West Berkshire · London and the South East
Thermal imaging roof survey in Inkpen Common, West Berkshire
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in Inkpen Common, with photographs and a written report.
- Water that travels before it shows
- Gaps in loft insulation
- Wet areas near outlets and upstands
Practical tips
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Remember the conditions on the day affect the results
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Make sure the loft can be reached safely
- Keep the heating on as usual before a heat loss survey
If the images suggest moisture that cannot be confirmed, we will say what would help next, for example electronic leak detection or a roofer opening up a small section.
Make sure loft insulation covers the whole area and hasn’t been disturbed. Insulation is often moved when people work in the loft space.
Thermal roof survey in Inkpen Common
A thermal camera can help when the cause of damp isn’t obvious. Water can travel some distance under a roof covering before it shows inside, and temperature patterns can help us trace where it may have come from. We combine the images with a visual inspection and moisture readings, so the findings do not rely on the camera alone. Typical surveys look at leaks far from where the stain appears and cold spots on ceilings under the roof, on commercial roofs, ceilings below the roof and insulated roof spaces.
Villages like Inkpen Common often stand in open country, where wind can be strong. A small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, and thermal imaging works best with little wind. We plan the journey, access and timing around the weather. A change in the forecast can mean moving the visit to another day.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Place
- Inkpen Common (RG17, RG20)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What a survey costs
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. The main factors are:
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Our price is from £400, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
What to tell us when you get in touch
These details help when you get in touch:
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Anything about access we should know
A quick phone call is typically the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
What we look for on each type of roof
GRP fibreglass roofs
Water under a GRP roof can reach the timber deck. The camera can help show where to look.
Loft insulation
Insulation often gets moved during work in the loft. The camera can show where it no longer covers the ceiling.
How the survey works
Before we start, tell us why you’ve booked: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit typically takes about one to two hours for most homes, plus time to check any thermal findings with moisture readings. Older roofs in small places like Inkpen Common can have low, tight loft spaces, so it’s useful to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- First we discuss the roof, any damp and the forecast for the visit.
- The roof is inspected visually from safe positions.
- We take thermal images of the roof and of the loft where we can reach it.
- Patterns that stand out are checked with moisture readings.
- Each image is set beside a normal photo and explained in the report.
Before we arrive
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Getting a price
If you’re buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email when you’re ready.
Related advice
FAQs for Inkpen Common
Will you come out to Inkpen Common?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Inkpen Common?
We cannot confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Mention it when you get in touch and we will plan the survey around it.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. It is a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
Does the weather affect a thermal survey?
Conditions on the day have a big effect on what the camera can show. A dry surface, little wind and a sunny spell beforehand help most. We record the conditions in the report, so you know how much weight to give the images.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, across 20+ years of surveying roofs, with 98% customer satisfaction.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Drones, thermal imaging and Inkpen Common roofs
Historic houses such as Stargroves, about 2.7 miles south-east, show how far back building in the area around Inkpen Common goes. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Steep or complicated roofs are frequently hard to see from ground level, which is where close-up aerial shots and thermal images help.
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St Laurence, thin or patchy insulation under an old roof frequently shows up clearly on a thermal image. Anyone responsible for a site like Inkpen Primary School will know that big roofs are where aerial photos and thermal images show the most at once.
Inkpen Common is about 6 miles west of Newbury, in West Berkshire. Whether the building in Inkpen Common is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, we can survey the roof. Inkpen Common is one of the towns and villages in West Berkshire where we work. Our Reading page covers surveys nearby.
We work across RG17 and RG20 for thermal roof surveys. We offer thermal roof surveys to properties on Heads Lane, Rooksnest Lane and The Firs. Nearby, we also carry out thermal roof surveys 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). We also work in nearby towns like 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).
Near you in Inkpen Common
We work in homes and buildings around Crown and Garter pub and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Kintbury station, roughly 2 miles north. A little further out are Hamstead Marshall 3 (3.1 miles north-east). Not far away are Kintbury Newt Ponds and Inkpen Hill.
Why act early in Inkpen Common
Heat lost through a roof costs money every winter. The camera can point to gaps and thin areas in the insulation, so you know where to put things right. For older village homes like those around Inkpen Common, the right replacement materials are not always easy to find quickly. That’s one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
Our price is from £400, including VAT. The final price depends on the size and height of the roof, access and the package you choose.
Why us?
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Visits on any day of the week
Take a look at our cost guide or two real surveys.
Also near Inkpen Common
Also in Inkpen Common
Landlord and commercial surveys in Inkpen Common
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, including offices, shops and units. Larger roofs take longer.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget.