Wokingham · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Shurlock Row
Find out what’s going on with the chimney stack before you spend money on it. We carry out chimney surveys in Shurlock Row.
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Signs that a stack is leaning
Chimney surveys around Shurlock Row
In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile, 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. An older home may be listed, or stand in a conservation area. To find out, check Historic England’s list and ask the council about conservation areas. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent.
If you look after a building such as Waltham St Lawrence Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Shurlock Row is about 4 miles east of Woodley, in Wokingham. We survey roofs in Shurlock Row and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and the South East. Across Wokingham, we cover Shurlock Row. Our Reading page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in RG10 are booked the same way as anywhere else. You will find streets like Hungerford Lane and Darvills Lane, all of which we cover. If you are just outside Shurlock Row, we cover Hungerford (1 mile west), Waltham St Lawrence (1 mile north), Hurst (2 miles west), Whistley Green (2 miles west) and Ruscombe (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Reading (7 miles west), Wokingham (4 miles south-west), Woodley (4 miles west), Earley (6 miles west), Crowthorne (6 miles south) and Lower Earley (6 miles south-west).
Near you in Shurlock Row
In Shurlock Row, that means homes and buildings near The Royal Oak pub and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Twyford station, roughly 2.5 miles west. Well-known places in the area include Wokingham Hospital (4.1 miles south-west). The countryside around Shurlock Row includes South Lake and Weycock Hill.
About our chimney survey in Shurlock Row
A chimney survey is about the outside of the stack and the roof around it. It is not a flue inspection, a chimney sweep or a gas safety inspection. If you use a fire or a gas appliance, the flue should be checked by a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer as appropriate. We will tell you if we see anything that suggests they should take a look. If you’re worried about redundant stacks capped without ventilation and loose, cracked or missing pots, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In a village or hamlet like Shurlock Row, older cottages and farmhouses often sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, frequently with chimneys that have stood a long time. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. On older roofs, it’s typically the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
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
- Shurlock Row (RG10)
- Region
- Wokingham
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Flaunching
The sloping mortar around the pots is called flaunching. Cracks in it let water into the stack.
Brick stacks
Many older stacks were built with lime mortar. Repairs should suit the original materials, which we mention where relevant.
Do you need a chimney survey in Shurlock Row?
Chimney stacks stand above the roof, exposed to wind, rain and frost on every side. Frost opens up cracks in the mortar, and rain gets into worn bricks and joints. Most people book after spotting damp or a loose pot, or before buying.
Most people get in touch after spotting one of these:
- A chimney out of line
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
For landlords with property near Twyford station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- How long the report takes to arrive
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
Also near Shurlock Row
What else we do in Shurlock Row
DIY checks: what’s safe
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Don’t go up yourself.
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.
How it works
We look at the roof from outside and, where it’s relevant and there is safe access, from inside the loft space too. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging, as far as the space allows. All in, the survey normally takes about one to two hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. Somewhere as small as Shurlock Row, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We check the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Before the survey
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
How to book
When you’re ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.
Read more
Useful tips for Shurlock Row property owners
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
Where another specialist is needed, such as a structural engineer or sweep, we explain why. That helps you brief them.
Have aerial and dish brackets on the stack checked, and moved if they’re working it loose. Less load on the stack means less strain in wind.
Shurlock Row: your questions answered
Will you come out to Shurlock Row?
Yes, Shurlock Row is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Shurlock Row?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To arrange a date, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Light rain doesn’t usually stop a survey, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Strong wind or a downpour can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so we’ll agree a new date if the weather is not suitable.
Do you inspect the flue?
No. A flue inspection, sweep or gas safety check is a separate job. We check the stack, pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings, and damp inside, and we’ll say if anything suggests the flue needs checking.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only when it is safe. Most of what we need can be seen from safe viewpoints, the loft and, where it applies, a drone.
Will I get photos?
Yes, plenty. Each finding is shown in a picture where possible, which makes the report easy to follow.
How we price chimney surveys
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- How big the roof is
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and the package you choose.
What to let us know when you contact us
When you call or email, these details help:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- What made you get in touch
- The property’s address and postcode
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.