West Berkshire · London and the South East
Ashmansworth Chimney Survey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Ashmansworth, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photos.
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Worn or missing pointing
- Signs that a stack is leaning
Chimney survey in Ashmansworth: what you get
Our chimney survey covers the stack and the details that keep water out around it: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and the flashings at the roof line. Inside, we check chimney breasts and the stack in the loft where it’s safe to reach. The findings come in a written report with photos and recommendations. It suits a single stack on a house as well as several on a larger building. Typical surveys look at disused chimneys trapping moisture and spalled or crumbling bricks, across shared and party-wall stacks, brick chimney stacks and flaunching.
In a village or hamlet like Ashmansworth, older cottages and farmhouses frequently sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs frequently need the most attention.
What you get is a clear record of the chimney stack on the day we saw it. It’s useful right away, and a good reference for later, for instance when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Place
- Ashmansworth (RG20)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Local roofs in Ashmansworth
In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters. Highclere Castle, about 1.9 miles north-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Ashmansworth. 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 the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Take an older house close to Church of St James: old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Ashmansworth is about 7 miles south-west of Newbury, in West Berkshire. Ashmansworth gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Ashmansworth is one of the towns and villages in West Berkshire where we work. Our Reading page covers surveys nearby.
We cover every part of the RG20 postcode area for chimney surveys. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Test Valley (1 mile west), Vernham Street (4 miles west), Hell Corner (5 miles north-west), Upper Green (5 miles north-west) and Inkpen Common (5 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Newbury (7 miles north-east), Thatcham (9 miles north-east), Speenhamland (7 miles north-east), Hungerford (8 miles north-west), Lambourn (14 miles north) and Shaw (7 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Ashmansworth
The countryside around Ashmansworth includes Sidown Hill.
What we look for on each type of roof
Brick stacks
Older brick stacks often have soft lime mortar. Repairs should suit the original materials, which we mention where relevant.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Damp patches on chimney breasts often point to a problem above. We look at them and at the stack in the loft where there’s safe access.
What you can safely check yourself
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 don’t climb up for a closer look.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Before and after the survey
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
Questions about the findings are always welcome. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation.
Get small mortar repairs done while they’re small. It’s far simpler than rebuilding a stack later.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Ashmansworth
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out with the most urgent first where relevant, which helps when budgeting.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work with less disruption.
Questions from Ashmansworth
Is Ashmansworth within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. We survey roofs across London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Do you cover Ashmansworth?
Yes, Ashmansworth is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
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 recommend a structural engineer where it may be a structural concern.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof, not the whole building. If you need a full building survey, you’ll need a RICS survey as well.
What happens after the survey?
The report comes by email, and what you do next is up to you: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
Why is my chimney breast damp?
Typically it’s water getting in from outside, or condensation in a sealed stack. We check the stack, the flashings and how unused flues are capped, and record what we find.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
No. It isn’t a flue, sweep or gas safety inspection. We check the structure and weathering of the stack and any damp, and we will say if anything suggests the flue needs checking.
Places near Ashmansworth
Other services in Ashmansworth
What we do, step by step
When we arrive, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. After that, we look at everything we can see safely, from the ground, from windows, in the loft space and by drone where it applies. Most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, and longer for a large or complex roof. For a village or hamlet like Ashmansworth, the journey is planned beforehand: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect everything that’s safely in view, inside and out.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- 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.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
How to prepare
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Getting a price
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Advice
What this survey cannot tell you
To be straight with you, there are limits to any roof survey:
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in Ashmansworth
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts