Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Cray's Pond Chimney Survey
Need a chimney survey in Cray's Pond? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
About our chimney survey in Cray's Pond
If you are buying a home with chimneys, it’s worth knowing their condition before you exchange. On older stacks, we frequently find cracked flaunching, loose flashings and worn pointing. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. Typical surveys look at gaps where the stack meets the roof and damaged chimney pots and cowls, across chimney breasts, chimney pots and cowls and flaunching.
Older buildings in small places like Cray's Pond may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Older materials like clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
Where we can’t see part of the chimney stack, the report says so. That way, it is clear what was covered and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Where
- Cray's Pond (RG8)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. Most visits take about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In a small place like Cray's Pond, access is normally the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- 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 the survey
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Getting a price
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Read more
What a survey costs
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- House, block, shop or office
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- The roof’s overall size
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Getting in touch
You do not need to know any roofing terms. It’s enough to tell us:
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- What made you get in touch
- Access details, like a loft hatch or a shared roof
- What kind of property and roof it is
When you are ready to go ahead, ring 07833 053749 or email us. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
Cray's Pond homes and their roofs
Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look. Historic houses like Basildon Park, about 2.2 miles south-west, show how far back building in the area around Cray's Pond goes. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Leonard, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. If you own a rental within reach of Goring & Streatley station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Cray's Pond is about 6 miles north-west of Caversham, in Oxfordshire. Whether the building in Cray's Pond is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, the roof can be surveyed on a weekday or at the weekend. Cray's Pond is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire where we work for chimney surveys. There is also a page for Reading.
All of RG8 is within our area for chimney surveys. Whether your property is on Crays Pond Close, Garton End and Goring Road or anywhere close by, we can help. You will find Cray's Pond on the B4526, so it’s easy for us to get to. Close by, we survey roofs in Woodcote (1 mile north-east), Whitchurch Hill (1 mile south), Hook End (2 miles east), Checkendon (3 miles north-east) and Cane End (3 miles east). Further out, we also cover Didcot (9 miles north-west), Abingdon-on-Thames (14 miles north-west), Wantage (15 miles west), Henley-on-Thames (8 miles east), Benson (7 miles north) and Chinnor (14 miles north-east).
Landmarks near Cray's Pond
We work in homes and buildings around The White Lion pub, Woodcote Primary School and Langtree School, among other places. The closest station to Cray's Pond is Goring & Streatley station, about 2.1 miles west. Nearby you will also find Battle Hospital (5.7 miles south-east). Not far away are Hartslock.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Tips that help
You do not need to be a roofer to help. What helps most:
- Check your stacks from the ground after strong winds
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Don’t use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
After the visit, we write up the report with photos of each stack. It explains the condition of each part of the stack and any damp inside. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Make sure fixings on the stack are sound and taken off if they’re no longer needed. Removing unused fixings takes strain off the brickwork.
When to book a survey in Cray's Pond
Where a chimney meets the roof, lead flashings keep water out. They can lift in wind, crack with age or pull out of the mortar joints. When flashings fail, water frequently shows up in the loft or on the chimney breast. Lead flashings can also be stolen.
Problems we come across often include:
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
Anyone responsible for a site like The Oratory Preparatory School will know that its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
What to check before booking
- What insurance they carry
- When you’ll get the report
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
Places near Cray's Pond
What else we do in Cray's Pond
Cray's Pond: your questions answered
Is my home in Cray's Pond listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Do you cover smaller places like Cray's Pond?
Yes. Cray's Pond is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it is applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
What will the report tell me?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos, and ends with what we recommend. Points are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
How much is a survey?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose, confirmed before anything is booked.
Do you inspect the flue?
No. It is not a flue, sweep or gas safety inspection. We look at the stack, pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings, and damp inside, and we’ll say if anything suggests the flue needs checking.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the addresses.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.