Reading · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Kidmore End
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching in Kidmore End, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- A chimney out of line
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
Chimney survey in Kidmore End: what you get
Our survey covers the structure of the stack and its weathering details. It isn’t a flue inspection, a sweep or a gas safety check. If you use a fire or a gas appliance, the flue should be checked by a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer as appropriate. If something we see points to the flue, we’ll say so. Common reasons to book are damp patches on chimney breasts and damaged chimney pots and cowls, on shared and party-wall stacks, chimney pots and cowls and brick chimney stacks.
Somewhere as small as Kidmore End, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, frequently with chimneys that have stood a long time. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. On older roofs, it is normally the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
After the visit, you get a photo-illustrated written report, sent by email. It explains the condition of the chimney stack, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Location
- Kidmore End (RG4)
- Region
- Reading
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Practical tips
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
Where another specialist is needed, such as a structural engineer or sweep, we explain why. It gives them a clear starting point.
Keep an eye on chimney breasts for new damp patches. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.
For landlords and managing agents
Landlords, agents and building managers in Kidmore End and across Reading can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work.
Common questions in Kidmore End
How do I find out if my home in Kidmore End is listed?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Will you come out to Kidmore End?
Yes, Kidmore End is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
What do I do with the report?
You receive the written report by email, with photos and recommendations. It is yours to share with a seller, insurer, roofer or managing agent, whichever applies.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey seven days a week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Let us know which days suit you as you book.
When does the report arrive?
That depends on the survey you book: the Basic Survey report arrives within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey the same day. The report is emailed to you.
Do I need to be at home?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. We will talk about access when you book.
What do you check on a chimney?
The whole stack, as far as it can be seen safely: from the pots and flaunching down to the flashings. We also note leaning, redundant stacks and damp inside.
What we look for on each type of roof
Flaunching
The sloping mortar around the pots is called flaunching. Once it cracks, water can get straight into the brickwork.
Chimney pots and cowls
On redundant flues, we look at how the pots are capped. Poor capping can lead to damp inside the stack.
Places near Kidmore End
More services for Kidmore End
Local roofs in Kidmore End
With Mapledurham House about 2.3 miles south-west, Kidmore End 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. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
Take an older house close to Church of St John the Baptist: old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs. Landlords with a home close to Tilehurst station may find that a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak. Anyone responsible for a site like Kidmore End Church of England Primary School will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Kidmore End is about 2 miles north-west of Caversham, in Reading. We survey roofs in Kidmore End as part of our work across London and South East England. Our area takes in places right across Reading, large and small.
Surveys in RG4 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. That includes homes and businesses on Butlers Orchard, Coopers Pightle and Wood Lane. Other places close to Kidmore End include Sonning Common (1 mile north-east), Peppard Hill (1 mile north), Kingwood Common (2 miles north), Rotherfield Peppard (2 miles north-east) and Shepherd's Green (3 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include Norcot (4 miles south), West Reading (4 miles south), Tilehurst Within (4 miles south-west), Shinfield (7 miles south), Arborfield Garrison (10 miles south-east) and Horncastle (4 miles south).
Landmarks near Kidmore End
We work in homes and buildings around Pack Horse Public House, The Warwick School and Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge. For rail, the closest station is Tilehurst station, about 2.9 miles south-west of the centre. A little further out are Royal Berkshire Regiment Museum (3.4 miles south) and Battle Hospital (3.4 miles south). For a walk, there is Sonning Hill and Hartslock.
How we price chimney surveys
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. The main factors are:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
Prices start from £150, inc. VAT, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400. You’ll know the exact price before booking.
What we need to know
There is no need for technical words. Just tell us:
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form, let us know about the property and we will explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
What this survey can’t tell you
Before you book, it’s worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- Hidden damage within the stack
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Kidmore End
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
What we do, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. Most visits take about 1–2 hours at most homes, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. For a village or hamlet like Kidmore End, the journey is planned in advance: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. The roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from the loft where there’s safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- Pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked and photographed.
- 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 we arrive
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Book a survey
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.