Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Charlton-on-Otmoor Electronic Leak Detection
Electronic leak detection to pinpoint holes in flat roof membranes in Charlton-on-Otmoor, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Call or email for a price.
- New membranes needing a check before handover
- Holes left by work on the roof
- Repairs that haven’t stopped the leak
Electronic leak detection for Charlton-on-Otmoor homes and businesses
When you need someone else
No survey can tell you everything, and we’d rather be clear about that before booking. Keep these in mind:
- Leaks from walls, copings or rooflights
- Moisture spread under the membrane
- Some conductive membranes
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Roof terraces and balconies
- Green roofs
- Flat roof membranes
- Single-ply roofs
- Commercial flat roofs
- Liquid-applied waterproofing
Electronic leak detection for homes and businesses in Charlton-on-Otmoor
Some flat roofs can’t be tested electronically. Some membranes conduct electricity themselves, and some build-ups lack the layer the test needs below the membrane. We will say if ELD will not work on your roof at the start. Any details you have about the membrane and build-up help us decide, including drawings, specifications or the roofer’s paperwork. It saves a wasted visit. If you’re worried about leaks under green or ballasted roofs and leaks showing away from the breach, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on commercial flat roofs, roof terraces and balconies and single-ply roofs alike.
Some older homes in villages like Charlton-on-Otmoor are listed or in a conservation area, and that can affect how an extension roof or dormer is re-covered. Check with the council before planning any change of material. Finding out what state the roof is in gives you the facts to plan with. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent.
Findings are set out part by part, from the coverings down to the gutters. It records what’s sound as well as what is not.
- Place
- Charlton-on-Otmoor (OX5)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- Quoted for your roof
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Electronic leak detection in Charlton-on-Otmoor: local notes
The wider area around Charlton-on-Otmoor has a long history of building, with Boarstall Tower about 4 miles east. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Older houses in the South East frequently have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Flat roofs on extensions, dormers, garages and business units are found alongside them almost everywhere.
Take an older house close to Church of St Mary the Virgin: later flat-roofed additions are common on older houses, and their edges and upstands often show the first signs of wear. If you own a rental within reach of Islip station, flat roofs over rear additions and dormers in rented property are worth checking between tenancies.
Charlton-on-Otmoor is about 5 miles south of Bicester, in Oxfordshire. We survey roofs in Charlton-on-Otmoor as part of our work across London and South East England. Charlton-on-Otmoor is one of the places in Oxfordshire we cover. There is also a page for Oxford.
Postcode districts we cover here for electronic leak detection: OX5. That includes homes and businesses on High Street, Blacksmiths Lane and Church Lane and the roads around them. Other places close to Charlton-on-Otmoor include Fencott (1 mile east), Murcott (1 mile east), Merton (1 mile north-east), Wendlebury (2 miles north) and Horton-cum-Studley (3 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Oxford (6 miles south), Bicester (5 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (12 miles south), Witney (13 miles west), Thame (11 miles south-east) and Kidlington (4 miles west).
Around Charlton-on-Otmoor
Around Charlton-on-Otmoor, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Crown pub and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Islip station, about 2.3 miles west of the centre. Nearby you will also find Bicester Community Hospital (4.2 miles north) and Bicester Avenue (3.6 miles north). For a walk, there’s Graven Hill and Otmoor RSPB reserve.
Charlton-on-Otmoor: your questions answered
Is my home in Charlton-on-Otmoor listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Is Charlton-on-Otmoor within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
What insurance do you have?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
What is electronic leak detection?
It uses an electrical current to find breaches in a flat roof membrane. A breach lets the current through, which shows us where the hole is.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Light rain is normally fine; heavy rain and wind are different. High wind or heavy rain can make access unsafe and ground a drone, so we’d move the date with you.
Does ELD include fixing the breach?
No. We test the membrane and report. You get the breach locations with photos so your roofer can fix them.
What happens next?
You will receive the report by email, and you decide the next step: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
Why get it checked now?
Opening up a roof to hunt for a leak is disruptive. ELD aims to locate the breach first, so the repair can be targeted. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. That’s one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
All our prices include VAT. Electronic leak detection is quoted for your roof, because the method depends on the roof. You will know the price for the job before you book.
Why book with us
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
- Over 20 years’ experience
- 5,000+ surveys completed
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or our case studies.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work with less disruption.
Roof by roof
Bituminous membranes
Bituminous felt and modified bitumen membranes are common. Whether ELD suits them depends on the build-up.
Liquid-applied waterproofing
Pinholes in a coating can let water through. ELD can help locate them on suitable roofs.
Towns and villages near Charlton-on-Otmoor
Also in Charlton-on-Otmoor
How it works
It helps to start with what’s prompted the survey: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. That way we can focus on what matters to you. Most visits take a time that depends on the roof’s area and construction, which we set out in the quote. Around Charlton-on-Otmoor, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it helps to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- We start by finding out what the roof is made of and where it leaks.
- The roof is assessed to see if electronic testing will work on it.
- The method depends on the membrane and what sits above and below it.
- We test the membrane and find where current is passing through it.
- The breaches are recorded with photos in a report for your roofer.
Preparing for the visit
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Getting a price
Getting a price is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or email us and give us a few details about the property and we will point you to the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
Common roof problems in Charlton-on-Otmoor
Roofs covered with paving, ballast or planting hide the membrane. Electronic methods can help on some of these roofs, depending on the build-up.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed one of these:
- Breaches hidden under paving or planting
- Damp inside with no sign on the roof
- Holes left by work on the roof
- Failed seams and laps
Take a building like Charlton-on-Otmoor Church of England Primary School: a large flat roof with lots of outlets and rooflights has many places where a membrane can fail.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Whether the price includes VAT