West Berkshire · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Great Lea Common
Chimney surveys in Great Lea Common from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and South East England.
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
Chimney survey in Great Lea Common
Chimney stacks take more weather than almost any other part of a house. Over the years, the flaunching cracks, the pointing wears and flashings lift. Water then gets into the stack and can show as damp on a chimney breast or a stain in the loft. We record what we find with photos and recommendations. We are often asked to look into staining on walls around the chimney and spalled or crumbling bricks, on chimney pots and cowls, shared and party-wall stacks and chimney breasts.
Older buildings in small places like Great Lea Common 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.
It isn’t only a list of defects. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Where
- Great Lea Common (RG7)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips from our surveys
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Never climb onto the roof to look at a chimney
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
- Check your stacks from ground level after strong winds
- File photos of the stacks with your home records
You can send the report to roofers or builders for quotes. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. Binoculars help you spot loose pots, missing mortar or lifted flashings.
Roof by roof
Rendered stacks
Some stacks are rendered, which can hide the condition of the brickwork beneath. The survey checks for cracking, bulging and staining in the render.
Chimney breasts and the loft
If a chimney breast has been removed below, we note what we can see of the support above. A structural engineer should confirm whether it’s adequate.
What we do, step by step
It helps to start with what’s prompted the survey: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. That way we can focus on what matters to you. The visit typically takes between one and two hours at most homes, and more on a big or complicated roof. Somewhere as small as Great Lea Common, access is often the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We check every stack from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there is access.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Before the survey
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Booking a survey
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email, let us know about the property and we will recommend the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Advice
Places near Great Lea Common
Other services in Great Lea Common
Questions from Great Lea Common
I let a flat near Reading Green Park station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. Just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Do you cover smaller places like Great Lea Common?
Yes, Great Lea Common is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so the freeholder or managing agent needs to agree access. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
How long will you be at the property?
Expect it to take an hour or two at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. The written report follows by email, on the timescale of your package.
Does the report include photographs?
Yes. Photographs are taken throughout the survey, and the report uses them to show each finding alongside our recommendations.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
A redundant chimney needs looking after like any other. Capping without airflow can lead to damp. Our survey records its condition and how it is capped, so you can plan what to do with it.
Why it is worth a survey now in Great Lea Common
Chimneys are easy to forget because you rarely see the top of them. Problems often go unnoticed until damp appears inside. Surveying the stack now can catch problems first. Outbuildings and barns around Great Lea Common are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package matters as well. We’ll give you the figure before anything is booked.
Why us?
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- PI and public liability insurance
- Surveys seven days a week
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
Take a look at our cost guide and what we found on two real jobs.
Honest limits
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Parts of the stack that cannot be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we cannot access
- Conditions inside walls
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer before you book. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Great Lea Common
The wider area around Great Lea Common has a long history of building, with Stratfield Saye House about 4.3 miles south. If yours is one of the older homes, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Whatever the covering, it’s often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for instance near The Oracle, a written record of the roof’s condition helps you plan maintenance rather than react to leaks. Take an older house close to St Paul's Church: the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. For landlords with property near Reading Green Park station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Great Lea Common is about 3 miles south of Reading, in West Berkshire. Wherever you are in Great Lea Common, we can come and survey your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. We cover towns and villages across West Berkshire.
Every address in RG7 is covered for chimney surveys. Other places close to Great Lea Common include Three Mile Cross (1 mile south-east), Whitley Wood (1 mile north-east), Ryeish Green (1 mile south-east), Green Park (1 mile north-west) and Shinfield (1 mile east). Further out, we also cover Newbury (15 miles west), Thatcham (12 miles west), Burghfield Common (4 miles west), Speenhamland (15 miles west), Calcot (4 miles north-west) and Shaw (14 miles west).
Local landmarks in Great Lea Common
In Great Lea Common, that means homes and buildings near Geoffrey Field Junior School, Ryeish Green School and Pearman's Copse. For rail, the closest station is Reading Green Park station, about 1.5 miles north-west of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Berkshire Medical Heritage Centre Museum (3 miles north) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (2.9 miles north). For a walk, there is Fobney Island Wetland Reserve and Longwater.
What a survey costs
To price your survey, we look at:
- House, block, shop or office
- Roof area
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we can help you choose.
Helping us price your survey
A little information up front helps. It’s useful to include:
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- The address and postcode of the property
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or email us when you’re ready.