Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Tilehurst Chimney Survey
Find out what’s going on with the chimney stack before you spend money on it. We carry out chimney surveys in Tilehurst.
- Flaunching that has broken away
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Signs that a stack is leaning
Chimney survey in Tilehurst: what you get
Many terraced and semi-detached homes share their chimney stacks with a neighbour. We inspect the parts we can see safely and the parts the owner gives us access to. If a defect appears to be on the neighbour’s side, we note it, so you can talk to them. Everything is written up with photos and our recommendations. Typical surveys look at mortar washing out of the joints and lifted or split lead flashings, across brick chimney stacks, shared and party-wall stacks and chimney breasts.
Around Tilehurst, older cottages sit alongside bungalows and newer houses. Coverings range from slate and clay tiles on older homes to concrete tiles on many later ones. Chimneys, valleys and gutters on older homes often need the most attention, and the fixings under the coverings matter too. The fixings under an older roof often fail before good slates or tiles do.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Place
- Tilehurst (RG31, RG30)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from each safe vantage point, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. It normally takes an hour or two for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Homes around Tilehurst often have gardens on more than one side, which gives us room to step back and see the roof. Mention any side of the property we cannot get to. The loft, where there is safe access, completes the picture.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- 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
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
- Tell us where we can park nearby
How to book
Booking is simple: just call 07833 053749 or email us and give us a few details about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
Read more
When to book a survey in Tilehurst
The flaunching on top of a stack holds the pots in place and sheds water. Once it cracks, water gets in and frost makes the cracks bigger. In time, the pots can become loose.
Look out for signs like these:
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Tilehurst Methodist Church, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
What to check before booking
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- Their insurance cover
- What exactly goes into their report
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
Tilehurst homes and their roofs
Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. The wider area around Tilehurst has a long history of building, with Mapledurham House about 1.6 miles north. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs.
If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for instance near Broad Street Mall, a roof report helps plan work around trading rather than after a leak. If you let a flat or house near Tilehurst station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at.
Tilehurst is about 3 miles west of Reading, in Oxfordshire. Whether the building in Tilehurst is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, we can survey the roof. Across Oxfordshire, we cover Tilehurst.
We work across RG31 and RG30 for chimney surveys and the streets around it. Whether your property is on Ash Road, Tyle Road and Riley Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. We also cover the places around Tilehurst: Tilehurst Within (1 mile south-east), Norcot (1 mile east), Little Heath (1 mile west), Horncastle (1 mile south-east) and Purley on Thames (1 mile north). We also work in nearby towns like Didcot (14 miles north-west), Henley-on-Thames (7 miles north-east), Benson (11 miles north), Wallingford (10 miles north-west), Great Western Park (14 miles north-west) and Watlington (13 miles north).
Landmarks near Tilehurst
Typical jobs here are in homes near Round Copse, The Butchers Arms and Little Heath School and the streets around them. The closest station to Tilehurst is Tilehurst station, about 0.8 miles north. Nearby you will also find Battle Hospital (1.7 miles east) and Broad Street Mall (2.6 miles east). Open spaces near Tilehurst include South Lake and Moor Copse Nature Reserve.
Nearby places to Tilehurst
What else we do in Tilehurst
What affects the price in Tilehurst
Not every roof costs the same to survey, and it comes down to:
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- House, block, shop or office
- The size of the roof
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
What to let us know when you contact us
You do not need to know any roofing terms. It is enough to let us know:
- Anything about access we should know
- The address and postcode of the property
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
For a price for chimney surveys in Tilehurst, ring 07833 053749 or email us. A few details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.
For landlords and managing agents
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, with the report sent to whoever needs it. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.
We survey roofs for landlords and agents as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the chimney stack, with photographs, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
Why get it checked now?
A small amount of repointing or new flaunching is usually a modest job. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks, and the work grows. Tradespeople may need to travel further to a smaller place like Tilehurst, so it helps to plan roof work rather than call someone out in a hurry. A survey gives you that notice.
Every price we give includes VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the exact price before you book.
Why book with us
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- 98% customer satisfaction
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Read our cost guide and two real surveys.
Useful tips for Tilehurst property owners
You do not need to be a roofer to help. What helps most:
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Photograph damp patches with the date
With a shared stack, the report can help when talking to next door. The photos show the problem and which side it’s on from the viewpoints we used.
Check fixings on the stack are sound and taken off if they’re no longer needed. Less load on the stack means less strain in wind.
Common questions in Tilehurst
Is my home in Tilehurst listed or in a conservation area?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Do you cover smaller places like Tilehurst?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We work right across London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so we need permission from the freeholder or managing agent. We inspect only the parts we’re allowed to reach.
My chimney looks like it is leaning. What should I do?
It’s worth having a leaning stack checked. Our survey notes how it looks and the condition of the bricks and joints, and if it may be a structural issue, we recommend a structural engineer.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
It depends on its condition and your plans. The survey shows its condition and how it’s been capped. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need consent.
How long does the survey take?
It normally takes roughly 1–2 hours at a house, as part of a look at the roof around the stack. The written report follows by email, on the timescale of your package.
What insurance do you have?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability.