Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Ardley Flat Roof Survey
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings across Ardley, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Get in touch for a price.
- Dips that suggest the deck is deflecting
- Standing water left after rain
- Raised blisters across the surface
Flat roof survey in Ardley: what you get
A flat roof doesn’t shed water the way a pitched roof does. Because rain sits on it for longer, a small split, an open seam or a blocked outlet matters more. We check the surface, the falls, the upstands and the edge trims, and we look for signs that water has reached the deck. The aim is to find problems before they show up as a stain on a ceiling. We survey GRP fibreglass, single-ply membranes and upstands and outlets, and people most often book us about water getting in at rooflights and cracked or split membrane.
Flat roofs on exposed homes in small places like Ardley take more wind and rain, so edges, upstands and laps take a beating. Felt roofs, which often last around 15–20 years, typically show it first. EPDM rubber and GRP coverings last longer, but their edges and joints still need checking. On an exposed roof, the edges tend to go first.
Where we can’t see part of the flat roof, the report says so. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Place
- Ardley (OX27)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Letting agents frequently book on a landlord’s behalf. Access is agreed with the tenant beforehand.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work around your tenants.
How it works
We don’t take risks to get a closer look. We inspect what can safely be seen, and anything we can’t see is noted in the report. The survey usually takes roughly 1–2 hours for an extension, garage or dormer roof, and around 3–4 hours for a commercial flat roof. Cottages and farmhouses around Ardley frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen.
- You send us the address and, for commercial roofs, an idea of the roof’s size.
- We check the rooms or spaces under the roof for staining where there is access.
- The roof is inspected from every safe viewpoint, without walking on fragile surfaces.
- We record every defect with a photo and its likely cause.
- The report explains the condition and recommends what to do first.
Before we arrive
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Booking a survey
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Also in Ardley
What a flat roof survey looks like in Ardley
If your home is older, it is worth knowing whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before planning roof work. Listed building consent covers changes to a listed building’s special interest, and an Article 4 direction can bring extra controls in a conservation area. Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Alongside them, flat-roofed extensions, dormers, garages and commercial units are common almost everywhere.
For an older house near a landmark like Church of St Mary, flat-roofed rear additions and dormers added over the years are worth checking. If you let a flat or house near Bicester North station, a flat roof over a rented flat is easy to forget until the tenant reports a leak.
Ardley is about 4 miles north-west of Bicester, in Oxfordshire. From houses to flats and shops in Ardley, the roof can be surveyed on a weekday or at the weekend. Our area takes in places right across Oxfordshire. For surveys nearby, see our Oxford page.
We work across OX27 for flat roof surveys and the streets around it. If you need a flat roof survey at a property on Church Road, Station Road and Somerton Road or a nearby road, we can help. Neighbouring places we cover for flat roof surveys include Fewcott (1 mile north-west), Fritwell (1 mile north-west), Upper Heyford (2 miles south-west), Middleton Stoney (2 miles south) and Souldern (3 miles north-west). Further out, we also cover Oxford (13 miles south), Banbury (10 miles north-west), Bicester (4 miles south-east), Kidlington (9 miles south), Headington Quarry (13 miles south) and Bure Park (3 miles south-east).
Around Ardley
In Ardley, that means homes and buildings near The Fox and Hounds pub. For rail, the closest station is Bicester North station, about 3.8 miles south-east. Nearby you will also find Ardley Castle (within half a mile west) and Bicester Community Hospital (3.9 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Graven Hill.
Ardley: your questions answered
Do you cover Ardley?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Ardley as anywhere else.
Is Ardley within the area you cover?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Do I need to be at home?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you when you book.
What if it rains on the day?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions aren’t right, we’ll talk to you about another date.
What does ponding on a flat roof mean?
Ponding is worth looking into. It often means a blocked outlet, poor falls or a dipping deck, and water that sits wears the covering sooner. We record where it sits and the likely cause.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We note visible signs such as sagging or deflection, but we are not structural engineers and don’t carry out calculations. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it’s applicable. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
Tips that help
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Our tips:
- Keep clear of rooflights and fragile roof sheets
- Note the date and type of any roof work
- Check that new brackets or units haven’t damaged the covering
- Check ceilings under the roof for damp patches
You can use the report to ask roofers to quote for the same work. With each roofer working from the same list, comparing quotes is simpler. You stay in control of who does the work and when.
Book a survey every few years, and again after new fixings, units or rooflights go in. You will spot changes early and have a record to look back on.
Different roofs, different checks
Rooflights and upstands
Upstands at walls and parapets need to stay watertight as the building moves. We check for splits, gaps and loose flashings above the upstand.
Single-ply membranes
On single-ply roofs, the welds between sheets are the key detail. We check seams, corners and the joints around outlets and upstands.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
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.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
What happens if roof problems are left?
If you’re buying, find out about the flat roof before you exchange. Once you’ve exchanged, any work on the roof is down to you. A report gives you facts to put to the seller or agent. Outbuildings and barns around Ardley are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. It’s worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where it applies) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, with VAT included. We’ll tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Why us?
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
Read our cost guide and our case studies.