Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in Chesterton, Oxfordshire
An experienced roof surveyor for drone roof surveys in Chesterton. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us.
- Cracked flaunching or loose chimney pots
- Ridge pieces that have lifted
- Slipped or missing slates on a high roof
Drone roof survey in Chesterton: what you get
Our price is from £400, including VAT. A drone inspection, where applicable, is also part of our Premium Survey, with a same-day report, structural analysis and an in-person consultation. It also includes a follow-up after 12 months. If a drone won’t help on your roof, we will say so. You get a written report with the close-up photos from the flight. We survey fragile roofs, large and complex roofs and valleys and parapet gutters, and people most often book us about worn lead at chimneys and walls and gaps where slates or tiles have gone.
In a small place like Chesterton, open ground can mean strong wind. A small drone can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best with little wind. The visit is planned around the forecast, along with the journey and access. A change in the forecast can mean moving the visit to another day.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, sent by email. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Place
- Chesterton (OX26)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings as a written report with photos. As for time on site, it typically takes between one and two hours for a house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Somewhere as small as Chesterton, access is often the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- We start by making sure a drone flight makes sense for the roof.
- We agree a date, including weekends, subject to the weather.
- We fly over the roof, keeping the camera on the property we’re surveying.
- If the loft can be reached safely, it is checked too.
- Everything is written up, with the aerial photos and our advice.
Before the survey
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Arrange a survey
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Advice
Chesterton: your questions answered
Is drone flying allowed in Chesterton?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. The flight also waits for calm, dry weather.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Chesterton?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Will you go up on the roof?
Not unless it is safe. Safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where it applies cover most of what’s needed.
Do you need to get into the loft?
If it’s needed and safe to reach, yes. We look for staining, damp, daylight and signs of movement.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
Do I need to be at home?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. Access is agreed with you when you book.
How fast do I get the report?
It depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. Reports are sent by email.
For landlords and managing agents
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out in order of urgency where relevant, which helps with budgets and planning.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photographs included.
Useful tips for Chesterton property owners
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Expect us to rearrange if it’s too windy or wet
- Shut pets inside while we fly
- Clear a spot on the drive or lawn
- Move stored items away from the hatch
You get an in-person consultation with the Premium Survey to talk through the photos and findings. It’s a chance to ask about anything in the report.
Keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, ideally once the leaves have fallen. On tall buildings, use a professional with the right access equipment. Many leaks start with a blocked outlet.
When to book a survey in Chesterton
Large roofs take a long time to see on foot. A drone can photograph a large roof methodically. That gives a clearer picture of the roof as a whole.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Plant growth and moss on the roof
- Tired mortar and pots at the top of a stack
- Loose ridge and hip tiles
- Ponding and splits on a high flat roof
The streets around a church such as Church of St Mary are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, tall stacks and steep slopes are easier to judge with close-up aerial photos than from the pavement.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Is VAT included in the price?
What a drone roof survey does not cover
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Flights in strong wind or a downpour
- Roofs and gardens beyond the one we are surveying
- Flying in a flight restriction zone without the airport’s permission
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Chesterton
- Chimney stacks
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Fragile roofs
- Large and complex roofs
- Tall and steep roofs
- Flat roofs on upper floors
Airspace, weather and Chesterton roofs
England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. If your home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission, so check with the council. Our drone weighs under 250g, and we hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID. Open category rules keep flights below 120 m (400 ft) and the drone within sight at all times.
If you look after a building like Chesterton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, a drone or thermal camera can show a large roof in a single visit. Shop and office owners around Bicester Avenue may find that a commercial roof can be photographed from above without anyone walking on it.
Chesterton is about 2 miles south-west of Bicester, in Oxfordshire. We visit Chesterton as part of our work across Oxfordshire, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Chesterton. You can also see our page for Oxford.
Postcode districts we cover here for drone roof surveys: OX26. You’ll find streets such as Fortescue Drive, Chestnut Close and Green Lane, all of which we cover. Other places close to Chesterton include Wendlebury (1 mile south), Merton (2 miles south-east), Ambrosden (3 miles east), Launton (3 miles east) and Fencott (3 miles south). Larger places within reach include Oxford (10 miles south), Banbury (14 miles north-west), Abingdon-on-Thames (15 miles south), Witney (15 miles south-west), Thame (13 miles south-east) and Kidlington (6 miles south-west).
Around Chesterton
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Bicester School and Red Cow pub, among other places. The closest station to Chesterton is Bicester Village station, roughly 1.7 miles east of the centre. A little further out are Bicester Avenue (1 mile east) and Ardley Castle (3.9 miles north). For a walk, there is Graven Hill and Woodsides Meadow.
Roof by roof
Flat roofs on tall buildings
Flat roofs on tall buildings are often seen by nobody. A drone shows ponding, splits, blisters and worn upstands.
Large commercial roofs
Many commercial roofs have fragile sheets or roof lights. A drone keeps everyone off them.