Reading · London and the South East
Thermal imaging roof survey in Play Hatch, Reading
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in Play Hatch, and put it all in a report with photographs.
- Damp that repairs haven’t cured
- Moisture around outlets and upstands
- Missing or slipped insulation
Landlord and commercial surveys in Play Hatch
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Play Hatch. To discuss a property or a block, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.
Thermal roof survey in Play Hatch: what you get
Our thermal survey records how the surface temperature varies across your roof. The patterns can suggest wet insulation, gaps in insulation or places where heat is getting out. The camera does not see water itself, so we check what it shows with moisture readings. It comes as part of our Premium Survey, from £400. The report also notes the conditions on the day, since they affect what the camera can show. If you are worried about heat escaping through the roof and areas of a flat roof that may hold water, we can find out what’s behind it, on insulated roof spaces, loft conversions and ceilings below the roof alike.
Older buildings in small places like Play Hatch may be listed or in a conservation area. Neither a drone survey nor a thermal survey involves any work on the roof, so it is a gentle way to see the condition of an old roof. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, so check with the council first.
It is not only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Location
- Play Hatch (RG4)
- Wider area
- Reading
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
Every visit follows the same pattern: we listen to what’s been worrying you, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. It usually takes an hour or two for most homes, plus time to check any thermal findings with moisture readings. Older roofs in small places like Play Hatch can have low, tight loft spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it is safe.
- We start by discussing the roof, any signs of damp and how the weather may affect the images.
- We carry out a visual inspection of the roof from wherever it can be seen safely.
- Thermal images are taken to show differences in surface temperature.
- Any patterns of interest are checked with moisture readings where we can reach them.
- We write up the thermal images alongside ordinary photos and recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
How to book
We confirm the price for the job before booking, so you know the cost up front. Thermal roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. For a price for your roof, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Read more
Airspace, weather and Play Hatch roofs
Mapledurham House, about 4.4 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Play Hatch. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Steep or complicated roofs are often hard to see from ground level, which is where close-up aerial shots and thermal images help.
Take a building like St Martin's Catholic Primary School: a drone or thermal camera can show a large roof in a single visit. If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for instance near The Oracle, thermal images can show trapped moisture across a wide commercial roof.
Play Hatch is about 1 mile east of Caversham, in Reading. We carry out thermal roof surveys in Play Hatch for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Across Reading, we cover Play Hatch and the places around it.
All of RG4 is within our area for thermal roof surveys. Whether your property is on Dene Close, Henley Road and Foxhill Lane or anywhere close by, we can survey it. We also cover the places around Play Hatch: Dunsden Green (1 mile north), Caversham Park Village (1 mile west), Littlestead Green (1 mile north-west), Emmer Green (1 mile west) and Sonning (1 mile south-east). Larger places within reach include Norcot (4 miles west), West Reading (3 miles south-west), Tilehurst Within (5 miles west), Shinfield (5 miles south), Arborfield Garrison (7 miles south) and Horncastle (5 miles south-west).
Landmarks near Play Hatch
In Play Hatch, that means homes and buildings near Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre, Reading Blue Coat School and The Shoulder of Mutton pub. For rail, the closest station is Reading station, about 2.2 miles south-west of the centre. A little further out are The Oracle (2.4 miles south-west) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (2.3 miles south-west). The countryside around Play Hatch includes Alder Moors and South Lake.
Also near Play Hatch
Other services in Play Hatch
How the survey changes by roof type
Loft insulation
In the roof space, the camera can pick up gaps and thin areas of insulation. We inspect the loft where it can be reached safely.
Felt and asphalt flat roofs
On felt and asphalt flat roofs, wet insulation can show as a temperature difference across the surface. Moisture readings are used to check them.
FAQs for Play Hatch
Is my home in Play Hatch listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Do you cover smaller places like Play Hatch?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
What’s in the survey report?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos. The most urgent items are made clear.
Do I need to be at home?
Someone needs to let us in if we are looking inside or in the loft. We will talk about access as you book.
Do you use drones?
Where it helps and the rules allow, yes. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only when it’s safe. Most of what we need can be seen from safe viewpoints, the loft and, where it applies, a drone.
Is thermal imaging included in your surveys?
It comes with our Premium Survey, which starts from £400. The Premium Survey also covers a full inspection, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and a report on the same day.
What a survey costs
To price your survey, we check:
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- Roof area
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
All our prices include VAT. Our price is from £400, including VAT. We confirm the price for your survey before booking.
What we need to know
These details help when you contact us:
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- Anything about access we should know
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- Where the property is, with the postcode
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Do you need a thermal roof survey in Play Hatch?
Not every roof problem shows on the surface. Trapped moisture, missing insulation and hidden heat loss are three examples. Thermal imaging gives us another way to look for them.
It’s worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Missing or slipped insulation
- Stains that keep coming back
- Possible trapped moisture under a flat roof covering
- Moisture around outlets and upstands
For an older house near a landmark such as St Andrew's Church, tall stacks and steep slopes are easier to judge with close-up aerial photos than from the pavement.
What to check before booking
- Are they insured for the work?
- What happens after the report arrives
- What the survey won’t cover
- How long the report takes to arrive
Why get it checked now?
Without thermal imaging, the only way to see how far water has spread is often to open up the roof. That helps you and your roofer decide what really needs replacing. In a place like Play Hatch, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. It’s worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
A Basic Survey starts from £150, including VAT. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400. You will know the price for your survey before booking.
What you get with us
- A written report with photos
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Clear package prices, inc. VAT
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
Read what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.