West Berkshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Great Shefford, West Berkshire
Get a clear view of the chimney stack at a property in Great Shefford from an independent roof surveyor. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Cracked or missing flaunching
Chimney survey in Great Shefford
If you are buying a home with chimneys, it is 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 works alongside a RICS home survey, not instead of one. Common reasons to book are flaunching that has broken away and eroded joints in the brickwork, on brick chimney stacks, flaunching and chimney breasts.
Village roofs frequently face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, 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 written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are frequently where weather gets in first.
Report times depend on the survey you book: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Where
- Great Shefford (RG17)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Brick stacks
Frost can damage bricks that have soaked up water, making the faces flake away. Any spalling is noted with photos.
Flaunching
Sitting at the very top, flaunching is fully exposed. We look for cracks, gaps around the pots and missing pieces.
Towns and villages near Great Shefford
More services for Great Shefford
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Great Shefford
Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it’s listed or in a conservation area. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
If you look after a building such as Shefford C.E. Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. The streets around a church such as Church of St Mary are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Great Shefford is about 8 miles north-west of Newbury, in West Berkshire. We carry out chimney surveys in Great Shefford for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Across West Berkshire, we cover Great Shefford and the places around it. We also survey roofs in Reading.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: RG17. Whether your property is on Station Road, The Mead and Miller's Field or a nearby road, we can survey it. Other places close to Great Shefford include East Shefford (1 mile south-east), Weston (1 mile south-east), East Garston (2 miles north-west), Shefford Woodlands (2 miles south-west) and East Garston Woodlands (2 miles west). Further out, we also cover Newbury (8 miles south-east), Thatcham (10 miles south-east), Speenhamland (7 miles south-east), Hungerford (5 miles south-west), Lambourn (4 miles north-west) and Shaw (7 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Great Shefford
The countryside around Great Shefford includes Sole Common Pond.
When you need someone else
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Parts of the stack that can’t be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we cannot access
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Great Shefford
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
The survey, step by step
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a written report with photos. On timing, it typically takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Cottages and farmhouses around Great Shefford frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- The stacks are looked at from ground level, from windows and from other safe vantage points.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Where there’s safe access, we check the stack in the loft and the chimney breasts for damp.
- You get a photo-illustrated written report and our recommendations.
Before the survey
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
Getting a price
We confirm the price for your survey before you book, so you know where you stand. Our price is from £150, including VAT. To book, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Advice
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. Surveys run on any day of the week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait.
Great Shefford questions
Is Great Shefford within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. We survey roofs across London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Do you cover Great Shefford?
Yes. Our area covers London and South East England, and Great Shefford is part of that. Just call 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the property, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
What will the report tell me?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos. The most urgent items are made clear.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only when it’s safe. Safety comes first, and fragile or steep roofs cannot always be walked on. Safe viewpoints, the loft and a drone where applicable let us see the rest.
How can you see the top of the stack?
We use safe viewpoints rather than climbing onto the stack. A drone inspection is part of the Premium Survey where applicable. Any area we couldn’t view is noted.
What insurance do you have?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and details are available on request.
What affects the price in Great Shefford
Not every roof costs the same to survey, for these reasons:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- The shape of the roof and its details
Every price we give includes VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What we need to know
These details help when you get in touch:
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- When you need the report by
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email whenever suits you.
Tips that help
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Keep track of stains on chimney breasts
Where another specialist is needed, such as a structural engineer or sweep, we explain why. It gives them a clear starting point.
Check fixings on the stack are sound, and moved if they’re working it loose. Removing unused fixings takes strain off the brickwork.