West Berkshire · London and the South East
Wash Water Chimney Survey
We take a careful look at the chimney stack at your property in Wash Water, and put it all in a written report with photos.
- A chimney out of line
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Flaunching that has broken away
What we do, step by step
We don’t take risks to get a closer look. We inspect whatever is safely visible, and anything we can’t see is noted in the report. Most visits take about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Older roofs in small places like Wash Water can have low, tight loft spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- You let us know whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- The top of each stack is checked for cracked flaunching and loose pots.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before we arrive
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Booking a survey
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or send us an email, and we’ll ask about the building and what you need. The price is agreed before a date is set.
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Chimney survey in Wash Water
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. We also look for damp on chimney breasts and in the loft where there’s safe access. The findings come in a written report with photos and recommendations. We survey single stacks on houses and groups of stacks on bigger buildings. We survey flaunching, brick chimney stacks and shared and party-wall stacks, and common reasons people get in touch are bricks with flaking faces and damp patches on chimney breasts.
Somewhere as small as Wash Water, 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. We report on everything that’s safely in view, and thatch is a specialist material. On older roofs, it is typically the chimneys and lead flashings that need work first.
What you get is a clear record of the chimney stack on the day we saw it. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, for instance when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Place
- Wash Water (RG20)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What we can’t see
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- A structural engineer’s assessment
- Hidden sides of a shared stack
- The inside of the flue, which needs a sweep or flue specialist
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
Why it’s worth a survey now in Wash Water
Chimneys are easy to forget because you rarely see the top of them. Problems often go unnoticed until damp appears inside. A survey gives you a clear picture before that happens. In a place like Wash Water, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. It’s worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why us?
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Package prices that include VAT
- 98% of clients satisfied
Read what a roof survey costs or what we found on two real jobs.
Chimney surveys in Wash Water: local notes
Highclere Castle, about 2.7 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Wash Water. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
If you let a flat or house near Newbury station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant. For an older house near a landmark such as St Luke Church, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. Take a building like Horris Hill School: large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Wash Water is about 3 miles south-west of Newbury, in West Berkshire. We survey roofs in Wash Water as part of our work across London and South East England. Our area takes in places right across West Berkshire, from the larger towns to small villages. For surveys nearby, see our Reading page.
Chimney surveys in RG20 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. You’ll find streets such as Penwood Road and Andover Road, and we cover them all. Other places close to Wash Water include Enborne Row (1 mile north-west), Wash Common (1 mile north-east), Newtown Common (1 mile east), Penwood (1 mile south-west) and Woolton Hill (1 mile south-west). Larger places within reach include Newbury (3 miles north-east), Thatcham (5 miles north-east), Burghfield Common (13 miles east), Speenhamland (3 miles north), Hungerford (8 miles north-west) and Calcot (14 miles east).
Landmarks near Wash Water
Around Wash Water, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Park House School, Falkland Primary School and The Woodpecker pub. For rail, the closest station is Newbury station, roughly 2.5 miles north-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include British Balloon Museum & Library Ltd (2.8 miles north-east) and Hamstead Marshall 2 (2.9 miles north-west). Not far away are Sidown Hill and Audrey's Meadow.
What a survey costs
Prices vary from roof to roof, and it comes down to:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Basic, Standard or Premium
To find out what your survey will cost, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and a few details. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Getting in touch
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- When you need the report by
- What made you get in touch
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. To book, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Nearby places to Wash Water
More services for Wash Water
Common questions in Wash Water
Will you come out to Wash Water?
Yes, Wash Water is covered. Our area covers London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
I let a flat near Newbury station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. Just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the building.
Our stack is shared. Can you still survey it?
Yes. Many houses share stacks with a neighbour. We survey what we can see safely, and note anything that seems to involve next door.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling are not something we do. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Yes, where the survey calls for it and there is safe access. Inside, we look for damp, staining, gaps and sagging.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Wash Water
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out with the most urgent first where relevant.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.