West Berkshire · London and the South East
Sandleford Chimney Survey
An experienced roof surveyor for chimney surveys in Sandleford. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Cracked or missing flaunching
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- A stack that appears to lean
How a chimney survey works in Sandleford
Redundant chimneys are common, particularly where fires have been replaced by central heating. Even when it is not used, a stack has to stay weathertight. If it has been capped without ventilation, damp can build up inside it. Our survey looks at how each unused stack has been capped and checks the breasts for damp. You get photos of each stack and our recommendations. We survey chimney breasts, flaunching and chimney pots and cowls, and common reasons people get in touch are a chimney out of line and flaunching that has broken away.
Older buildings in small places like Sandleford 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. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
We keep jargon out of it: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, along with how urgent it is.
- Where
- Sandleford (RG19, RG20, RG14)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
FAQs for Sandleford
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Sandleford?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
I let a flat near Newbury station. Can you check the roof?
Of course. We just need to know who will give access, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
How quickly is the report sent?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. Each one is emailed, ready to forward.
Do you work in Sandleford?
Yes. We carry out chimney surveys in Sandleford.
How much does a chimney survey cost in Sandleford?
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. Our three packages are Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included.
Does the weather affect the survey?
It can, depending on the survey. Drones cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. We will rearrange with you if the weather is not right.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
When you need someone else
It is a careful look at the chimney stack, not the whole story. Its limits include:
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will suggest the right survey. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
What a survey costs
To price your survey, we check:
- Which survey package you book
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, how it can safely be seen and the package you choose.
Getting in touch
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, let us know:
- The property’s address and postcode
- What’s prompted the survey
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
For a price for chimney surveys in Sandleford, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us price the survey accurately.
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney pots and cowls
Pots sit in the flaunching on top of the stack, and cowls or caps sit on the pots. The survey looks for cracked, loose or missing pots and cowls.
Brick stacks
Brick stacks rely on sound pointing to keep water out. We check the bricks for spalling and the joints for erosion.
What we do, step by step
After the inspection, everything we found is written up in a report with photos, emailed to you. On timing, it normally takes about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. In a hamlet or village like Sandleford, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- We look at every stack from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- 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.
Getting ready for the survey
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Jot down any questions you want answered
How to book
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email to find out.
Advice
Tips that help
Most of what helps is simple and safe from ground level. Our suggestions:
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Remove aerials or dishes from the stack if they’re no longer needed
- Check your stacks from the ground after strong winds
The report is emailed to you, ready to share with a roofer or builder. We use plain English and a photo for each defect, so it is easy to follow.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. The sooner damp is spotted, the easier the cause is to find.
Chimney surveys in Sandleford: local notes
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. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. Historic houses such as Shaw House, about 2.4 miles north, show how far back building in the area around Sandleford goes. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If you look after a building such as The Willows Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. The streets around a church such as St Gabriel's School are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. Living close to Sandleford Priory is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn.
Sandleford is about 1 mile south of Newbury, in West Berkshire. We cover Sandleford and the rest of West Berkshire, as part of our work across London and the South East. Our area takes in places right across West Berkshire, from the larger towns to small villages. For surveys nearby, see our Reading page.
We survey roofs across the RG19, RG20 and RG14 postcode area for chimney surveys and the streets around it. You’ll find streets such as Priory Place, Laurel Gardens and Sandleford Lodge Park. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Greenham (1 mile north-east), Newtown Common (1 mile south-west), Wash Common (1 mile west), Burghclere Common (1 mile south) and Newbury (1 mile north). Further out, we also cover Thatcham (3 miles north-east), Burghfield Common (11 miles east), Hungerford (9 miles west), Spencers Wood (15 miles east), Calcot (12 miles east) and Lambourn (13 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Sandleford
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Sandleford Priory, St Bartholomew's School and Park House School. The nearest railway station is Newbury station, about 1.4 miles north of the centre. A little further out are Donnington Castle (3 miles north) and Old Chapel Textile Centre (1.6 miles east). The countryside around Sandleford includes Beacon Hill and Audrey's Meadow.
Places near Sandleford
Other services in Sandleford
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer.
Landlords and agents in Sandleford book surveys as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the chimney stack, with photographs, useful for planning maintenance.