Windsor and Maidenhead · London and the South East
Dorney Chimney Survey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Dorney, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Lifted or split lead flashings
Chimney survey in Dorney
Damp on a chimney breast can have several causes. Water may be getting in at the top through cracked flaunching or an uncapped pot, through the brickwork, or at the flashings. Condensation inside an unventilated stack is another common cause. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause. That points the work in the right direction. If you’ve noticed lifted or split lead flashings and damaged chimney pots and cowls, we can find out what’s behind it, on chimney pots and cowls, brick chimney stacks and lead flashings alike.
Somewhere as small as Dorney, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Roofs there can be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, and chimney stacks are frequently old. 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 often need the most attention.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Where
- Dorney (SL4)
- Region
- Windsor and Maidenhead
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Dorney
About 0.5 miles west lies Dorney Court, a reminder of how long the area around Dorney has been built on. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs. 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.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Western House Academy, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. Homes near green spaces like Sutherland Grange can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls. Take an older house close to Church of St James: its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Dorney is about 2 miles north-west of Windsor, in Windsor and Maidenhead. We cover Dorney and the rest of Windsor and Maidenhead, as part of our work across London and South East England. Dorney is one of the towns and villages in Windsor and Maidenhead where we work for chimney surveys. For surveys nearby, see our Reading page.
Chimney surveys in SL4 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on Common Road, Village Road and Boveney Road or a nearby road, we can survey it. If you’re just outside Dorney, we cover Lake End (1 mile north-west), Dorney Reach (1 mile west), Cippenham (1 mile north-east), Huntercombe (1 mile north) and Bray (2 miles west). We also work in nearby towns such as Maidenhead (4 miles west), Boyn Hill (4 miles west), North Ascot (6 miles south), Cookham (5 miles north-west), Furze Platt (4 miles north-west) and Broomhall (8 miles south).
What’s near Dorney
We work in homes and buildings around The Westgate School, Sutherland Grange and Westgate School and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Burnham station, about 1.4 miles north of the centre. Nearby you will also find Upton Hospital (2.7 miles east) and The History On Wheels Museum (1.2 miles east). Open spaces near Dorney include Bray Pit and Taplow Lake.
Before and after the survey
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
- Check unused flues are capped with ventilation
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
Once we’ve been, the findings are written up with photos. 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.
Get small mortar repairs done while they’re small. Small repairs now can save bigger work later.
Also near Dorney
What else we do in Dorney
Dorney questions
Is Dorney within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. Our area covers London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
Can a landlord with a rental near Burnham station book a roof survey?
Yes, that is a common request. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not always. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. We use safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where it applies, and the report records anything we couldn’t see.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Our Basic Survey starts from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all with VAT included.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We note visible signs like sagging or deflection, but we’re not structural engineers and do not carry out calculations. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
My chimney looks like it’s leaning. What should I do?
Have it checked rather than leaving it. Leaning often comes from mortar breaking down unevenly. The survey records what we can see, and a structural engineer can assess whether it needs work.
Our stack is shared. Can you still survey it?
Yes. We look at the parts we can see safely and the parts you can give us access to. If a defect seems to be on your neighbour’s side, the report records it, so you can discuss it with them.
Checking the roof from the ground
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date, which helps when we look at the roof.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Why it is worth a survey now in Dorney
A damp chimney breast seldom dries out until the cause is found. It can stain walls and damage plaster. Finding the cause means the right work can be planned. Older cottages and farmhouses around Dorney can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so they’re priced to match. You’ll know the figure before booking.
Why us?
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Every finding written up with photos
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- An independent view of the roof
See what a roof survey costs or what we found on two real jobs.
The survey, step by step
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the loft space if there is safe access. In total, it takes about 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Cottages and farmhouses around Dorney often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen.
- First you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- Every part we can see is looked at: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Where there is safe access, we look at the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- The findings are written up with photographs and recommendations and emailed to you.
Before the survey
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Book a survey
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email to find out.
Advice
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. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Flue inspections or sweeping
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photos included.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait.