West Berkshire · London and the South East
Upper Woolhampton Chimney Survey
We carry out chimney surveys in Upper Woolhampton and the rest of West Berkshire. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Damaged chimney pots and cowls
- Mortar washing out of the joints
What happens on the day
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. The inspection then takes between one and two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Rural addresses near Upper Woolhampton can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We go through the chimneys, any damp and any work done on them.
- Each stack is inspected from safe positions outside.
- 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.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations by email.
Before we arrive
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
Book a survey
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Advice
About our chimney survey in Upper Woolhampton
A leaning chimney stack is worth having looked at. A stack may lean because the mortar on one side has weakened, which can happen over many years of use. We record the lean and the condition of the brickwork and pointing. Where it may be a structural concern, we’ll recommend a structural engineer. We survey flaunching, brick chimney stacks and shared and party-wall stacks, and people most frequently book us about frost-damaged brickwork on the stack and mortar washing out of the joints.
Somewhere as small as Upper Woolhampton, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. We report on what can be seen safely, and thatch is a specialist material. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs often need the most attention.
The written findings come by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Where
- Upper Woolhampton (RG7)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Before and after the survey
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Use the report as a baseline for future checks
- Make sure fixings on the stack are secure
- Leave close inspection to people with safe access
- Use a Gas Safe registered engineer for gas appliances
If the report recommends a structural engineer, a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer, it will say why. It gives them a clear starting point.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. With binoculars, you can often see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
Why it’s worth a survey now in Upper Woolhampton
A loose pot or brick can fall from height. A survey picks them out so they can be made safe by a suitable contractor. Older and listed buildings around Upper Woolhampton may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Why book us in Upper Woolhampton
- Package prices that include VAT
- 98% of clients satisfied
- Over 20 years’ experience
- A report with photos
What we look for on each type of roof
Brick stacks
Many older stacks were built with lime mortar. We note where repairs should match the original mortar.
Flaunching
We frequently find flaunching that has cracked or broken away. It is usually a modest repair when it’s caught early.
Common roof problems in Upper Woolhampton
Years of fires can affect the mortar inside a stack. Flue gases and damp can break down the mortar, sometimes more on one side than the other, which can make a stack lean.
Problems we come across often include:
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Signs that a stack is leaning
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
The streets around a church such as Douai Abbey Church are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Questions to ask before you book
- Are they insured for the work?
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Their track record with similar roofs
- When you’ll get the report
Nearby places to Upper Woolhampton
Also in Upper Woolhampton
Your questions about chimney surveys in Upper Woolhampton
Do you cover smaller places like Upper Woolhampton?
Yes. Upper Woolhampton is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Can a landlord with a rental near Midgham station book a roof survey?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. You can phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you need.
Do you inspect the flue?
No. A flue inspection, sweep or gas safety check is a separate job. We look at the stack, pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings, and damp inside and flag anything that suggests the flue needs a look.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
There is no single answer. The survey shows its condition and how it’s been capped. In a conservation area or on a listed building, changes may need consent.
Will you photograph what you find?
Yes, plenty. Each finding is shown in a picture where possible.
Will you go up on the roof?
Not unless it is safe. Most of what we need can be seen from safe viewpoints, the loft and, where it applies, a drone, and anything out of sight is recorded in the report.
Do you look in the roof space?
If it’s needed and safe to reach, yes. Inside, we look for damp, staining, gaps and sagging, as far as the space allows.
What a chimney survey doesn’t cover
It helps to know what a survey won’t do before booking:
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- Areas we cannot view from safe positions
- Whether the flue is safe to use
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll recommend the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
What we look at
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Flaunching
- Chimney breasts
Local roofs in Upper Woolhampton
Older houses in the South East frequently have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the council can say whether a street is in a conservation area. Re-roofing in different materials may need permission there.
Landlords with a home close to Midgham station may find that knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints. Anyone responsible for a site like Woolhampton C.E. Primary School will know that its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Upper Woolhampton is about 4 miles east of Thatcham, in West Berkshire. Upper Woolhampton gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Upper Woolhampton is one of the towns and villages in West Berkshire where we work. You can also see our page for Reading.
Every address in RG7 is covered for chimney surveys. We also cover Midgham Green (1 mile west), Chapel Row (1 mile north-west), Beenham (1 mile north-east), Beenham Stocks (1 mile north-east) and Aldermaston Wharf (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Newbury (7 miles west), Thatcham (4 miles west), Burghfield Common (5 miles east), Speenhamland (7 miles west), Hungerford (15 miles west) and Spencers Wood (9 miles east).
Local landmarks in Upper Woolhampton
We work in homes and buildings around The Six Bells pub and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Midgham station, about 1 mile south. Well-known places in the area include West Berkshire Community Hospital (5.3 miles west) and Yattendon Castle (4.4 miles north). For a walk, there is Nature Discovery Centre and Hosehill Lake.