Reading · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Sonning Common, Reading
Need a chimney survey in Sonning Common? We can help, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- A chimney out of line
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Sonning Common
Each stack is looked at from the safest viewpoints available: the ground, nearby windows and higher points, and the loft space where it’s safe. A drone inspection is part of our Premium Survey where it applies. Where part of a stack cannot be seen, the report says so. Each defect is recorded with a photo and a plain description. We survey brick chimney stacks, shared and party-wall stacks and chimney pots and cowls, and common reasons people get in touch are staining on walls around the chimney and loose, cracked or missing pots.
Houses in smaller places like Sonning Common can face open ground, where wind and driving rain hit the roof harder. Ridge tiles, verges, chimney stacks and flashings take the worst of it. A proper look shows whether anything has started to loosen. Once one ridge tile or slate moves, wind gets under the next one too.
The report does not just list problems. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Location
- Sonning Common (RG4, RG9)
- Wider area
- Reading
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof, but 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. In a smaller place like Sonning Common, parking is seldom the issue; lanes, gates and long drives are worth mentioning. Low roofs on bungalows can frequently be seen well from the ground, and the loft shows the rest.
- We start with the details: how many stacks, whether any are shared and any signs of damp.
- We inspect each stack from safe viewpoints outside.
- Every part we can see is checked: pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, bricks and flashings.
- Inside, we look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access.
- You get a photo-illustrated written report and our recommendations.
How to prepare
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
Book a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email whenever suits you.
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Can I check my roof myself?
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That part is for a survey.
Also near Sonning Common
What else we do in Sonning Common
What affects the price in Sonning Common
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- The size of the roof
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so the price reflects that. You’ll know the figure before booking.
What we need to know
The more you tell us, the easier it is to price the survey. When you get in touch, it helps to mention:
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- The property’s address and postcode
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or email us. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Sonning Common
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Sonning Common. To discuss a property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Common questions in Sonning Common
Do you cover smaller places like Sonning Common?
Yes, we do. We survey roofs across London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
Can a landlord with a rental near Henley-On-Thames station book a roof survey?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. You can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you need, and we will talk through which survey suits.
How many surveys have you done?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
What should I do with a chimney I do not use?
A redundant chimney needs looking after like any other. Capping without airflow can lead to damp. We check how it’s capped and its condition, so you can decide with a builder what to do.
How can you see the top of the stack?
We look from the ground, from windows and from the loft where it’s safe. A drone inspection is part of the Premium Survey where applicable. Any area we couldn’t view is noted.
What does the report include?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, with photos throughout. Anything we couldn’t see safely is noted too.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
What a chimney survey looks like in Sonning Common
In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Whatever the covering, it is frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. Greys Court, about 2.2 miles north-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Sonning Common. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If you live in an older home near The Church of Christ the King, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Sonning Common Primary School, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. For landlords with property near Henley-On-Thames station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Sonning Common is about 3 miles north of Caversham, in Reading. We carry out chimney surveys in Sonning Common for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Sonning Common is one of the towns and villages in Reading we cover.
Here we cover the RG4 and RG9 postcode area for chimney surveys. Local streets include Wood Lane, Green Lane and Woodbury Close. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Peppard Hill (1 mile north-west), Rotherfield Peppard (1 mile north), Kidmore End (1 mile south-west), Kingwood Common (1 mile north-west) and Shepherd's Green (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Caversham (3 miles south), Norcot (4 miles south-west), West Reading (4 miles south), Tilehurst Within (5 miles south-west), Shinfield (8 miles south) and Arborfield Garrison (10 miles south). As one of the bigger places in Reading, Sonning Common has every kind of building, from houses and flats to offices.
What’s near Sonning Common
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge, The Warwick School and Hare & Hounds pub and the streets around them. Sonning Common’s nearest station is Henley-On-Thames station, about 3.7 miles east. Other landmarks nearby include Frazer Nash Archives (3.8 miles east) and Battle Hospital (4.1 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Sonning Hill and Warburg Nature Reserve.
Practical tips
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Ask for ventilated caps on redundant stacks
- Note any damp on chimney breasts and when it appears
The report is emailed to you, ready to share with a roofer or builder. Each defect is described in plain words and shown in a photo so anyone reading it can see what we saw.
Watch for damp or staining on chimney breasts. Early signs are easier to trace.
What a chimney survey does not cover
It’s a careful look at the chimney stack, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Whether a stack needs rebuilding on structural grounds
- Conditions inside walls
- Checks on boilers, fires or their flues
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll point you to the right survey before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we check
- Flaunching
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks