West Berkshire · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Newbury, West Berkshire
Not sure what state the leaking roof is in? You can book a roof leak investigation in Newbury and across West Berkshire.
- Water coming in around a roof light or dormer
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
How a roof leak investigation works in Newbury
Older homes have more places for water to get in. Worn lead, tired valley linings and blocked parapet outlets are frequent causes. If your home has a butterfly roof, the central valley gutter is a common culprit in heavy rain. Parapet walls and their gutters are looked at from wherever it is safe. The findings are recorded with photos. We’re often asked to look into ceiling stains that grow after rain and water dripping from rafters or underlay, across chimney stacks, rooflights and dormers and valleys and parapet gutters.
Extensions, dormers and conservatories are common on houses in towns like Newbury, and the joint between new and old is a classic place for water to get in. Flashings, upstands and the edges of flat roofs are looked at alongside the main roof, inside and out. The stain inside is often some way from where water gets in, especially around extensions.
Most points in the report come with a picture, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Where
- Newbury (RG14, RG19, RG18, RG20)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What a survey costs
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
Prices start from £150, with VAT included, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400. You’ll know the price for your roof before booking.
What we need to know
We’ll usually ask about:
- When you need the report by
- Anything about access we should know
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
How the survey changes by roof type
Valleys
Debris in a valley slows the water and pushes it sideways. During a downpour, water can back up under the coverings.
Parapet and box gutters
Parapet and box gutters sit behind walls or inside the roof. When their outlets block, water rises over the lining and runs indoors.
Do you need a roof leak investigation in Newbury?
Flat roofs fail with age and wear. A felt roof often lasts around 15 to 20 years, and as it ages it splits, blisters and opens at the laps. Leaks frequently start at the edges, upstands and outlets.
Here are some of the things we see frequently:
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
- Staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall
- Water marks that spread in wet weather
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
Take a building like St Nicolas C.E. Junior School: tracing a leak on a big roof starts with where the water appears and works back.
What to check before booking
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- What exactly goes into their report
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
The survey, step by step
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the leaking roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photographs go into the written report. The visit normally takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, and longer for a large or complex roof. A visit in Newbury runs most smoothly with the loft hatch clear, side gates open and a parking spot in mind. Someone needs to let us in, so tell us who that will be.
- You get in touch with details of the leak and any photos.
- Inside, we check the damp area and the loft space above it.
- Outside, we look at every likely route in.
- Moisture readings and thermal imaging are used where they help.
- We email a report with photos, the likely entry point and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Arrange a survey
Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the details.
Related advice
Nearby places to Newbury
What else we do in Newbury
What a roof leak investigation looks like in Newbury
Shaw House, about 1 mile north, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Newbury. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, 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 St Nicolas Church, lead flashings, valleys and old chimneys are typical places for water to get in. Homes near green spaces like Victoria Park can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Newbury is about 15 miles west of Reading, in West Berkshire. We provide roof leak investigations for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Newbury and the surrounding area. Our area takes in places right across West Berkshire, large and small. For surveys nearby, see our Reading page.
Roof leak investigations in RG14, RG19, RG18 and RG20 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We cover properties on Market Street, London Road and Donnington Square. Main roads around Newbury include the A4 and A339. Neighbouring places we cover for roof leak investigations include Greenham (1 mile south-east), Sandleford (1 mile south), Skinners Green (2 miles south-west), Wash Common (2 miles south-west) and Enborne (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Thatcham (3 miles east), Burghfield Common (11 miles east), Hungerford (8 miles west), Spencers Wood (15 miles east), Calcot (12 miles east) and Lambourn (12 miles north-west). Being one of West Berkshire’s larger places, Newbury has homes, rented property and businesses of every kind.
What’s near Newbury
In Newbury, that means homes and buildings near Victoria Park, The Diamond Tap and St Bartholomew's School. Newbury has its own railway station: Newbury station. Other landmarks nearby include Donnington Castle (1.6 miles north-west) and West Berkshire Community Hospital (1.5 miles east). Not far away are Audrey's Meadow.
Why it’s worth a survey now in Newbury
Water and electrics don’t mix. Keep away from any fitting that water is reaching and have an electrician check it. Finding where the water is getting in should follow straight away. On a house in a town like Newbury, wet loft insulation stops working and can stay damp for a long time. That’s an extra cost on top of the roof work itself.
To find out what your survey will cost, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the roof. We will confirm the figure before booking.
What you get with us
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Every finding written up with photos
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Visits on any day of the week
Read how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
Your questions about roof leak investigations in Newbury
Is my home in Newbury listed or in a conservation area?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Is Newbury in the area you cover?
Yes, Newbury is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We do not sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, like old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it is disturbed.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We are roof surveyors, not structural engineers, and it does not include calculations. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we will recommend one.
Are you insured?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
Will I get photos?
Yes. We photograph the roof as we go, and the report uses them to show each finding.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
A lot can be seen from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
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.