Reading · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Fords Farm
Chimney surveys around Fords Farm, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- A stack that appears to lean
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
What happens on the day
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. The inspection then takes an hour or two at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In a smaller place like Fords Farm, parking is seldom the issue; lanes, gates and long drives are worth mentioning. On bungalows and lower roofs, much can be seen from the ground, with the loft showing the underside.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- The pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings are checked and photographed.
- We check the chimney breasts and the stack in the loft space where we can reach them.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
Before the survey
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
Booking a survey
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the details.
Advice
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Fords Farm
Each stack is looked at from the safest viewpoints available: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the loft space where it’s safe. With our Premium Survey, a drone inspection is included where applicable. Where part of a stack can’t be seen, the report says so. Every defect we find is photographed and described in plain words. If you’re worried about a chimney out of line and gaps where the stack meets the roof, we can find out what’s behind it.
In a smaller place like Fords Farm, some roofs stand more exposed to wind and rain than in a built-up town. Ridge tiles, verges, chimney stacks and flashings take the worst of it. Checking those edges shows whether anything has begun to work loose. A loose ridge tile or slate gives the wind something to catch, and others soon follow.
After the visit, you get a report with photographs, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the chimney stack, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Place
- Fords Farm (RG30, RG31)
- Wider area
- Reading
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Also near Fords Farm
More services for Fords Farm
When you need someone else
It is a careful look at the chimney stack, not the whole story. Its limits include:
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
- Conditions inside walls
- A structural engineer’s assessment
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will point you to the right survey. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Fords Farm
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
To price your survey, we look at:
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- The size of the roof
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Basic, Standard or Premium
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, all including VAT. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What to let us know when you get in touch
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It helps to include:
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We’ll confirm the price before you book.
Tips that help
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
You can send the report to roofers or builders for quotes. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Unused stacks should be capped in a way that still lets air through. Ventilation helps keep the stack dry.
Can I check my roof myself?
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
A lot can be seen from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
Common questions in Fords Farm
How do I find out if my home in Fords Farm is listed?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Will you come out to Fords Farm?
Yes, we do. We survey roofs across London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning, with the freeholder or managing agent. Mention it when you get in touch and we will explain what’s needed.
Should a redundant chimney be removed?
There is no single answer. The survey shows its condition and how it’s been capped. If you’re thinking of removing it, check with the council first in a conservation area or on a listed building.
What insurance do you have?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We are roof surveyors, not structural engineers, and it doesn’t include calculations. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we’ll recommend one.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Let us know which days suit you when you book.
Chimney surveys around Fords Farm
With Mapledurham House about 3.1 miles north, Fords Farm sits in an area with a long building history. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters.
If you live in an older home near St Matthew's, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for example near Broad Street Mall, a written record of the roof’s condition helps you plan maintenance rather than react to leaks.
Fords Farm is about 2 miles west of Reading, in Reading. Anywhere in Fords Farm, we can carry out chimney surveys at your property. Fords Farm is one of the towns and villages in Reading we cover for chimney surveys.
Here we cover the RG30 and RG31 postcode area for chimney surveys. Streets in the area include Low Lane, Mill Lane and Bath Road, and we cover them all. We also cover the places around Fords Farm: Horncastle (1 mile north), Southcote (1 mile east), Burghfield Bridge (1 mile south), Beansheaf Farm (1 mile west) and Calcot (1 mile west). We also work in nearby towns such as Caversham (4 miles north-east), Shinfield (4 miles south-east), Arborfield Garrison (7 miles south-east), Caversham Heights (3 miles north-east), Whitley Wood (3 miles south-east) and Sonning Common (6 miles north).
Around Fords Farm
We work in homes and buildings around Prospect School, Elvian School and The Cunning Man pub and the streets around them. The closest station to Fords Farm is Reading Green Park station, roughly 1.4 miles south-east of the centre. Nearby you will also find Battle Hospital (1.7 miles north-east) and Beaumys Castle (4.8 miles south-east). Open spaces near Fords Farm include Fobney Island Wetland Reserve and South Lake.
What we are asked to look at in Fords Farm
Some owners book because a chimney breast has been removed below and they want to know about the stack above. We record what we can see in the loft and outside, and the report recommends a structural engineer if support is a concern.
People typically book a survey after spotting one of these:
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
Homes near green spaces such as Calcot Park can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- Are they insured for the work?
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?