West Berkshire · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in East Garston
Need a chimney survey in East Garston? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Worn or missing pointing
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
How a chimney survey works in East Garston
If a chimney looks out of line, it is worth getting it checked. A stack may lean because the mortar on one side has weakened, which can happen over many years of use. We record the lean and the condition of the brickwork and pointing. Where it may be a structural concern, we will recommend a structural engineer. We survey chimney breasts, flaunching and chimney pots and cowls, and common reasons people get in touch are bricks with flaking faces and cracked or missing flaunching.
In a small place like East Garston, many roofs stand in the open, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A roof report shows what needs attention first. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are frequently where weather gets in first.
If any part of the chimney stack couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. That way, it’s clear what was covered and what wasn’t.
- Where
- East Garston (RG17)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What a survey costs
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Which survey package you book
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the size and height of the roof, how it can safely be seen and which survey you book.
What we need to know
The more you tell us, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, let us know:
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Anything about access we should know
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
East Garston questions
Will you come out to East Garston?
Yes, East Garston is covered. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in East Garston?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Do you look in the loft space?
If the survey needs it and the loft space can be reached safely, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we are allowed to reach.
My chimney looks like it is leaning. What should I do?
Have it checked rather than leaving it. Stacks can lean when mortar on one side breaks down. The survey records what we can see, and a structural engineer can confirm whether it’s stable.
What happens next?
You’ll receive the report by email, and you decide the next step: raise it with a seller, send it to an insurer, brief a roofer or share it with a managing agent.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We point out what can be seen, like sagging or deflection, but we are not structural engineers and do not carry out calculations. If we think you need an engineer, the report says so.
What a chimney survey does not cover
It’s a careful look at the chimney stack, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Conditions inside walls
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will suggest the right survey before you book. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in East Garston
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
Towns and villages near East Garston
Other services in East Garston
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we will plan the survey around it.
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 by roof
Chimney pots and cowls
A loose or cracked pot can fall from height. We photograph each pot and note any damage.
Rendered stacks
We cannot see the bricks behind render without it being opened up, so the report explains what we could and couldn’t assess.
Tips that help
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Do not use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
- Check your stacks from ground level after strong winds
- Check unused flues are capped with ventilation
- Check fixings on the stack are secure
With a shared stack, the report can help when talking to next door. The photos show the problem and which side it is on from the viewpoints we used.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.
What happens on the day
On the day, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you need to know. After that, we look at everything we can see safely. The survey typically takes about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Around East Garston, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it’s useful to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Preparing for the visit
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
Getting a price
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
East Garston homes and their roofs
Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. There are about 500,000 buildings on England’s list of listed buildings, and around 10,000 conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, so check with the council.
Whatever the street in East Garston, a roof costs least to look after when faults are caught early. If you live in an older home near Church of All Saints, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
East Garston is about 7 miles south of Wantage, in West Berkshire. We carry out chimney surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in East Garston and the surrounding area. East Garston is one of the places in West Berkshire we cover for chimney surveys. You can also see our page for Oxford.
All of RG17 is covered for chimney surveys. We cover properties on Station Road, Back Street and Humphrey's Lane and the roads around them. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Eastbury (1 mile west), East Garston Woodlands (1 mile south-west), Great Shefford (2 miles south-east), East Shefford (2 miles south-east) and Shefford Woodlands (2 miles south). Further out, we also cover Newbury (9 miles south-east), Thatcham (11 miles south-east), Speenhamland (9 miles south-east), Hungerford (6 miles south), Lambourn (3 miles north-west) and Shaw (9 miles south-east).
Landmarks near East Garston
For a walk, there is Watts Bank.