West Berkshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Shefford Woodlands, West Berkshire
Find out the condition of the chimney stack at your property in Shefford Woodlands. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Frost-damaged brickwork on the stack
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Unused flues sealed without airflow
Surveys for landlords and agents in Shefford Woodlands
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work around your tenants.
Chimney survey in Shefford Woodlands: what you get
We inspect chimneys from wherever they can be seen safely: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the roof space where it’s safe. With our Premium Survey, a drone inspection is included where applicable. If we cannot see part of the stack, the report makes that clear. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. We survey shared and party-wall stacks, brick chimney stacks and chimney pots and cowls, and people most often book us about bricks with flaking faces and cracked or missing flaunching.
In a small place like Shefford Woodlands, many roofs stand in the open, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Location
- Shefford Woodlands (RG17)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we can’t see
A survey is a proper look at the chimney stack, but it can’t do everything. Its limits include:
- Parts of the stack that can’t be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we cannot access
- Flue inspections or sweeping
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
Signs you need a chimney survey in Shefford Woodlands
Flaunching is the mortar bed that holds the pots and throws water off the top. Once it cracks, water gets in and frost makes the cracks bigger. In time, the pots can become loose.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Worn or missing pointing
- A stack that appears to lean
Landlords with a home close to Hungerford station may find that knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Before you book anyone
- Their report turnaround times
- Are they insured for the work?
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
Common questions in Shefford Woodlands
I let a flat near Hungerford station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. Just ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us about the building, including who will give access on the day.
Do you cover smaller places like Shefford Woodlands?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We survey roofs across London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. It’s a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
No. It isn’t 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.
What insurance do you have?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
What does the report include?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos, and ends with what we recommend. The most urgent items are made clear.
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. We check how it is capped and its condition, so you can decide with a builder what to do.
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney breasts and the loft
In the loft, staining around the stack often shows where water is getting in. We record what we see with photos.
Chimney pots and cowls
Pots sit in the flaunching on top of the stack, and cowls or caps sit on the pots. We check that they look secure and undamaged.
What a chimney survey looks like in Shefford Woodlands
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. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, so check with the council.
Take an older house close to Church of St Stephen: the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Shefford Woodlands is about 8 miles north-west of Newbury, in West Berkshire. Anywhere in Shefford Woodlands, we can carry out chimney surveys at your property. We cover towns and villages across West Berkshire, large and small. You can also see our page for Reading.
Every address in RG17 is covered for chimney surveys. Close by, we survey roofs in East Garston Woodlands (1 mile north-west), East Shefford (2 miles north-east), Great Shefford (2 miles north-east), East Garston (2 miles north) and Weston (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Newbury (8 miles south-east), Thatcham (10 miles east), Speenhamland (7 miles south-east), Hungerford (4 miles south-west), Lambourn (4 miles north-west) and Shaw (8 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Shefford Woodlands
For rail, the closest station is Hungerford station, about 3.3 miles south-west of the centre. Not far away are Watts Bank.
The survey, step by step
Once we have finished looking, we write up our findings as a photo-illustrated written report, sent to you by email. As for time on site, it usually takes about 1–2 hours at most homes, and more on a big or complicated roof. In a small place like Shefford Woodlands, access is usually the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- First you let us know about the chimneys, any damp on the chimney breasts and any worries.
- Each chimney is viewed from wherever it can safely be seen.
- Every part we can see is looked at: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there is safe access.
- You get a written report with photos and our recommendations.
Before the survey
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
How to book
Booking is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email, let us know about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Advice
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What affects the price in Shefford Woodlands
When we price a survey, we consider:
- House, block, shop or office
- Roof area
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The shape of the roof and its details
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
What to let us know when you get in touch
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It helps to include:
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- The address and postcode of the property
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form to find out.