Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in Marsh Gibbon, Oxfordshire
Close-up drone photographs of roofs that are hard to reach in Marsh Gibbon, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Get in touch for a price.
- Ponding and splits on a high flat roof
- Plant growth and moss on the roof
- Slipped or missing slates on a high roof
How the survey changes by roof type
Ridges and hips
Some ridges are fixed with mortar, others with dry-fix systems. Their condition is noted in the report.
Large commercial roofs
Large commercial roofs cover a lot of ground. The drone covers the roof area by area, so nothing is skipped.
Drone roof survey in Marsh Gibbon
Drone surveys suit tall houses, blocks of flats, steep roofs and large commercial roofs. They also suit fragile roofs that nobody should walk on, like old slate, clay tiles or cement sheets. The roof is photographed without being disturbed. We check the airspace for your address ahead of the visit. We’ll tell you if another approach would work better. We survey large and complex roofs, chimney stacks and flat roofs on upper floors, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are ridge and hip pieces working loose and gaps where slates or tiles have gone.
Somewhere as small as Marsh Gibbon, older roofs are frequently steep and partly hidden by trees or outbuildings. A drone and a thermal camera each give a view you can’t get from the ground. Both the forecast and the airspace are checked first, and the journey is planned in advance. Older roofs with steep slopes and tall chimneys are where the extra view helps most.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Location
- Marsh Gibbon (OX27)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Common roof problems in Marsh Gibbon
Hidden gutters and valleys are easy to overlook. Leaves, silt and plant growth build up unseen, until water overflows inside. From above, they’re easy to see.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed one of these:
- Wind damage high on the roof
- Coverings that have slipped high up on the roof
- Flat roofs on upper floors that hold water
- Blocked valleys and parapet gutters
Shop and office owners around Bicester Village may find that big, flat commercial roofs are where close-up aerial shots and thermal images help most.
What to check before booking
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- Are they insured for the work?
- Whether VAT is added on top
How it works
We check the roof from outside and, where it is relevant and there is safe access, from inside the loft space too. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging, as far as the space allows. The whole visit normally takes between one and two hours for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. Older roofs in small places like Marsh Gibbon can have low, tight loft spaces, so it helps to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it’s safe.
- We start by making sure a drone flight makes sense for the roof.
- A visit is booked for a weekday, Saturday or Sunday, weather permitting.
- The roof is photographed from the air, with the camera kept on your property.
- We also look inside the roof space where it’s safe.
- The report sets out what we found, with photos and recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Book a survey
Not sure which survey you need? It’s easiest to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Related advice
Marsh Gibbon questions
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Marsh Gibbon?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Is drone flying allowed in Marsh Gibbon?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first, including zones around airports and prisons. Strong wind or a downpour also stops a small drone flying.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. We look at the roof, not the whole building, so it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
When does the report arrive?
Report times are set by the package. Basic: within 48 hours. Standard: 24 to 48 hours. Premium: the same day. If you have a deadline, like an exchange date, tell us when booking.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
Does the weather affect the survey?
It depends on the weather and the survey. In strong wind or a downpour, a drone can’t fly and access may not be safe, and we’d agree another day.
What does the report include?
Written findings with photographs, explaining the condition of the roof, any defects and our recommendations. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check, and the Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies and structural analysis.
Flying and imaging in Marsh Gibbon
Claydon House, about 4.8 miles east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Marsh Gibbon. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions.
Take a building like Marsh Gibbon CofE Primary School: a view from above covers a wide roof far faster than walking it. For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Mary, older roofs can be steep and hard to see from the street, which is where photos from the air and thermal images help.
Marsh Gibbon is about 4 miles east of Bicester, in Oxfordshire. In Marsh Gibbon, as across Oxfordshire, every roof gets the same careful survey. Across Oxfordshire, we cover Marsh Gibbon and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Oxford page.
All of OX27 is within our area for drone roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Whether your property is on Moorhen Close, Westbury Close and Moat Lane or a nearby road, we can survey it. Close by, we survey roofs in Poundon (2 miles north), Charndon (2 miles north-east), Twyford (2 miles north-east), Calvert (3 miles east) and Preston Bissett (4 miles north). Further out, we also cover Oxford (13 miles south-west), Bicester (4 miles west), Thame (11 miles south), Kidlington (11 miles south-west), Chinnor (15 miles south-east) and Headington Quarry (11 miles south-west).
Around Marsh Gibbon
In Marsh Gibbon, that means homes and buildings near Plough Inn. Marsh Gibbon’s nearest station is Bicester North station, roughly 3.7 miles west. Nearby you’ll also find Bicester Community Hospital (4 miles west) and Bicester Village (4 miles west). The countryside around Marsh Gibbon includes Upper Ray Meadows and Graven Hill.
For landlords and managing agents
With a portfolio of properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the addresses.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, with the most urgent items set out first.
Why act early in Marsh Gibbon
Small defects on a high roof grow with each storm. Finding them now means less to put right, whatever height the roof is. Older and listed buildings around Marsh Gibbon may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so leaving a defect until it is urgent leaves less time to plan.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £400, including VAT.
What you get with us
- An independent view of the roof
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
Other services in Marsh Gibbon
What you can safely check yourself
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That’s where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.