Hampshire · London and the South East
Lower Common Chimney Survey
We take a careful look at the chimney stack at your property in Lower Common, with photographs and a written report.
- Flaunching that has broken away
- A stack that appears to lean
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
Chimney survey in Lower Common: what you get
A leaning chimney stack is worth having looked at. A stack may lean because the mortar on one side has weakened, which can happen over many years of use. The survey notes how the stack looks, how far it seems to lean and the state of the bricks and joints. Where it may be a structural concern, we’ll recommend a structural engineer. If you’ve noticed bricks with flaking faces and damp patches on chimney breasts, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Some older homes in villages like Lower Common are 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. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is frequently expected.
You receive the findings by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Place
- Lower Common (RG27)
- Wider area
- Hampshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
When to book a survey in Lower Common
Many chimneys are no longer used. A stack sealed without ventilation can trap damp. That can lead to damp patches on chimney breasts, even with the roof in good order.
Look out for signs like these:
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Worn or missing pointing
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
Homes near green spaces like Shepperlands Farm Nature Reserve can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls.
Questions to ask before you book
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Whether VAT is added on top
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
What we do, step by step
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the chimney stack as closely as is safe and record what we find. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. It usually takes about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Around Lower Common, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- 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.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Preparing for the visit
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Book a survey
Getting a price is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email, let us know about the property and we’ll recommend the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Related advice
DIY checks: what’s safe
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Chimney surveys around Lower Common
Some Hampshire villages still have thatched roofs. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look. Stratfield Saye House, about 4.3 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Lower Common. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Landlords with a home close to Crowthorne station may find that a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak. If you live in an older home near Church of St Mary, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Lower Common is about 3 miles west of Yateley, in Hampshire. Roofs in Lower Common get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Hampshire. Lower Common is one of the towns and villages in Hampshire we cover. You can also see our page for Reading.
Every address in RG27 is within our area for chimney surveys. You’ll find streets like Mud Lane, Lower Common and Warbrook Lane. If you are just outside Lower Common, we cover Eversley (1 mile north-east), Eversley Centre (1 mile east), Eversley Cross (2 miles east), Finchampstead (2 miles east) and California (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Basingstoke (11 miles south-west), Farnborough (7 miles south-east), Fleet (6 miles south-east), Aldershot (9 miles south-east), Alton (14 miles south) and Yateley (3 miles east).
Near you in Lower Common
Around Lower Common, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Bohunt School Wokingham, White Hart Public House and Shepperlands Farm Nature Reserve and the streets around them. Lower Common’s nearest station is Crowthorne station, roughly 3.5 miles east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include West Green House Agricultural Museum (3.9 miles south) and Beaumys Castle (4 miles north-west). For a walk, there is The Marshes Local Nature Reserve and Horseshoe Lake.
Why act early in Lower Common
A damp chimney breast seldom dries out until the cause is found. It can spoil decoration and plaster. Finding the cause means the right work can be planned. Around Lower Common, older homes frequently have old roof timbers, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it’s left.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how it can be reached and seen safely. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Why book with us
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Visits on any day of the week
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- 98% of clients satisfied
Nearby places to Lower Common
Other services in Lower Common
Questions from Lower Common
Can a landlord with a rental near Crowthorne station book a roof survey?
Yes, that’s a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Will you come out to Lower Common?
Yes, Lower Common is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Our survey isn’t a structural engineer’s report. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we’ll recommend one.
What should I do with a chimney I do not use?
An unused stack still needs to stay weathertight and ventilated. If it’s capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside. Our survey records its condition and how it is capped, so you can plan what to do with it.
Are you insured?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and details are available on request.
What causes damp on a chimney breast?
It can come from several places: cracked flaunching, worn pointing, failed flashings, uncapped pots, or damp trapped in an unventilated stack. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before any work.
Roof by roof
Chimney pots and cowls
A loose or cracked pot can fall from height. We record their condition with photos.
Flaunching
The sloping mortar around the pots is called flaunching. Cracks in it let water into the stack.
For landlords and managing agents
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the survey around it.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out by urgency where it matters, which helps when budgeting.