Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Drone Roof Survey in Bicester
A careful look at the roof at your property in Bicester, with photos and a written report.
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
- Cracked mortar along the ridge
- Flat roofs on upper floors that hold water
Signs you need a drone roof survey in Bicester
Strong winds can lift slates, tiles and ridge pieces. Damage on a high or steep roof is hard to judge from the garden. Close-up photos make it clear what has been disturbed.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Gaps where slates or tiles have gone
- Slates or tiles shifted by high winds
- Eroded pointing on a chimney stack
- Moss and weeds taking hold up top
If you run a business near Bicester Village, a commercial roof can be photographed from above without anyone walking on it.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- What experience they bring
Drone roof survey in Bicester
We fly a sub-250g drone, and we hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID. It stays within sight for the whole flight, and within the 120-metre limit that applies to all drones in the open category. Each flight is planned with the site and its surroundings in mind. Before every flight, we check the airspace and the weather. Safety comes first on every visit. If you’ve noticed ridge and hip pieces working loose and slipped or missing slates on a high roof, we can find out what’s behind it.
For a town like Bicester, every drone flight starts with a check of the Drone Safety Map, including zones around airports and prisons. We fly a sub-250g drone and hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID. Neighbours’ privacy is part of planning every flight. In the open category, flights stay under 120 m (400 ft) with the drone in sight.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent, whichever applies.
- Where
- Bicester (OX26, OX27)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Drones, thermal imaging and Bicester roofs
Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Older coverings on steep or tall roofs are hard to judge from below, so close-up photos from the air and thermal images help. The drone we use is under 250g, flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID. Open category rules keep flights below 120 m (400 ft) and the drone within sight at all times.
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Edburg, older roofs can be steep and hard to see from the street, which is where close-up aerial shots and thermal images help. If you look after a building such as Brookside Primary School, a view from above covers a wide roof far faster than walking it.
Bicester is about 11 miles north of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. Bicester gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Bicester is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire we cover. There’s also a page for Oxford.
All of OX26 and OX27 is covered for drone roof surveys. If you need a drone roof survey at a property on Market Square, Market End Way and London Road or a nearby road, we can survey it. Being close to the A4095 and B4100, Bicester is simple for us to get to for drone roof surveys. We also cover the places around Bicester: Bure Park (1 mile north), Caversfield (1 mile north), Bucknell (2 miles north-west), Stratton Audley (3 miles north-east) and Stoke Lyne (3 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (11 miles south), Banbury (14 miles north-west), Thame (13 miles south-east), Kidlington (8 miles south-west), Headington Quarry (10 miles south) and St John Street area (11 miles south-west). Bicester is among the bigger towns we cover in Oxfordshire.
Landmarks near Bicester
We work in homes and buildings around Bicester Technology Studio and The Plough pub. There’s a railway station in Bicester itself: Bicester North station. Nearby you will also find Bicester Community Hospital (less than half a mile south) and Bicester Village (0.7 miles south). Not far away are Graven Hill and Woodsides Meadow.
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney stacks
Our drone check of a chimney is visual, not a flue, gas or sweep inspection. If the flue needs a specialist, we’ll tell you.
Valleys and parapet gutters
When a parapet outlet blocks, water can come inside. We check outlets and photograph any build-up.
DIY checks: what’s safe
You can learn a lot from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
What we can’t see
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- A flight on a day when the weather is not safe
- Close-up photos of next door’s property
- Flights in a restricted zone without permission
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will point you to the right survey. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Fragile roofs
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Large and complex roofs
- Tall and steep roofs
- Chimney stacks
Bicester questions
Do you cover Bicester?
Yes, Bicester is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Bicester as anywhere else.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Bicester?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
Will the drone film my neighbours?
We point the camera at your roof only. Next door’s windows and gardens are kept out of shot as far as possible. It is useful to tell neighbours beforehand.
Can you fly a drone in central London?
In some places, only with permission. Restricted areas over Hyde Park, the City of London and the Isle of Dogs need NATS permission before a flight. Every address is checked first, and fall back on other viewpoints if we cannot fly.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so we need permission from the freeholder or managing agent. We can only inspect what we are given access to.
Will you walk on the roof?
Not unless it’s safe. Most of what we need can be seen from safe viewpoints, the loft and, where it applies, a drone, and anything out of sight is recorded in the report.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Bicester
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we will plan the survey around it.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Places near Bicester
Also in Bicester
What we do, step by step
Every roof is different; as a rough guide, the survey takes between one and two hours for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. If you have questions on the day, just ask. In Bicester, many roofs join a neighbour’s, so shared parts are looked at as far as they can be seen from your property. It is useful to know about previous repairs, leaks or recent work.
- We start by checking the airspace and any restrictions at your address.
- Where a flight restriction zone or restricted area applies, we seek permission first.
- We assess the wind, the weather and the surroundings before take-off.
- The drone captures close-up photos of the coverings, chimneys, valleys and gutters.
- We email a written report with the photographs and our recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Keep pets in another room
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Note where any stains or damp appear
How to book
For a price for drone roof surveys in Bicester, phone 07833 053749 or email us. The address, the type of property and what you want to find out help us price the survey accurately.