Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Harwell, Oxfordshire
We take a careful look at the flat roof at your property in Harwell, and put it all in a photo-illustrated written report.
- Dips that suggest the deck is deflecting
- Upstands pulling away from walls
- Outlets that hold water back
About our flat roof survey in Harwell
A Basic Survey, from £150, covers a visual inspection, a condition report, photos and written recommendations. For moisture detection and a structural check, the Standard Survey starts from £250. On a flat roof, moisture readings can help show whether water has got under the covering. Bigger commercial roofs are priced on their size and access. If you’re worried about damaged trims at the roof edge and cracked or split membrane, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on mastic asphalt, GRP fibreglass and felt flat roofs alike.
In a smaller place like Harwell, some flat roofs sit in the open, where wind can catch loose edges and trims. Felt and bitumen also age in strong sun. The signs are splits, blisters and edges coming away. A flat roof that still holds water days after rain is also worth a closer look.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Location
- Harwell (OX11)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What this survey can’t tell you
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Whether old sheeting or boards contain asbestos
- What’s under the membrane without opening it up
- Areas we can’t see or reach safely, including fragile rooflights and sheeting
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will recommend the right survey. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Mastic asphalt
- Upstands and outlets
- EPDM rubber
- Single-ply membranes
- GRP fibreglass
- Felt flat roofs
What affects the cost of flat roof surveys
Survey packages start from £150, with VAT included. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- The size of the roof
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The package you choose: 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 tell us when you get in touch
Before you get in touch, it helps to have:
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or email us whenever suits you.
Before and after the survey
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Our tips:
- Watch the ceilings below the flat roof for stains
- Check that new brackets or units haven’t damaged the covering
- Clear roof outlets and gutters each autumn
- Plan a survey before the covering reaches the end of its usual life
You get the report by email and can pass it to a roofer, your solicitor, the seller or your managing agent. Each defect is described in plain words and shown in a photo, so anyone reading it can see what we saw.
Check the roof from a window after a downpour. If water is still there a day or two later, have it checked.
Common questions in Harwell
Will you come out to Harwell?
Yes, Harwell is covered. We work right across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
Is my home in Harwell 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.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. You will know the price for your roof before booking, and it depends on the roof’s size, access and the package you choose. To get a price, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
When does the report arrive?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. All of them come by email.
What will the report tell me?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, backed by photos. It also says if any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, so you know exactly what was covered.
What if it rains on the day?
It can, depending on the survey. 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 will talk to you about another date.
How do I book a survey in Harwell?
The quickest way is to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Tell us the address and a little about the roof, and we will recommend the right survey. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Places near Harwell
What else we do in Harwell
What we look for on each type of roof
Mastic asphalt
Without seams, asphalt tends to fail through cracking and at its skirtings. We record any crazing or splits and where water may be getting in.
Single-ply membranes
Single-ply membranes can be damaged by foot traffic and equipment on the roof. We note any punctures, tears and loose areas we can see.
When to book a survey in Harwell
The details are often where a flat roof lets go first. Upstands, trims, outlets and rooflight kerbs each move and weather in their own way. If they were rushed when the roof was laid, they’re frequently the first things to fail.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Failed seals around rooflight kerbs
- Upstands pulling away from walls
- Edge trims that have lifted or split
- Splits and cracks in the covering
Anyone responsible for a site like Harwell Primary School will know that a large flat roof with a good many outlets and rooflights has many places where a membrane can fail.
What to check before booking
- How soon the report will arrive
- Which limits apply to the survey
- What experience they bring
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
What a flat roof survey looks like in Harwell
England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. If your home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission, so check with the council. Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Alongside them, flat-roofed extensions, dormers, garages and commercial units are common almost everywhere.
The streets around a church like Church of St Matthew are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, any flat roof added at the back or on a dormer is likely to be far younger, and less durable, than the main roof. If you let a flat or house near Didcot Parkway station, the flat roof over a let home is worth a look before it becomes a tenant complaint.
Harwell is about 2 miles west of Didcot, in Oxfordshire. Bookings from Harwell are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Harwell is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire where we work for flat roof surveys. Oxford is in our area too.
Surveys in OX11 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Local streets include High Street, Loder Road and The Styles. If you are just outside Harwell, we cover West Hagbourne (2 miles south-east), Coscote (2 miles east), Upton (2 miles south-east), Chilton (2 miles south) and East Hagbourne (2 miles east). Further out, we also cover Oxford (11 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (5 miles north), Witney (15 miles north-west), Wantage (6 miles west), Grove (6 miles west) and Faringdon (13 miles west).
Near you in Harwell
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Crispin pub, UTC Oxfordshire and UTC Oxfordshire, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Didcot Parkway station, about 2.3 miles east of the centre. A little further out are Atlas Computer Laboratory (2 miles south-west) and Abingdon Community Hospital (4.8 miles north). Not far away are Churn Hill and Mowbray Fields.
What happens on the day
There is not much for you to do on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we’ll take it from there. A typical survey takes about 1–2 hours at a typical home, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Some parts of a survey depend on the weather, so a visit to Harwell is booked with the forecast in mind: the parts that need calm, dry weather are planned around it.
- You tell us about the roof, its covering if you know it, and any leaks.
- We view the roof from ground level, from windows and from the roof where it’s safe to do so.
- We check and photograph the covering, the falls, the upstands, the outlets, the trims and any rooflights.
- We check the rooms or spaces under the roof for staining where we can reach them.
- You get a report with photographs and our recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
How to book
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.