West Berkshire · London and the South East
West Ilsley Chimney Survey
Chimney surveys around West Ilsley, with a written report you can act on. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Bricks with flaking faces
- A chimney out of line
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
What happens on the day
We’ll ask a few questions first, like when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes an hour or two for a house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Around West Ilsley, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it’s useful to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it’s safe.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- The flashings and the roof around each chimney are inspected.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- Any lean, spalling or worn pointing is recorded.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Preparing for the visit
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- Tell us about parking before the day
Getting a price
If you’re buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email when you’re ready.
Advice
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in West Ilsley
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. If the stack looks like a structural issue, the report recommends a structural engineer. Common reasons to book are cracked or missing flaunching and worn or missing pointing, across chimney breasts, shared and party-wall stacks and chimney pots and cowls.
Older buildings in small places like West Ilsley may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Older materials like clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent.
- Place
- West Ilsley (RG20)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Before and after the survey
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Have brackets on the chimney checked
- Book a sweep for flues that are in use
- Glance at the stacks from the street now and then
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
After the visit, we write up the report with photos of each stack. It explains the condition of each part of the stack and any damp inside. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. With binoculars, you can often see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.
DIY checks: what’s safe
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
Your questions about chimney surveys in West Ilsley
Is West Ilsley within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in West Ilsley?
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.
What do you check on a chimney?
We check the pots, cowls, flaunching, pointing, brickwork and flashings. We also check chimney breasts and the stack in the roof space where we can reach. You get a written report with photos.
How much does a chimney survey cost in West Ilsley?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the exact price before booking. To get a price, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it applies and safe. We fly a sub-250g drone and we are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). It is included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where applicable, the Premium Survey.
What does the report include?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos, finishing with recommendations. The most urgent items are made clear.
Do you inspect shared chimneys?
Yes. We check the parts we can see safely and the parts you can give us access to. Where a problem appears to be on next door’s side, we note it and you can raise it with them.
Towns and villages near West Ilsley
Other services in West Ilsley
Chimney surveys in West Ilsley: local notes
Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look. Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it is listed or in a conservation area. Listed building consent covers changes to a listed building’s special interest, and an Article 4 direction can bring extra controls in a conservation area.
Whatever the street in West Ilsley, a roof costs least to look after when faults are caught early.
West Ilsley is about 6 miles south-west of Didcot, in West Berkshire. West Ilsley gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a proper look at whatever is safely visible, photographs and a clear written report. West Ilsley is one of the towns and villages in West Berkshire we cover for chimney surveys. You can also see our page for Oxford.
Chimney surveys in RG20 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Streets in the area include Bury Lane and Churchway, all of which we cover. If you’re just outside West Ilsley, we cover Catmore (2 miles south-west), Stanmore (2 miles south), Farnborough (3 miles west), Brightwalton (4 miles south-west) and Brightwalton Green (4 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Newbury (10 miles south), Thatcham (10 miles south), Burghfield Common (15 miles south-east), Speenhamland (9 miles south), Hungerford (12 miles south-west) and Calcot (13 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in West Ilsley
Around West Ilsley, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Harrow pub. A little further out are Atlas Computer Laboratory (2.4 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Mowbray Fields and Churn Hill.
How the survey changes by roof type
Lead flashings
Where the chimney meets the roof slopes, lead flashings keep water out. We check for lifting, splits and gaps in the joints.
Brick stacks
Most chimney stacks are built of brick, with mortar joints that wear over time. We check the bricks for spalling and the joints for erosion.
When to book a survey in West Ilsley
TV aerials, satellite dishes and their brackets are often fixed to chimneys. The extra load in wind can work bricks and joints loose. We check fixings on the stack as part of the survey.
A survey can pick up problems like:
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Gaps where the stack meets the roof
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
Take an older house close to Church of All Saints: its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Before booking anyone
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
What a survey costs
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before booking. These are the things that affect it:
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- The size of the roof
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What to let us know when you contact us
The more you tell us, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, it helps to mention:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
When you’re ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.