West Berkshire · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Inkpen Common, West Berkshire
Find out what’s going on with the leaking roof before you decide what to do next. We carry out roof leak investigations in Inkpen Common.
- Water that shows only in certain storms
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
- Damp walls below an overflowing gutter
About our roof leak investigation in Inkpen Common
On older houses, leaks often start at lead work and hidden gutters. Worn lead, tired valley linings and blocked parapet outlets are frequent causes. A central valley gutter on a butterfly roof frequently turns out to be the source. Parapet walls and their gutters are looked at from wherever it is safe. Our report shows what we found, with photos. Common reasons to book are wet patches on loft insulation and brown rings on upstairs ceilings, on the roof space, valleys and parapet gutters and rooflights and dormers.
Many homes in small places like Inkpen Common face open ground, so storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hard. Damp in old stone, brick or timber walls is slow to dry out, which makes finding the cause quickly worthwhile. A record with photos is useful if you need to show the damage to anyone else.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Where
- Inkpen Common (RG17, RG20)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How it works
We do not take risks to get a closer look. We inspect everything that’s safely in view, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. The survey usually takes an hour or two, more where the leak is intermittent or the roof is large. Somewhere as small as Inkpen Common, access is frequently the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You tell us where the water appears, when, and what the weather was doing.
- We examine the damp area and the rooms near it.
- In the loft, we follow any signs of water back towards the roof.
- We inspect the likely entry points outside, from ground level, windows and the roof where safe.
- We email a written report showing where the water most likely gets in.
How to prepare
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Check we can get to the back of the property
How to book
To get a price for roof leak investigations in Inkpen Common, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. Some details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.
Advice
Towns and villages near Inkpen Common
What else we do in Inkpen Common
Do you need a roof leak investigation in Inkpen Common?
Chimneys can let water in by several routes. Eroded pointing, cracked flaunching, failed flashings and open pots can all be responsible. The damp may appear on a chimney breast, a ceiling or in the loft.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Condensation that looks like a leak
- Leaks below a flat extension roof
- Leaks that appear only in driving rain
- Staining around the chimney inside
If you look after a building like Inkpen Primary School, on a building that size, finding the source of a drip means looking well beyond the stain.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Will the report include photos?
Roof by roof
Chimney stacks
Water that gets in at the top can show up lower down. Unused flues with open pots can let rain straight in.
Lead flashings
Wherever a roof meets a wall or stack, a flashing keeps rain out. Lifted, split or slipped lead is a common cause, and for flashings that have been patched with bitumen.
Leave it or get it looked at?
If a leak has been ‘fixed’ before and has come back, the cause was probably missed. We look past the obvious spot and check each likely route. It gives the next repair a far better chance. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
Every price we give includes VAT. Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the exact price before you book.
What you get with us
- Clear package prices, inc. VAT
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- An independent view of the roof
Your questions about roof leak investigations in Inkpen Common
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Inkpen Common?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Inkpen Common?
Yes, Inkpen Common is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
How do you tell a leak from condensation?
Many apparent leaks turn out to be condensation. Leaks tend to follow wet weather and show in one place, while condensation is often widespread and worst on cold days. The report explains which it looks like and what to do.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We carry out surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To arrange a date, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
What does a roof survey cost?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Our three packages are Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We are roof surveyors, not structural engineers. We’ll recommend an engineer if we see signs that call for one.
How fast do I get the report?
That depends on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. The report is emailed to you.
When you need someone else
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey can’t cover:
- Leaks from plumbing, tanks or pipework rather than the roof
- The repair itself (the investigation finds and reports the cause)
- Whether rotten timbers meet design loads
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in Inkpen Common
- Lead flashings
- Chimney stacks
- Rooflights and dormers
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Flat roof details
- Slate and tile slopes
- The roof space
What a roof leak investigation looks like in Inkpen Common
About 2.7 miles south-east lies Stargroves, a reminder of how long the area around Inkpen Common has been built on. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Different coverings let water in at different points, which shapes where the search starts.
If you live in an older home near Church of St Laurence, leaks on older roofs frequently start at lead flashings, valleys or around old chimney stacks. If you let a flat or house near Kintbury station, tracing a leak quickly matters when a tenant is living with it.
Inkpen Common is about 6 miles west of Newbury, in West Berkshire. We survey roofs in Inkpen Common and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and South East England. Our area takes in places right across West Berkshire, large and small. You can also see our page for Reading.
Roof leak investigations in RG17 and RG20 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Local streets include Heads Lane, Rooksnest Lane and The Firs, and we cover them all. Close by, we survey roofs in Hell Corner (1 mile east), Inkpen (1 mile north-west), Upper Green (1 mile south-west), Lower Green (1 mile west) and Kintbury (2 miles north). Further out, we also cover Newbury (6 miles east), Thatcham (9 miles east), Speenhamland (6 miles east), Hungerford (4 miles north-west), Lambourn (10 miles north) and Shaw (7 miles east).
Local landmarks in Inkpen Common
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Crown and Garter pub. For rail, the closest station is Kintbury station, about 2 miles north. Well-known places in the area include Hamstead Marshall 3 (3.1 miles north-east). The countryside around Inkpen Common includes Kintbury Newt Ponds and Inkpen Hill.
Tips that help
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Some pointers:
- Move stored items away from the hatch
- Have an electrician check any wet fittings
- Note the weather when the leak shows
- Keep a photo record of the damp patch
If there are several possible sources, we list them in order of likelihood. Recommendations are prioritised by urgency where relevant.
After a storm, check the roof from the garden and the street. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Prompt repairs stop gaps turning into leaks.