Wokingham · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Reading
Chimney surveys in Reading from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- A stack that appears to lean
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Worn or missing pointing
Reading homes and their roofs
With Mapledurham House about 3.6 miles north-west, Reading sits in an area with a long building history. If yours is one of the older homes, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Whatever the covering, it’s often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
For landlords with property near Reading West station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at. If you look after a building such as Coley Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Reading is about 38 miles west of London, in Wokingham. Reading gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photos and a written report. Our area takes in places right across Wokingham.
Here we cover the RG6, RG31, RG1 and RG30 postcode area for chimney surveys. That includes homes and businesses on Downshire Square, Market Way and Market Place and the roads around them. Reading is on the A4 and A33, so it is easy for us to get to. Other places close to Reading include Coley Park (1 mile south-west), West Reading (1 mile north-west), Newtown (1 mile east), Lower Caversham (1 mile north-east) and Whitley (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Wokingham (6 miles south-east), Woodley (3 miles east), Crowthorne (9 miles south-east), Lower Earley (3 miles south-east), Winnersh (4 miles east) and Woosehill (6 miles south-east). Reading is one of the larger places we cover in Wokingham.
Landmarks near Reading
In Reading, that means homes and buildings near Former Kennet Arms, Eldon Square and Kendrick School, among other places. Also close by are University of Reading library (1.5 miles south-east) and Eurospeak Language School (0.5 miles north). Reading’s nearest station is Reading West station, about 0.7 miles north-west. Nearby you will also find The Oracle (within half a mile north-east) and Berkshire Medical Heritage Centre Museum (0.8 miles east). The countryside around Reading includes Sonning Hill and Longwater.
Chimney survey in Reading: what you get
Damp on a chimney breast can have several causes. It might come in at the top, through worn pointing or porous bricks, or where the flashings meet the roof. Condensation inside an unventilated stack is another common cause. Our survey checks each of these and records the likely cause. You then know where to start. If you are worried about frost-damaged brickwork on the stack and loose, cracked or missing pots, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
In a place the size of Reading, street trees and gardens shed leaves into gutters every autumn, and once a gutter blocks, water spills down the wall. Valley and parapet gutters can overflow inside the building. Water from one part of a roof often ends up showing somewhere else entirely. Gutters, outlets and downpipes are worth checking once the leaves have fallen.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Where
- Reading (RG6, RG31, RG1, RG30)
- Region
- Wokingham
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Do you need a chimney survey in Reading?
Stacks that were used for open fires for many years can weaken from the inside. Flue gases and damp can break down the mortar, sometimes more on one side than the other, which is one reason stacks start to lean.
We’re often asked to look at:
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
If you live in an older home near All Nations Christian Centre, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Before you book anyone
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Will the report include photos?
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Their report turnaround times
Towns and villages near Reading
Also in Reading
For landlords and managing agents
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out in order of urgency where relevant, which helps when budgeting.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Why it is worth a survey now in Reading
For a buyer, the best time to learn about a chimney is before exchange. Once you’ve exchanged, the work is down to you. Our report gives you facts to raise with the seller or agent. Roof faults in Reading, as anywhere, rarely fix themselves: a slipped slate or cracked ridge lets in water, water rots battens, and more slates or tiles follow. Early action is usually the cheaper option.
A Basic Survey starts from £150, including VAT. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400. You will know the price for the job before booking.
What you get with us
- 98% of customers satisfied
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Plain-English reports with photos
Read our cost guide and what we found on two real jobs.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground.
It is useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when you book and it will help the survey.
Before and after the survey
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Ask about consent before removing a chimney on an older property
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
You get the report by email and can pass it to whoever does the work. We use plain English and a photo for each defect so anyone reading it can see what we saw.
Have worn pointing and cracked flaunching dealt with early. Small repairs now can save bigger work later.
The survey, 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. Notes and photos go into the written report. It usually takes between one and two hours at most homes, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Jobs in Reading might be a terraced house one day and a block of flats the next. Let us know the type of building and who can let us in, and the visit is planned around that.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- We look for damp on chimney breasts and in the roof space.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, is emailed to you.
How to prepare
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Arrange a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: call 07833 053749 or send us an email, and we’ll ask about the building and what you need. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Related advice
Your questions about chimney surveys in Reading
Can a landlord with a rental near Reading West station book a roof survey?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. Just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the details.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Reading?
Yes, Reading is within the area we cover. We survey roofs across London and South East England. You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and some details.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys.
What insurance do you have?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and details are available on request.
How much does a chimney survey cost in Reading?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. You will know the price for your roof before booking, and it depends on the roof’s size, access and the package you choose. To get a price, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes. We photograph the roof as we go, and the report uses them to show each finding.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it applies and safe. We fly a sub-250g drone and we’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where applicable.