Reading · London and the South East
Shinfield Chimney Survey
Find out what’s going on with the chimney stack before you decide what to do next. Chimney surveys in Shinfield, with photos and a clear written report.
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Lifted or split lead flashings
Chimney survey in Shinfield
Damp on a chimney breast can have several causes. Water may be getting in at the top through cracked flaunching or an uncapped pot, through the brickwork, or at the flashings. 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. We survey chimney pots and cowls, flaunching and chimney breasts, and common reasons people get in touch are unused flues sealed without airflow and mortar washing out of the joints.
Houses in smaller places like Shinfield can face open ground, where wind and driving rain hit the roof harder. That weather tells first on ridges, verges, chimneys and flashings. Checking those edges shows whether anything has begun to work loose. A loose ridge tile or slate gives the wind something to catch, and others soon follow.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Where
- Shinfield (RG2)
- Wider area
- Reading
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
When you need someone else
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
- Hidden damage within the stack
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will point you to the right survey before booking. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings
- Chimney breasts
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
What we look for on each type of roof
Brick stacks
Older brick stacks often have soft lime mortar. Repairs should suit the original materials, which we mention where relevant.
Chimney breasts and the loft
Inside, chimney breasts can show damp when water gets into the stack. We look at them and at the stack in the loft where there’s safe access.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Shinfield
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you get in touch and we will plan the survey around it.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work.
Tips from our surveys
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Check that disused chimneys can still breathe
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Check your stacks from ground level after strong winds
- Don’t use a ladder to reach the stack yourself
If the stack is shared, you can pass the report to your neighbour. The photos show the problem and which side it’s on, as far as we could see.
Look at your chimneys from ground level now and then, especially after strong winds. With binoculars, you can frequently see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
What happens on the day
Every roof is different; as a rough guide, the survey takes an hour or two for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. If you have questions on the day, just ask. For a survey in Shinfield, we agree the time, the access and parking before the day. Weekday and weekend visits are both possible. Tell us about any garages, outbuildings or extensions you want included.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Preparing for the visit
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Find any records of previous roof work
Arrange a survey
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know where you stand. Prices start from £150, including VAT. To book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
Common questions in Shinfield
Do you cover smaller places like Shinfield?
Yes, Shinfield is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
I let a flat near Reading Green Park station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that is a common request. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it applies and safe. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. It is included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where it applies, the Premium Survey.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Light rain is normally fine; heavy rain and wind are different. In high wind or heavy rain, a drone can’t fly and access may not be safe, and we’d agree another day.
What causes damp on a chimney breast?
It can come from several places: water getting in at the top, through the brickwork or at the flashings, or moisture trapped in a stack with no ventilation. We look at each one and note the most likely cause.
What does a roof survey cost?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose, confirmed before anything is booked.
Is a chimney survey the same as a flue inspection?
No. Our survey covers the outside of the stack and the roof around it. For the flue, you’ll need a sweep or, for gas, a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Chimney surveys in Shinfield: local notes
In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Whatever the covering, it’s frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. About 4.5 miles south-west lies Stratfield Saye House, a reminder of how long the area around Shinfield has been built on. 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.
Take a building like Shinfield Infant and Nursery School: large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St Mary the Virgin, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. Trees in and around Pearman's Copse shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters.
Shinfield is about 3 miles south of Reading, in Reading. We cover Shinfield and the rest of Reading, as part of our work across London and South East England. Shinfield is one of the towns and villages in Reading where we work.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: RG2. Whether your property is on Teal Grove, Songbird Close and Skylark Way or a nearby road, we can help. We also cover Ryeish Green (1 mile south-west), Whitley Wood (1 mile north-west), Three Mile Cross (1 mile west), Great Lea Common (1 mile west) and Arborfield (2 miles east). Further out, we also cover Caversham (5 miles north), Norcot (5 miles north-west), West Reading (4 miles north-west), Tilehurst Within (5 miles north-west), Arborfield Garrison (3 miles south-east) and Caversham Heights (5 miles north). As one of the bigger places in Reading, Shinfield has homes, rented property and businesses of every kind.
Landmarks near Shinfield
We work in homes and buildings around Pearman's Copse, Ryeish Green School and Oakbank. Shinfield’s nearest station is Reading Green Park station, roughly 2.6 miles north-west of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Berkshire Library & Museum of Freemasonry (2.9 miles north-east) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (3.1 miles north). Not far away are Longwater and Sonning Hill.