Wokingham · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Newtown, Wokingham
Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in Newtown. We have completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
- Water coming in around a roof light or dormer
Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in Newtown
The aim is to find where the water is getting in and explain it. You get a report with photographs showing the likely entry point and the route the water is taking, plus recommendations on what needs attention. It gives any roofer a clear brief. The investigation finds and explains the cause, and the repair itself is a separate job. We are often asked to look into damp underlay across a wide area and damp patches next to the stack, on rooflights and dormers, the roof space and valleys and parapet gutters.
Around Newtown, chimneys on older homes are a common source of leaks, at the flashings, the pointing or the mortar round the pots. Damp in a chimney breast can have more than one cause, so it is not always obvious where it starts. The stack, its flashings and the loft space beside it are all worth checking.
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.
- Place
- Newtown (RG1, RG6, RG4)
- Wider area
- Wokingham
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Common questions in Newtown
Do you cover Newtown?
Yes, Newtown is within the area we cover. We cover the whole of London and South East England. You can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and some details.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Newtown?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Is there anything I need to do ahead of the visit?
Note when the leak appears and what the weather was doing, and take photos. Move stored items away from the loft hatch. Keep away from any light or socket that water is reaching.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. Our survey is not a structural engineer’s report, and it doesn’t include calculations. We’ll recommend an engineer if we see signs that call for one.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We carry out surveys seven days a week. To arrange a date, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
How quickly is the report sent?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. Each one is emailed, ready to forward.
Do you look in the roof space?
Yes, where the survey calls for it and there’s safe access. Inside, we look for damp, staining, gaps and sagging.
For landlords and managing agents
Landlords, agents and building managers in Newtown and across Wokingham can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Landlords and agents in Newtown book surveys as well as householders. A written report with photos gives you a clear record of the leaking roof, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
What we’re asked to look at in Newtown
A roof valley collects the rain from two slopes. Worn lead, cracked linings or a build-up of leaves and moss can send that water under the coverings. The stain may appear well away from the valley itself.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
- Stains around a skylight
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
- Wet patches on loft insulation
If you own a rental within reach of Reading station, tracing a leak quickly matters when a tenant is living with it.
What to check before booking
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- How soon the report will arrive
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Tips from our surveys
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Check the loft is accessible
- Photograph the stain each time it appears
- Don’t climb onto the roof to look
- Put a bucket under the drip and move valuables
If the leak turns out to be condensation, the report says so, with recommendations on ventilation. It saves chasing a leak that is not there.
Don’t block the vents at the eaves. Good airflow reduces condensation, which is often mistaken for a leak. Check insulation doesn’t block airflow at the eaves.
Nearby places to Newtown
Also in Newtown
Can I check my roof myself?
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date.
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and falls from height are serious. That is where a survey comes in.
What this survey cannot tell you
In fairness, a roof survey has limits:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- A structural engineer’s report
- Putting the leak right
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will tell you. The full list of what we check.
What we check
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Rooflights and dormers
- Slate and tile slopes
- Lead flashings
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Flat roof details
What happens on the day
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. A typical visit takes about 1–2 hours, more where the leak is intermittent or the roof is large. In a smaller place like Newtown, as anywhere, the forecast plays a part: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from ground level and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- You let us know where the water appears, when, and what the weather was doing.
- Inside, we check the stain and the ceiling around it.
- From the loft space, we trace the water’s route where there is safe access.
- Outside, we check flashings, valleys, chimneys, gutters and flat roof details from every safe vantage point.
- You receive a report with the likely source, photos and recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Arrange a survey
To book a survey, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We will confirm the price before booking.
Related advice
Newtown roofs and the weather
Historic houses such as Mapledurham House, about 4.3 miles north-west, show how far back building in the area around Newtown goes. 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 any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. The covering and its details give the first clues when tracing where water is coming from.
For an older house near a landmark such as St John and St Stephen, the leak may come from a chimney, a valley or tired lead rather than the covering itself. Anyone responsible for a site like New Town Primary School will know that water through a big roof can travel a long way before it drips, so the search covers more than the obvious spot.
Newtown is about 1 mile east of Reading, in Wokingham. Surveys in Newtown work the same way as everywhere we cover: a close look at what can safely be seen, photos and a clear written report. Across Wokingham, we cover Newtown and the places around it.
Surveys in RG1, RG6 and RG4 are booked the same way as anywhere else. That includes homes and businesses on Orts Road, Eldon Road and Amity Road. If you’re just outside Newtown, we cover Lower Caversham (1 mile north-west), Reading (1 mile west), Earley (2 miles south-east), Caversham (2 miles north-west) and Play Hatch (2 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Wokingham (5 miles south-east), Crowthorne (9 miles south-east), Winnersh (3 miles south-east), Woosehill (5 miles south-east), Emmbrook (5 miles south-east) and Twyford (4 miles north-east). As one of the bigger places in Wokingham, Newtown has homes, rented property and businesses of every kind.
What’s near Newtown
In Newtown, that means homes and buildings near University of Reading library, Eldon Square and The Fisherman's Cottage pub. You will also find Bulmershe College (within half a mile west) and Maiden Erlegh School (0.6 miles south-east). The closest station to Newtown is Reading station, about 1.1 miles west. Nearby you’ll also find The Oracle (1.1 miles west) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (0.6 miles south-west). Not far away are Sonning Hill and Fobney Island Wetland Reserve.