Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Forest Hill, Oxfordshire
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings in Forest Hill, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Call or email for a price.
- Pools of water lying on the roof
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
- Signs of deflection in the roof deck
Flat roof survey in Forest Hill
Each flat roof is looked at from the safest viewpoints we have: from the roof itself where that’s safe, from windows and nearby vantage points, and from inside where there’s access. Fragile rooflights and fragile sheets are never walked on. If part of the roof cannot be seen or reached safely, the report says so, so you know exactly what was covered. We’re often asked to look into outlets choked with leaves and silt and leaks around rooflights, across GRP fibreglass, EPDM rubber and upstands and outlets.
In a village or hamlet like Forest Hill, flat roofs are normally on extensions, garages, outbuildings or barn conversions. The checks are the same as anywhere: the covering, the edges, the upstands and where water drains away. The journey and access are planned beforehand. If there are outbuildings or garages with flat roofs, mention them when you book.
The report is written in plain words, so you do not need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photograph where possible.
- Location
- Forest Hill (OX33)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Leave it or get it looked at?
On a commercial building, a flat roof leak can disrupt tenants, staff and stock. A planned survey lets you budget for work rather than deal with an emergency around the business. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Forest Hill, driving rain gets into any weakness, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where it applies) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, including VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you’d like to know.
Why us?
- Packages from £150, including VAT
- Photos and a written report every time
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
See our cost guide and our case studies.
Also near Forest Hill
Also in Forest Hill
Can I check my roof myself?
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
Forest Hill: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Forest Hill?
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.
Do you cover smaller places like Forest Hill?
Yes, Forest Hill is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
How fast do I get the report?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. Each one is emailed, ready to forward.
Will this cover the whole house?
No. It is a survey of the flat roof. It is not a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey of the whole building, and it is not a structural engineer’s report. It often sits alongside a buyer’s building survey.
What do I do with the report?
You’ll get the report by email. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation.
How many years has my flat roof got left?
We do not put a figure on it. As a guide, felt frequently lasts around 15 to 20 years, EPDM often 30 to 50 and GRP up to about 30, but the report tells you how your roof is really doing.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is frequently shared, so we need permission from the freeholder or managing agent. We can only inspect what we are given access to.
Flat roof surveys in Forest Hill: local notes
West Oxfordshire’s older buildings often carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their thatch. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Mixed in with those pitched roofs are a good many flat ones, over rear extensions, dormers, garages and shops. The wider area around Forest Hill has a long history of building, with Garsington Manor about 3.6 miles south. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If you run a business near Templars Square, flat roofs over shops and units are easy to forget until water comes through a ceiling. If you look after a building such as Sandhills Community Primary School, a large flat roof with a good many outlets and rooflights has many places where a membrane can fail. If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Church of St Nicholas, any flat roof added at the back or on a dormer is likely to be far younger, and less durable, than the main roof.
Forest Hill is about 3 miles east of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. We provide flat roof surveys for homes and businesses in Forest Hill and the surrounding area. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Forest Hill.
Here we cover the OX33 postcode area for flat roof surveys. Local streets include Main Street, Milton Crescent and Powell Close. Neighbouring places we cover for flat roof surveys include Holton (1 mile south-east), Stanton St John (1 mile north), Littleworth (1 mile south), Risinghurst (2 miles west) and Wheatley (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Oxford (3 miles west), Didcot (11 miles south), Bicester (9 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (8 miles south-west), Witney (14 miles west) and Thame (8 miles east).
Local landmarks in Forest Hill
In Forest Hill, that means homes and buildings near Shotover Country Park, The Kings Arm's Public House and Wheatley Park School, among other places. Nearby you will also find Waterperry Gardens Rural Museum (2.9 miles east) and Templars Square (3.5 miles south-west). For a walk, there is CS Lewis Nature Reserve and Shotover.
What a survey costs
Not every roof costs the same to survey, and it comes down to:
- The roof’s overall size
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- Basic, Standard or Premium
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so they’re priced to match. The price is confirmed before you book.
What to let us know when you get in touch
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
For a price for flat roof surveys in Forest Hill, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. A few details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.
How the survey works
We don’t take risks to get a closer look. We inspect whatever is safely visible, and anything we can’t see is noted in the report. Most visits take about one to two hours for a small flat roof at home, and longer for a large commercial one. Older roofs in small places like Forest Hill can have low, tight loft spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- You tell us about the roof, its covering if you know it, and any leaks.
- The roof is inspected from safe viewpoints, and from the roof itself where that is safe.
- Every part of the roof we can see is looked at: covering, falls, upstands, outlets, trims and rooflights.
- We check the rooms or spaces under the roof for staining where we can reach them.
- The findings are written up with photos and recommendations and emailed to you.
Before the survey
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Keep pets in another room
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
Getting a price
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.
Advice
What a flat roof survey doesn’t cover
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- The condition of the deck or insulation hidden under the covering
- Asbestos testing, which needs a specialist asbestos surveyor
- Areas we cannot see or reach safely, including fragile rooflights and sheeting
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will suggest the right survey. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Forest Hill
- Upstands and outlets
- EPDM rubber
- Single-ply membranes
- Felt flat roofs
- Mastic asphalt
- GRP fibreglass
Tips from our surveys
Getting the most from a flat roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- Have the roof looked at again after a severe storm
- Clear roof outlets and gutters each autumn
- Keep clear of rooflights and fragile roof sheets
- Limit foot traffic on the covering
The report is emailed to you, ready to share with a roofer, the seller or a managing agent. It is written in plain English, with a photo of each defect, so anyone reading it can see what we saw.
Try not to let a flat roof become a walkway. If access is needed, boards or walkways help protect the covering, and to keep well clear of rooflights and fragile sheeting.