Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in Shotover Hill, Oxfordshire
We carry out drone roof surveys in Shotover Hill and the rest of Oxfordshire. We survey on weekdays and at weekends.
- Moss and weeds taking hold up top
- Flashings that have come away
- Standing water on a flat roof
Drone roof survey in Shotover Hill
A drone can see more than your roof, so we take care. The camera stays on your roof, not on gardens or windows next door. If your roof is joined to a neighbour’s, it’s worth letting them know about the visit. We inspect only what the owner has asked us to. Flights are kept as short as the job allows and focused on the roof in question. If you’re worried about lifted or split lead flashings and loose ridge and hip tiles, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Places like Shotover Hill can be near small airfields or other airspace restrictions, so the Drone Safety Map is checked before any flight. Open ground can mean stronger wind, which also affects whether a small drone can fly. Each flight is planned with neighbours’ privacy in mind, as well as the airspace and the wind.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, for example when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Location
- Shotover Hill (OX3)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens if roof problems are left?
Leaving a slipped slate or a blocked valley can turn a small fault into a leak. Spotting them early keeps the work smaller. Homes in smaller places like Shotover Hill can face more weather, so a loose ridge or verge soon lets rain in. Each storm lifts it a little further, and water follows.
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. Prices start from £400, including VAT.
Why us?
- Package prices that include VAT
- 98% customer satisfaction
- 20+ years’ experience
- Surveys seven days a week
Read what a roof survey costs or our case studies.
Drone roof surveys around Shotover Hill
Holywell Manor, about 2.4 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Shotover Hill. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. The drone we use is under 250g, flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID. In the open category, flights stay below 120 m (400 ft) and within sight.
Take an older house close to Holy Trinity Church: older roofs can be steep and hard to see from the street, which is where photos from the air and thermal images help. Shop and office owners around Templars Square may find that a commercial roof can be photographed from above without anyone walking on it.
Shotover Hill is about 2 miles east of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. We visit Shotover Hill as part of our work across Oxfordshire, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Shotover Hill is one of the places in Oxfordshire where we work for drone roof surveys.
Postcode districts we cover here for drone roof surveys: OX3. That includes homes and businesses on Old Road, Mark Road and York Road. If you’re just outside Shotover Hill, we cover Risinghurst (1 mile north), Barton (1 mile north), Horspath (1 mile south-east), Littleworth (2 miles east) and Forest Hill (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Didcot (10 miles south), Bicester (10 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (6 miles south-west), Witney (13 miles west), Thame (9 miles east) and Wantage (15 miles south-west).
Near you in Shotover Hill
Around Shotover Hill, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Cheney School, Headington Quarry Foundation Stage School and Crown & Thistle pub, among other places. You’ll also find St Francis Church (0.7 miles south-west) and Stansfeld Park (within half a mile north-west). Shotover Hill’s nearest station is Oxford station, about 3.3 miles west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Rumble Museum (1.2 miles west) and Templars Square (1.7 miles south-west). The countryside around Shotover Hill includes Shotover and CS Lewis Nature Reserve.
Also near Shotover Hill
What else we do in Shotover Hill
Can I check my roof myself?
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us when you book and it will help the survey.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
How the survey works
We don’t take risks to get a closer look. We inspect what can safely be seen, and if part of the roof cannot be seen, the report says so. The survey typically takes between one and two hours at most homes, and more on a big or complicated roof. A visit to a smaller place like Shotover Hill is no different on the day: we look from the ground, from windows, from the loft and from the roof where it’s safe. It’s useful to show us anything you’ve already noticed.
- First, we check whether a drone is the right tool.
- A date is fixed, with a fallback in case the weather turns.
- Aerial photos are taken of your roof only, not the neighbours’.
- 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
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Arrange a survey
Prices start from £400, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form to find out.
Read more
For landlords and managing agents
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer, so they’re priced to suit.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Shotover Hill and across Oxfordshire can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Before and after the survey
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Tell us about any leaks or concerns
- Move stored items away from the hatch
- Keep pets indoors during the flight
- Book early if you’re near an airport
With the Premium Survey, the report arrives the same day. Drone photos are included where we could fly.
Don’t block the vents at the eaves. Poor airflow lets condensation build up, and it’s something only an inside check will show. Make sure insulation does not block the airflow.
Signs you need a drone roof survey in Shotover Hill
Parapet gutters, box gutters and central valleys sit out of sight. Debris collects where nobody looks, until water overflows inside. A drone shows them clearly from above.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Eroded pointing on a chimney stack
- Plant growth and moss on the roof
- Gaps where slates or tiles have gone
- Ridge pieces that have lifted
If you look after a building like Wood Farm Primary School, a view from above covers a wide roof far faster than walking it.
Questions to ask before booking
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Their track record with similar roofs
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
Shotover Hill: your questions answered
How do I find out if my home in Shotover Hill is listed?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Are there drone restrictions around Shotover Hill?
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.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Just let us know the days that suit you.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof, not the whole building. If you need a full building survey, you will need a RICS survey as well.
Do you look in the loft space?
If there is a loft and safe access to it, yes. From inside, the underside of the roof often shows damp, staining or daylight that cannot be seen from outside.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only when it’s safe. Safety comes first, and fragile or steep roofs can’t always be walked on. We use safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where it applies.
Do I need to be at home?
Not necessarily. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.