Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Mapledurham Chimney Survey
Not sure what state the chimney stack is in? We carry out chimney surveys in Mapledurham and across Oxfordshire.
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
How a chimney survey works in Mapledurham
Many homes have chimneys that are no longer used. Even when it is not used, a stack has to stay weathertight. Capping a stack without ventilation can trap moisture and lead to damp inside. We check how redundant stacks have been capped and look for damp in the chimney breasts. The report sets out what we found and what we recommend. If you’ve noticed gaps in the mortar around the pots and spalled or crumbling bricks, we can find out what’s behind it.
Some older homes in villages like Mapledurham are 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. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are frequently matched when work is done.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Place
- Mapledurham (RG8, RG4, RG31)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Before and after the survey
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
You can send the report to roofers or builders for quotes. With the same list in front of each contractor, comparing quotes is simpler.
Make sure redundant flues are capped with ventilation. Ventilation helps keep the stack dry.
Towns and villages near Mapledurham
Also in Mapledurham
What we look for on each type of roof
Rendered stacks
We cannot see the bricks behind render without it being opened up, so the report says what can and can’t be judged.
Chimney pots and cowls
For unused flues, we check whether caps or cowls allow ventilation. Poor capping can lead to damp inside the stack.
Mapledurham: your questions answered
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Tilehurst station?
Yes, that is a common request. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Will you come out to Mapledurham?
Yes, we do. We work right across London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime. Let us know your preferred days when you book.
How long is the visit?
That depends on the size and shape of the roof; most visits take about 1–2 hours at most homes, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. The written report follows by email.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. We check the parts we’re given access to, and the report makes that clear.
Can you find out why my chimney breast is damp?
Normally it’s water getting in from outside, or condensation in a sealed stack. We check the stack, the flashings and how unused flues are capped and records the likely cause.
How do you inspect a chimney without scaffolding?
We inspect from wherever is safe: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the roof space. A drone inspection is included in our Premium Survey where it applies. If part of a stack can’t be seen, the report says so.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Mapledurham
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work.
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Tell us about it when booking and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
What affects the price in Mapledurham
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. The main factors are:
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- The size of the roof
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. You’ll know the figure before booking.
What we need to know
You do not need to know any roofing terms. It is enough to tell us:
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- What’s prompted the survey
Not sure which survey you need? It’s easiest to ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will explain the options and the price.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Mapledurham
Historic houses like Mapledurham House, about 0.1 miles east, show how far back building in the area around Mapledurham goes. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. West Oxfordshire’s older buildings frequently carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their thatch. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
Take an older house close to Church of St Margaret and Bardolf Aisle: its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. If you let a flat or house near Tilehurst station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints. For site and facilities teams at buildings like Purley CofE Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Mapledurham is about 3 miles west of Caversham, in Oxfordshire. We carry out chimney surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Mapledurham and nearby. We cover towns and villages across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages.
We work across the RG8, RG4 and RG31 postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. If you need a chimney survey at a property on St Mary's Avenue, Park Walk and The Short or a nearby road, we can survey it. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Purley on Thames (1 mile south-west), Trench Green (1 mile north-east), Tilehurst (2 miles south), Chazey Heath (2 miles east) and Norcot (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Didcot (12 miles north-west), Henley-on-Thames (7 miles north-east), Benson (10 miles north), Wallingford (9 miles north-west), Great Western Park (13 miles north-west) and Watlington (11 miles north).
Local landmarks in Mapledurham
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Roebuck pub, Round Copse and Denefield School. For rail, the closest station is Tilehurst station, about 1 mile south of the centre. A little further out are Royal Berkshire Regiment Museum (2.4 miles south-east) and Battle Hospital (2.5 miles south-east). The countryside around Mapledurham includes South Lake and Moor Copse Nature Reserve.
What we do, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from each safe vantage point, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. Most visits take an hour or two at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Cottages and farmhouses around Mapledurham often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen.
- You let us know how many stacks there are and any damp or problems you’ve noticed.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- Every part we can see is checked: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- We check the chimney breasts and the stack in the roof space where we can reach them.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects found and what we recommend.
Getting ready for the survey
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Keep pets in another room
Getting a price
If you’re buying, it’s 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
Honest limits
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Conditions inside walls
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Brick chimney stacks