Wokingham · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Hare Hatch, Wokingham
Chimney surveys in Hare Hatch, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
Chimney survey in Hare Hatch: what you get
A chimney stands up above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. In time, flaunching cracks, mortar washes out and flashings come loose. Water then gets into the stack and can show as damp on a chimney breast or a stain in the loft. A survey finds these problems and records them with photographs. If you’ve noticed disused chimneys trapping moisture and frost-damaged brickwork on the stack, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on lead flashings, chimney pots and cowls and chimney breasts alike.
In a small place like Hare Hatch, many roofs stand in the open, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. 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. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Location
- Hare Hatch (RG10)
- Wider area
- Wokingham
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Roof by roof
Chimney pots and cowls
On redundant flues, we look at how the pots are capped. Capping without ventilation can trap moisture.
Rendered stacks
Water can get in through cracks and then struggle to dry out. We record any cracking and where it is.
The survey, step by step
The visit normally starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the loft space if there is safe access. All told, expect between one and two hours at a typical home; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Rural addresses near Hare Hatch can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- 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.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
How to prepare
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Let us know about parking before the day
Arrange a survey
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
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Common questions in Hare Hatch
I let a flat near Wargrave station. Can you check the roof?
Of course. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Will you come out to Hare Hatch?
Yes, Hare Hatch is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
How do you inspect a chimney without scaffolding?
Each stack is viewed from the safest viewpoints: from the ground, windows and vantage points, and from the loft where there is access. Our Premium Survey includes a drone inspection where applicable. We note anything we couldn’t see.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. If you need a full building survey, you’ll need a RICS survey as well.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once access has been agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is frequently shared, so we need permission from the freeholder or managing agent. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes. Photos are part of every report, so you can see exactly what each finding refers to.
Why get it checked now?
If you’re thinking of removing or reducing a stack, it helps to know its condition first. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need permission from the council, so check with them first. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and which survey you book.
Why book us in Hare Hatch
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- An independent view of the roof
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
Should I look at the roof myself first?
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us as you book.
Places near Hare Hatch
Other services in Hare Hatch
Honest limits
It is a careful look at the chimney stack, not the whole story. Its limits include:
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Conditions inside walls
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will tell you. What a survey covers and does not.
What we look at
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
Local roofs in Hare Hatch
Harleyford Manor, about 4.3 miles north, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Hare Hatch. 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. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
Anyone responsible for a site like Robert Piggott CofE Infant School will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. If you own a rental within reach of Wargrave station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. The streets around a church such as Church of St James are often among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Hare Hatch is about 4 miles north-east of Woodley, in Wokingham. We cover Hare Hatch and the rest of Wokingham. Our area takes in places right across Wokingham, large and small. Our Reading page covers surveys nearby.
Here we cover the RG10 postcode area for chimney surveys. We cover properties on Bath Road, Tag Lane and Milley Lane. We also cover The Holt (1 mile north-east), Kiln Green (1 mile north-east), Ruscombe (1 mile south-west), Twyford (1 mile south-west) and Waltham St Lawrence (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Reading (7 miles south-west), Wokingham (6 miles south), Woodley (4 miles south-west), Earley (6 miles south-west), Crowthorne (9 miles south) and Lower Earley (6 miles south-west).
What’s near Hare Hatch
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Queen Victoria pub, Loddon Nature Reserve and The Piggott School, among other places. Hare Hatch’s nearest station is Wargrave station, roughly 1.4 miles west of the centre. A little further out are St Mark's Hospital (4.7 miles north-east) and Frazer Nash Archives (3.3 miles north-west). For a walk, there’s Weycock Hill and Hurley Chalk Pit.
Practical tips
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
You can send the report to roofers or builders for quotes. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Have aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked, and moved if they’re working it loose. Less load on the stack means less strain in wind.