West Berkshire · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Woodlands St Mary, West Berkshire
A careful look at the chimney stack at your property in Woodlands St Mary, with photographs and a written report.
- Bricks with flaking faces
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- A stack that appears to lean
Woodlands St Mary: your questions answered
I let a flat near Hungerford station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that is a common request. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
How do I find out if my home in Woodlands St Mary is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
How do I book a survey in Woodlands St Mary?
The quickest way is to call 07833 053749 or send us an email. Tell us the address and a little about the roof, and we will recommend the right survey. Surveys run on any day of the week.
Do you need to get into the loft?
If it’s needed and safe to reach, yes. Inside, we look for damp, staining, gaps and sagging.
Should I worry about a leaning stack?
Don’t ignore it. Leaning often comes from mortar breaking down unevenly. The survey records what we can see, and a structural engineer can assess whether it needs work.
Is it a problem to have an unused chimney?
A redundant chimney needs looking after like any other. Capping without airflow can lead to damp. We check how it’s capped and its condition, so you can plan what to do with it.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. We look at the roof, not the whole building, so it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
Chimney surveys for homes and businesses in Woodlands St Mary
If you’re buying a home with chimneys, it’s worth knowing their condition before you exchange. Cracked flaunching, failed flashings and worn pointing are common findings on older stacks. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it. If you’re worried about gaps where the stack meets the roof and redundant stacks capped without ventilation, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Some older homes in villages like Woodlands St Mary are listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
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.
- Place
- Woodlands St Mary (RG17)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to Woodlands St Mary
More services for Woodlands St Mary
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Woodlands St Mary
In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, so check with the council.
If you own a rental within reach of Hungerford station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Woodlands St Mary is about 9 miles south-west of Wantage, in West Berkshire. We carry out chimney surveys in Woodlands St Mary for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Our area takes in places right across West Berkshire, large and small. Reading is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for chimney surveys: RG17. Streets in the area include Ermin Street and Stony Lane. Neighbouring places we cover for chimney surveys include Lambourn Woodlands (1 mile north-west), Chilton Foliat (3 miles south), Leverton (3 miles south), Upper Eddington (3 miles south) and Eddington (4 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Newbury (10 miles south-east), Thatcham (12 miles south-east), Speenhamland (9 miles south-east), Lambourn (3 miles north), Shaw (10 miles south-east) and Kingsclere (15 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Woodlands St Mary
The closest station to Woodlands St Mary is Hungerford station, about 3.9 miles south of the centre. The countryside around Woodlands St Mary includes Watts Bank.
The survey, step by step
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes between one and two hours for most homes, a little longer where there are several stacks. Older roofs in small places like Woodlands St Mary can have low, tight loft spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it’s safe.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- 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 we arrive
- Tell us about parking before the day
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
Booking a survey
Not sure which survey you need? It is easiest to call 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Advice
Checking the roof from ground level
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
A lot can be seen from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
Do you need a chimney survey in Woodlands St Mary?
Some owners book because a chimney breast has been removed below and they want to know about the stack above. We note what’s visible in the roof space and outside, and recommend a structural engineer where support is in question.
Problems we come across often include:
- A chimney out of line
- Worn or missing pointing
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Gaps in the mortar around the pots
If you live in an older home near St Mary's Church, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Will the report include photos?
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- What they will not be able to tell you
- What insurance they carry
How we price chimney surveys
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- How big the roof is
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so they’re priced to match. You’ll know the figure before booking.
Helping us price your survey
If you can, have these to hand when you contact us:
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
What we can’t see
Before booking, it is worth knowing what a survey won’t do:
- Whether the flue is safe to use
- What’s inside the brickwork or behind render, without opening up
- A structural engineer’s assessment
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Flaunching
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Brick chimney stacks
- Chimney breasts
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Lead flashings
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings
Some older stacks have mortar fillets instead of lead. They tend to crack, so we check them closely.
Rendered stacks
What’s behind the render cannot be seen without removing some, so the report says what can and cannot be judged.