West Berkshire · London and the South East
Swallowfield Chimney Survey
Find out what’s going on with the chimney stack before you decide what to do next. Chimney surveys in Swallowfield, with photographs and a clear written report.
- Damp on a chimney breast inside
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- A stack that appears to lean
Chimney surveys around Swallowfield
Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Whatever the covering, it’s often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. With Stratfield Saye House about 2.6 miles south-west, Swallowfield sits in an area with a long building history. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
If you own a rental within reach of Mortimer station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak. Living close to Swallowfield Meadow is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn. If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Church of All Saints, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Swallowfield is about 5 miles south of Reading, in West Berkshire. We survey roofs in Swallowfield as part of our work across London and the South East. Our West Berkshire coverage includes Swallowfield and the places around it.
Surveys in RG7 are booked the same way as anywhere else. That includes homes and businesses on The Street, Hornbeams and Fieldfare Court and the roads around them. If you’re just outside Swallowfield, we cover Riseley (1 mile south), Spencers Wood (1 mile north), Beech Hill (2 miles west), Farley Hill (2 miles east) and Grazeley (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Thatcham (13 miles west), Burghfield Common (5 miles west), Calcot (6 miles north-west), Shaw (15 miles west), Burghfield Hill (4 miles west) and Theale (6 miles north-west).
Near you in Swallowfield
Around Swallowfield, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Oakbank, Swallowfield Meadow and The Crown pub. For rail, the closest station is Mortimer station, about 3.3 miles west. Nearby you’ll also find Beaumys Castle (0.9 miles west) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (5 miles north). For a walk, there is The Marshes Local Nature Reserve and Longwater.
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Swallowfield
Our chimney survey covers the stack and the details that keep water out around it: the pots and cowls, the flaunching on top, the pointing, the brickwork and the flashings where it meets the roof. Inside, we check chimney breasts and the stack in the loft where it’s safe to reach. The findings come in a written report with photos and recommendations. It suits a single stack on a house as well as several on a larger building. Typical surveys look at unused flues sealed without airflow and cracked or missing flaunching, across chimney pots and cowls, chimney breasts and shared and party-wall stacks.
Somewhere as small as Swallowfield, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some 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 normally the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
We write the report in plain English, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photograph where possible, and recommendations are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
- Where
- Swallowfield (RG7)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings
Lead flashings seal the joint between the stack and the roof. The survey looks at whether the lead is tight, sound and well fixed.
Brick stacks
Spalled bricks, where the face has flaked off, are a sign of water and frost. Any spalling is noted with photos.
Places near Swallowfield
Also in Swallowfield
How it works
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that is worrying you. After that, we check everything we can see safely, from the ground, from windows, in the loft space and by drone where applicable. The survey normally takes an hour or two at most homes, and more on a big or complicated roof. Somewhere like Swallowfield needs a little journey planning: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- First we talk through the stacks, their history and any problems.
- We check every stack from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We photograph and record the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
- Inside, the chimney breasts and the loft are checked for damp where there’s access.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Keep pets in another room
Getting a price
If you’re buying, it’s useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email whenever suits you.
Read more
What a chimney survey does not cover
It is useful to know what a survey won’t do before you book:
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- Whether a gas appliance or its flue is safe
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll suggest the right survey. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we look at
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Flaunching
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
Swallowfield: your questions answered
Will you come out to Swallowfield?
Yes, Swallowfield is covered. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
Is my home in Swallowfield listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll explain what’s needed.
When does the report arrive?
Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24–48 hours and Premium reports on the same day. All of them come by email, ready to forward.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
Yes. Shared stacks are common on terraced and semi-detached houses. We record the stack as far as we can see it and flag anything on the neighbour’s side.
Do you look in the roof space?
If there is a loft and safe access to it, yes. The roof space can show things the outside can’t, like damp timbers, staining or daylight.
Will I get photos?
Yes, plenty. Pictures sit next to the findings they show.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
Leave it or get it looked at?
A damp chimney breast seldom dries out until the cause is found. It can stain walls and damage plaster. Knowing whether it’s the flaunching, flashings, brickwork or ventilation means the right fix can be planned. For older village homes like those around Swallowfield, the right replacement materials are not always easy to find quickly. That’s one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on the size and height of the roof, how it can safely be seen and which survey you book.
Why book with us
- Surveys seven days a week
- An independent look at the roof
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
For landlords and managing agents
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the addresses.
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.