Reading · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Chalkhouse Green
Find out the condition of the chimney stack at your property in Chalkhouse Green from an independent roof surveyor. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Bricks with flaking faces
- A chimney out of line
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
Practical tips
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
Questions about the findings are always welcome. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one.
Unused stacks should be capped in a way that still lets air through. Ventilation helps keep the stack dry.
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Chalkhouse Green
A damp patch on a chimney breast does not always come from the same place. Water may be getting in at the top through cracked flaunching or an uncapped pot, through the brickwork, or at the flashings. Moisture trapped inside a stack with no ventilation can also cause damp. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause. That points the work in the right direction. If you are worried about flaunching that has broken away and a stack that appears to lean, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In a small place like Chalkhouse Green, many roofs stand in the open, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A roof report shows what needs attention first. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
Where we can’t see part of the chimney stack, the report says so. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Place
- Chalkhouse Green (RG4)
- Wider area
- Reading
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
Photographs are taken throughout the visit, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. Most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In a small place like Chalkhouse Green, access is usually the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the roof space.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Tell us about parking before the day
Getting a price
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. For a price or to book, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
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Places near Chalkhouse Green
Other services in Chalkhouse Green
For landlords and managing agents
Landlords, agents and building managers in Chalkhouse Green and across Reading can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget.
When you need someone else
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Conditions inside walls
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll suggest the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
Checking the roof from ground level
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level.
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when booking.
Chalkhouse Green homes and their roofs
Historic houses like Mapledurham House, about 2.6 miles west, show how far back building in the area around Chalkhouse Green goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
If you live in an older home near Saint Barnabas Emmer Green, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. For businesses in and around places like Broad Street Mall, a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions. Landlords with a home close to Reading station may find that the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Chalkhouse Green is about 1 mile north-west of Caversham, in Reading. If you’re in Chalkhouse Green, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Chalkhouse Green is one of the towns and villages in Reading where we work.
We work across the RG4 postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Kidmore End Road, Chalkhouse Green Lane and Tanners Lane. We also cover the places around Chalkhouse Green: Tokers Green (1 mile south-west), Emmer Green (1 mile south-east), Caversham (1 mile south-east), Caversham Heights (1 mile south) and Caversham Park Village (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Norcot (3 miles south-west), West Reading (3 miles south), Tilehurst Within (4 miles south-west), Shinfield (6 miles south), Arborfield Garrison (9 miles south-east) and Horncastle (4 miles south-west).
Local landmarks in Chalkhouse Green
We work in homes and buildings around Bird in Hand pub, The Warwick School and Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Reading station, about 2.6 miles south of the centre. A little further out are Royal Berkshire Regiment Museum (2.9 miles south) and Battle Hospital (2.8 miles south). The countryside around Chalkhouse Green includes South Lake and Sonning Hill.
What a survey costs
Our packages start from £150, inc. VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Getting in touch
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It is useful to include:
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- What kind of property and roof it is
- What made you get in touch
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
A quick phone call is normally the easiest start: ring 07833 053749 or send us an email, and we will ask about the building and what you need. The price is agreed before a date is set.
FAQs for Chalkhouse Green
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Chalkhouse Green?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Will you come out to Chalkhouse Green?
Yes. Chalkhouse Green is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We work right across London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
How long does the survey take?
Time on site depends on the roof; most visits take about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. The report is sent afterwards by email.
Do you need to get into the loft?
If it’s needed and safe to reach, yes. Inside, we look for damp, staining, gaps and sagging.
What will the report tell me?
It explains what we saw, what it means and what we’d suggest, with photographs throughout. It also says if any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely.
What do you check on a chimney?
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.
What should I do with a chimney I do not use?
An unused stack still needs to stay weathertight and ventilated. If it’s capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside. Our survey records its condition and how it’s capped, so you can plan what to do with it.