Find Trusted Tradesmen in Reading

Reading has an older housing stock than most of England. About a quarter of homes in the borough were built before 1919, compared with around a fifth nationally, according to Valuation Office Agency figures. Walk through Katesgrove, Newtown or Redlands and you’ll see why: long Victorian terraces in the town’s own red brick, often patterned with silver-grey bricks made in local brickworks. Alongside them are inter-war semis in the suburbs, post-war estates, and newer flats and houses at Kennet Island and Green Park Village.

That mix shapes the work Reading homes need. According to the 2021 Census, terraced houses and purpose-built flats each make up just over a quarter of Reading’s homes. Older terraces tend to need roof, chimney, window and rewiring work, while newer homes are more likely to need boiler servicing, fault-finding and upgrades.

A few local points are worth knowing before you hire:

• Hard water. Reading’s tap water is classed as hard to very hard. Limescale shortens the life of taps, showers, kettles and the hot water side of combi boilers, so ask your plumber or heating engineer about scale protection.
• Conservation areas. Reading Borough Council has 15 conservation areas, including Redlands, Eldon Square, Castle Hill/Russell Street/Oxford Road and St Peter’s in Caversham. Some patterned brick terraces also have extra planning controls. Check with the council before changing windows, doors or roofs at the front of the house.
• Renting. Around a third of Reading households rent privately, and the council has run borough-wide additional HMO licensing since March 2026. Landlords need regular gas and electrical safety checks.
• Flooding. Low-lying parts of Caversham and Southcote flooded when the Thames rose in January 2024. If you’re near the rivers, you can sign up for Environment Agency flood warnings.
• Council boundaries. Earley and Woodley are in Wokingham Borough, and part of Tilehurst is in West Berkshire. Planning and building control questions go to the council for your address.

To find a good tradesperson in Reading, get more than one quote, ask for it in writing, and check the right registration for the job: the Gas Safe Register for gas work, and a registered electrician for electrical work. Reviews on Trade Pilot are tied to real, invoiced jobs, so you can see what a trade has actually done for other homeowners.