West Berkshire · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in Padworth Common
A careful look at the leaking roof at your property in Padworth Common, with photographs and a written report.
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
- Staining around the chimney inside
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
Padworth Common questions
How do I find out if my home in Padworth Common is listed?
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.
Is Padworth Common within the area you cover?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
How long does the visit take?
The visit typically takes about one to two hours for a house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. We’ll confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
Can you always find the source?
Not always, and we will be honest about that. Some leaks hide well, particularly those that need wind-driven rain. Where the source is not certain, we list the likely routes in order.
When does the report arrive?
It depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. The report is emailed to you.
Do you look in the roof space?
If there is a loft and safe access to it, yes. The loft space can show things the outside can’t, such as damp timbers, staining or daylight.
Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in Padworth Common
Most roof leaks start at a joint rather than the middle of a slope. Common entry points include chimney and wall flashings, valleys, parapet and box gutters, and the upstands and outlets on flat roofs. Each of these is checked in turn and we follow where the evidence leads. Chimneys, dormers and roof lights each add joints of their own. We look at all of them, from each safe vantage point. Typical surveys look at water dripping from rafters or underlay and damp patches next to the stack, across chimney stacks, the roof space and valleys and parapet gutters.
Many homes in small places like Padworth Common face open ground, where storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hardest. Once water gets into older walls, it takes a long time to dry, which makes finding the cause quickly worthwhile. A written record also helps if you need to explain it to anyone else.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Each point is backed by a photo where possible.
- Place
- Padworth Common (RG7)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Leaks and storm damage in Padworth Common
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. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. The covering and its details give the first clues when tracing where water is coming from.
The streets around a church such as Church of St John the Baptist are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, water on an older roof tends to find its way in at the lead, the valleys or the chimney. If you live near a park such as Padworth Common Local Nature Reserve, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls.
Padworth Common is about 2 miles north-east of Tadley, in West Berkshire. We carry out roof leak investigations for householders, landlords and businesses in Padworth Common and nearby. We cover towns and villages across West Berkshire, large and small. Reading is in our area too.
All of RG7 is covered for roof leak investigations. Streets in the area include Rectory Road and Baughurst Road. Close by, we survey roofs in Old Warren (1 mile south), Padworth (1 mile north), Aldermaston Soke (1 mile south), Aldermaston (2 miles west) and Pamber Heath (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include Newbury (9 miles west), Thatcham (6 miles west), Speenhamland (9 miles west), Spencers Wood (6 miles east), Calcot (5 miles north-east) and Shaw (9 miles west).
Near you in Padworth Common
We work in homes and buildings around Padworth Common Local Nature Reserve, among other places. The closest station to Padworth Common is Aldermaston station, about 1.7 miles north-west. Well-known places in the area include Calleva Museum (2.1 miles south). Not far away are Hosehill Lake.
DIY checks: what’s safe
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, which helps when we look at the roof.
What we do, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from every safe vantage point, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. It normally takes between one and two hours, more where the leak is intermittent or the roof is large. In a small place like Padworth Common, access is typically the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- We start with what you’ve seen: where the stain is and when it gets worse.
- Inside, we check the damp area and the loft space above it.
- Likely entry points outside are checked, from flashings and valleys to gutters and outlets.
- We use moisture detection, and thermal imaging where it is useful.
- You receive a written report with photos showing the likely source and what needs attention.
Before the survey
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
Arrange a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from ground level or a window, and please do not climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
Landlord and commercial surveys in Padworth Common
Landlords and agents in Padworth Common book surveys as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the leaking roof, with photos, useful for planning maintenance.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Padworth Common and across West Berkshire can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
What a survey costs
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. The main factors are:
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package you pick makes a difference too. We’ll give you the figure before anything is booked.
Helping us price your survey
Here’s what helps us most when you get in touch:
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
For a price for roof leak investigations in Padworth Common, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. A few details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.
Common roof problems in Padworth Common
A chimney stack has lots of places for rain to get in. Water can enter through crumbling mortar, cracked flaunching, worn flashings or uncapped pots. It can show up on the chimney breast, nearby ceilings or in the roof space.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
- Staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall
- Staining around the chimney inside
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
For landlords with property near Aldermaston station, a tenant living with a leak needs the cause found, not just the stain painted over.
What to check before booking
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
How the survey changes by roof type
Parapet and box gutters
Some older terraces have a butterfly roof with a valley gutter in the middle. Problems there frequently show in the rooms on the top floor.
Lead flashings
Wherever a roof meets a wall or stack, a flashing keeps rain out. We check for lead that has lifted, split or slipped.