West Berkshire · London and the South East
Thermal imaging roof survey in Downend, West Berkshire
Know where you stand with the roof before you spend money on it. We carry out thermal roof surveys in Downend, with photographs and a clear written report.
- Leaks that are hard to trace
- Damp patches with no obvious cause
- Areas losing heat at the eaves and junctions
Thermal roof surveys for homes and businesses in Downend
Your report sets out the thermal images alongside ordinary photographs, so it is easy to see which part of the roof each one shows. Each one comes with an explanation, the moisture readings and our recommendation. Premium reports are sent the same day. If you have questions, the in-person consultation gives you time to go through them. There is a 12-month follow-up as well. If you’re worried about stains that keep coming back and water getting in at parapets and stacks, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Older buildings in small places like Downend may be listed or in a conservation area. Neither a drone survey nor a thermal survey involves any work on the roof, which suits a building where any change needs care. Check with the council before planning any work on a listed building or one in a conservation area.
After the visit, you get a report with photos, sent by email. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Place
- Downend (RG20)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Landlord and commercial surveys in Downend
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed beforehand. We survey on any day of the week, which can make access easier.
Drones, thermal imaging and Downend roofs
If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Older coverings on steep or tall roofs are hard to judge from below, so close-up close-up aerial shots and thermal images help.
Shaw House, about 4.2 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Downend. Aerial photos and thermal images let an old roof be checked without anyone disturbing it. Take a building like Chieveley Primary School: thermal images can show where wet insulation sits under a big flat roof. If you live in an older home near Church of St Mary, thin or patchy insulation under an old roof frequently shows up clearly on a thermal image.
Downend is about 5 miles north of Newbury, in West Berkshire. Anywhere in Downend, we can carry out thermal roof surveys at your property. Our West Berkshire coverage includes Downend. We also survey roofs in Reading.
All of RG20 is covered for thermal roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We cover properties on Downend Lane, Bardown and Northfields and the roads around them. We also cover Chieveley (1 mile south), North Heath (1 mile south-west), World's End (1 mile north-east), Peasemore (2 miles north-west) and Beedon (2 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Newbury (5 miles south), Thatcham (5 miles south-east), Burghfield Common (12 miles south-east), Speenhamland (5 miles south), Hungerford (10 miles south-west) and Calcot (12 miles east).
What’s near Downend
Around Downend, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Wheatsheaf pub. A little further out are Hampstead Norris Castle (3.3 miles east) and West Berkshire Community Hospital (4.7 miles south). Not far away are Snelsmore Common.
Tips from our surveys
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. Here’s what helps most:
- Note where damp appears and after what weather
- Clear leaves from outlets and gutters each autumn
- Talk to us about the weather when booking
- Move stored items away from the loft hatch
Buyers can use the findings when talking to the seller or agent. It’s your decision how to use it, whether that’s asking for work or discussing the price.
Watch for new damp patches on ceilings beneath the roof. Catching a leak early stops insulation getting soaked.
Places near Downend
What else we do in Downend
What affects the price in Downend
Our packages start from £150, inc. VAT. The price for your roof depends on:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Which survey package you book
- Height and safe access
- How big the roof is
All our prices include VAT. Prices start from £400, including VAT. You’ll know the price for your survey before you book.
Helping us price your survey
Here’s what helps us most when you contact us:
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Different roofs, different checks
Felt and asphalt flat roofs
These coverings sit directly on the layers beneath, so temperature differences often show through. Any patterns are checked with moisture readings.
GRP fibreglass roofs
Water under a GRP roof can reach the timber deck. The camera can help show where to look.
What we do, step by step
Photographs are taken throughout the visit, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. A typical visit takes about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Cottages and farmhouses around Downend frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- We start with the roof, its history and any signs of damp or heat loss.
- We check the conditions and note how they may affect the images.
- A full inspection and thermal imaging are carried out together.
- Moisture readings are used to check what the camera shows.
- The Premium report reaches you the same day, and we go through it with you in person.
Getting ready for the survey
- Keep pets in another room
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
Booking a survey
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll explain the options and the price.
Read more
What happens if roof problems are left?
Once insulation under a membrane is wet, it tends to stay wet. In time, it stops insulating properly and can damage the deck. Finding them early can mean a smaller job. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. That’s one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Our price is from £400, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What you get with us
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Drones and thermal imaging where applicable
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
Questions from Downend
Is Downend in the area you cover?
Yes. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and Downend is part of that. You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and some details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Is my home in Downend listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Flights depend on the weather on the day and airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We are a CAA-registered drone operator.
Will the camera show exactly where the water is?
The camera does not see water itself. Because wet insulation holds heat for longer, it can show as a different temperature, but we check each finding with moisture readings.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not always. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. We use safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where it applies, and the report records anything we couldn’t see.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Can you check my loft insulation with a thermal camera?
Thermal images can suggest where heat is escaping and where insulation may be missing. We do not give energy ratings or heat loss calculations, but the report shows where to look more closely.