West Berkshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Shaw, West Berkshire
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Shaw, from an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- A stack that appears to lean
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Flaunching that has broken away
How a chimney survey works in Shaw
If a chimney looks out of line, it’s worth getting it checked. A stack may lean because the mortar on one side has weakened, which can happen over many years of use. We record the lean and the condition of the brickwork and pointing. Where it may be a structural concern, we’ll recommend a structural engineer. Common reasons to book are loose, cracked or missing pots and signs that a stack is leaning, on chimney breasts, brick chimney stacks and lead flashings.
In a smaller place like Shaw, homes range from older cottages to bungalows and newer houses. Coverings range from slate and clay tiles on older homes to concrete tiles on many later ones. Chimneys, valleys and gutters on older homes often need the most attention, and the fixings under the coverings matter too. The fixings under an older roof often fail before good slates or tiles do.
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
- Shaw (RG14, RG18)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What this survey can’t tell you
Some things cannot be seen without opening up the roof, and that sets some limits:
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- Gas safety checks, which need a Gas Safe registered engineer
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
What we do, step by step
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. After that, we check everything we can see safely, using the ground, windows, the loft and a drone where applicable. Most surveys take about one to two hours for a house, and longer for a large or complex roof. In a smaller place like Shaw, parking is seldom the issue; lanes, gates and long drives are worth mentioning. Low roofs on bungalows can often be seen well from ground level, and the loft shows the rest, while taller roofs may need other vantage points or the drone where applicable.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We check the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Preparing for the visit
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Arrange a survey
To get a price for chimney surveys in Shaw, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us give you an accurate price.
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Nearby places to Shaw
Other services in Shaw
Questions from Shaw
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Shaw?
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, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Newbury Racecourse station?
Yes, letting agents and landlords book with us as well as owners. Just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us about the building.
What does a roof survey cost?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Our Basic Survey starts from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all with VAT included.
Will you check the chimney is safe to use with a fire?
No. It is not a flue, sweep or gas safety inspection. We check the structure and weathering of the stack and any damp, and we’ll say if anything suggests the flue needs checking.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so the building owner or managing agent needs to agree access. We inspect only the parts we are allowed to reach.
Should I worry about a leaning stack?
Don’t ignore it. Leaning frequently comes from mortar breaking down unevenly. The survey records what we can see, and a structural engineer can confirm whether it is stable.
Which parts of the chimney do you look at?
We check the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings. We also check chimney breasts and the stack in the loft space where we can reach. You get a written report with photos.
Shaw homes and their roofs
Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. Historic houses such as Shaw House, about 0.3 miles north-west, show how far back building in the area around Shaw goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs.
The streets around a church such as Parish Church of St Mary are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. Living close to Victoria Park is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn.
Shaw is about 1 mile north-east of Newbury, in West Berkshire. We carry out chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Shaw and the surrounding area. Our area takes in places right across West Berkshire. There is also a page for Reading.
We survey roofs across RG14 and RG18 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. We cover properties on Park Lane, Shaw Road and Kiln Road and the roads around them. Being close to the A4, Shaw is simple for us to get to for chimney surveys. If you are just outside Shaw, we cover Speenhamland (1 mile west), Donnington (1 mile north-west), Speen (1 mile west), Bagnor (2 miles west) and Stockcross (3 miles west). We also work in nearby towns such as Burghfield Common (11 miles east), Hungerford (9 miles west), Spencers Wood (15 miles east), Calcot (12 miles east), Lambourn (12 miles north-west) and Burghfield Hill (11 miles east). As one of the bigger places in West Berkshire, Shaw has every kind of building, from houses and flats to offices.
Near you in Shaw
We work in homes and buildings around Victoria Park, Trinity School and Trinity School, among other places. The closest station to Shaw is Newbury Racecourse station, about 0.8 miles south-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Donnington Castle (1.3 miles north-west) and West Berkshire Community Hospital (1 mile east). Open spaces near Shaw include Audrey's Meadow.
Tips from our surveys
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Check with the council before altering a stack in a conservation area or on a listed building
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
After the visit, we write up the report with photos of each stack. It covers the pots, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings, and any damp we found inside. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Have aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked and taken off if they’re no longer needed. Removing unused fixings takes strain off the brickwork.
What affects the price in Shaw
Survey packages start from £150, inc. VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- The size of the roof
- House, block, shop or office
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so they’re priced to match. The price is confirmed before booking.
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 style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
How the survey changes by roof type
Flaunching
The sloping mortar around the pots is called flaunching. Once it cracks, water can get straight into the brickwork.
Brick stacks
Frost can damage bricks that have soaked up water, making the faces flake away. Any spalling is noted with photos.
DIY checks: what’s safe
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 ground level.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.