Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Harpsden Chimney Survey
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching across Harpsden, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Call or email for a price.
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Disused chimneys trapping moisture
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
Chimney survey in Harpsden
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. That lets water into the brickwork, which can show up as damp on a chimney breast or in the loft space. We record what we find with photos and recommendations. We are frequently asked to look into lifted or split lead flashings and eroded joints in the brickwork, across chimney pots and cowls, brick chimney stacks and lead flashings.
Older buildings in small places like Harpsden may be listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is often expected.
We keep jargon out of it: where something needs attention, it says so plainly, and where it can wait, that’s said too.
- Where
- Harpsden (RG9)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that is worrying you. We then inspect everything that can safely be seen, from ground level, from windows, in the roof space and by drone where it applies. Most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Older rural homes like those around Harpsden can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- You let us know how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can be seen safely.
- We check and photograph the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access.
- The findings are written up with photographs and recommendations and emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Keep pets in another room
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Tell us where we can park nearby
Booking a survey
If you’re buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply phone 07833 053749 or email us whenever suits you.
Related advice
Also near Harpsden
What else we do in Harpsden
What happens if roof problems are left?
Cracked flaunching and worn pointing are frequently modest repairs when they’re caught early. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks and the job gets bigger. For older village homes like those around Harpsden, the right replacement materials are not always easy to find quickly. That is one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
We offer three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Harpsden
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Packages from £150, inc. VAT
Take a look at what a roof survey costs and our case studies.
What affects the cost of chimney surveys
Our packages start from £150, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on:
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- How big the roof is
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
To find out what your survey will cost, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
What we need to know
You do not need to know any roofing terms. It is enough to let us know:
- What’s prompted the survey
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Dates you’re working to, such as exchange
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know where you stand. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Honest limits
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
Local roofs in Harpsden
Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look. Historic houses such as Greys Court, about 2.8 miles north-west, show how far back building in the area around Harpsden goes. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters.
Landlords with a home close to Henley-On-Thames station may find that a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant. Take a building like Trinity Church of England Primary School: its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. If you live near a park such as Mill Meadows, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys.
Harpsden is about 4 miles north-east of Caversham, in Oxfordshire. We carry out chimney surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Harpsden and nearby. Harpsden is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire we cover. There’s also a page for Reading.
We cover every part of RG9 for chimney surveys. If you’re just outside Harpsden, we cover Harpsden Bottom (1 mile west), Henley-on-Thames (1 mile north), Shiplake Cross (1 mile south), Binfield Heath (2 miles south-west) and Lower Assendon (3 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Benson (11 miles north-west), Chinnor (12 miles north), Tilehurst (7 miles south-west), Wallingford (11 miles north-west), Little Heath (8 miles south-west) and Oakley (12 miles north).
Around Harpsden
Around Harpsden, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Jolly Waterman pub, Gillotts School and Rupert House School and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Henley-On-Thames station, roughly 0.9 miles north. Nearby you’ll also find Frazer Nash Archives (0.7 miles north-east) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (5.4 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Sonning Hill and Hurley Chalk Pit.
Roof by roof
Lead flashings
Flashings can lift in wind or pull out of their mortar joints. We photograph any we find that look loose or damaged.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Where a breast has been taken out, we check what supports the stack. Confirming the support is a job for a structural engineer.
Checking the roof from ground level
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
Harpsden: your questions answered
Do you cover smaller places like Harpsden?
Yes. Harpsden is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Is my home in Harpsden listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
What’s the best way to book?
The quickest way is to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Let us know the address and a little about the roof, and we will take it from there. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
What do you check on a chimney?
The whole stack, as far as it can safely be seen: from the pots and flaunching down to the flashings. We also note leaning, redundant stacks and damp inside.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We note visible signs such as sagging or deflection, but we are not structural engineers and don’t carry out calculations. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
How long will you be at the property?
Expect it to take about 1–2 hours for most houses, and longer for a large or complex roof. You’ll then get the report by email, on the timescale of your package.
Will you check the loft?
If the survey needs it and the loft space can be reached safely, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps.