborfield Garrison
Around Arborfield Garrison, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Shepperlands Farm Nature Reserve, The Bramshill Hunt pub and Farley Hill Primary School. The closest station to Arborfield Garrison is Wokingham station, about 3.2 miles north-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Wokingham Hospital (3 miles north-east) and Beaumys Castle (3.6 miles west). The countryside around Arborfield Garrison includes The Marshes Local Nature Reserve and Horseshoe Lake.
Checking the roof from ground level
It’s useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us as you book and it will help the survey.
You can learn a lot from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney pots and cowls
Damaged pots are a safety concern as well as a leak risk. We photograph each pot and note any damage.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Inside, chimney breasts can show damp when water gets into the stack. We check them and at the stack in the loft where there is safe access.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Damp in a chimney breast usually gets worse while the cause is left. It can spoil decoration and plaster. Knowing whether it is the flaunching, flashings, brickwork or ventilation means the right fix can be planned. In an older home around Arborfield Garrison, water from a roof defect can get into timber and plaster, which is far harder to put right than the roof fault itself.
Every price we give includes VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before booking.
Why book with us
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- 98% customer satisfaction
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or two real surveys.