Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Lower Brailes, Oxfordshire
We take a careful look at the flat roof at your property in Lower Brailes, and put it all in a report with photographs.
- Edge trims that have lifted or split
- Leaks around rooflights
- A sagging deck under the covering
How a flat roof survey works in Lower Brailes
Each flat roof is looked at from the safest viewpoints we have: on the roof where it is safe, from windows and higher ground, and from the rooms below where we can reach them. We do not walk on fragile rooflights or fragile roof sheeting. Where any area cannot be viewed safely, we say so in the report, so you know exactly what was covered. Typical surveys look at cracked or split membrane and signs of deflection in the roof deck, across GRP fibreglass, single-ply membranes and mastic asphalt.
In a small place like Lower Brailes, a flat roof can stand in the open, so edges, upstands and laps take a beating. Older felt roofs, frequently around 15–20 years in life, 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.
What you get is a clear record of the flat roof on the day we saw it. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, such as when you want to compare after future work.
- Place
- Lower Brailes (OX15)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out with the most urgent first where relevant, which helps when budgeting.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.
Also near Lower Brailes
More services for Lower Brailes
DIY checks: what’s safe
You can learn a lot from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
It helps to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us as you book and it will help the survey.
What we do, step by step
After the inspection, everything we found is written up in a report with photos, emailed to you. On timing, most surveys take between one and two hours at most homes, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. For a village or hamlet like Lower Brailes, the journey is planned beforehand: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- First we go through the roof, what’s beneath it and any problems so far.
- The roof is viewed from safe positions, including the roof itself where that is safe.
- We check the covering for splits, blisters, ponding and wear.
- Upstands, outlets, edge trims and rooflights are checked and photographed.
- A written report with photos and recommendations is emailed to you.
Preparing for the visit
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Note where any stains or damp appear
Arrange a survey
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email to find out.
Advice
What a flat roof survey looks like in Lower Brailes
West Oxfordshire’s older buildings frequently carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their thatch. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Next to the main roofs there is usually a flat roof somewhere, whether on an extension, a garage or a commercial unit. Lower Brailes has a number of hotels within about a mile and a half, and hotels, like offices and blocks of flats, often have flat roofs. For hotels and other commercial buildings, finding the cause of a flat roof leak quickly keeps rooms in use.
If you run a hotel or guest house in or near Lower Brailes, a roof problem can mean rooms out of use, so it pays to find faults before guests do. Take an older house close to Church of St George: the joins between later flat roofs and the old walls are where problems typically start.
Lower Brailes is about 8 miles west of Banbury, in Oxfordshire. We provide flat roof surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Lower Brailes. Lower Brailes is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire we cover for flat roof surveys. You can also see our page for Oxford.
We survey roofs across the OX15 postcode area for flat roof surveys. Whether your property is on High Street, School Lane and Orchard Close or a nearby road, we can help. Close by, we survey roofs in Upper Brailes (1 mile north-west) and Sutton-under-Brailes (1 mile south-west). Further out, we also cover Banbury (8 miles east), Chipping Norton (8 miles south), Neithrop (8 miles east), Grimsbury (10 miles east), Ruscote (8 miles east) and Bloxham (8 miles east).
Landmarks near Lower Brailes
We work in homes and buildings around George Hotel And Attached Carriage Entrance And Barn and the streets around them. A little further out are Ellen Badger Hospital (3.5 miles west). For a walk, there’s Castle Hill and Woodford Bottom and Lamb's Pool.
How the survey changes by roof type
Felt and built-up roofs
Built-up felt is one of the most common flat roof coverings on extensions, garages and dormers. We look for blistering, cracking, split laps and worn mineral surfacing.
Single-ply membranes
Many offices, units and newer flats have a single-ply PVC or TPO roof. The survey looks at welded seams, edges, fixings and signs of damage.
Common roof problems in Lower Brailes
People go onto flat roofs for all sorts of reasons: cleaning windows, fitting aerials or air conditioning, or clearing gutters. Each visit can damage a covering not made for regular foot traffic. Fixings added through the covering frequently start leaks too.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Loose or cracked edge trims
- Dips that suggest the deck is deflecting
- Failed upstands where the roof meets a wall
- Ponding water that doesn’t drain away
Take a building like Brailes CofE Primary School: schools and public buildings often have big flat roofs, and their outlets and upstands need regular checks.
What to check before booking
- Whether VAT is added on top
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Their insurance cover
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
Lower Brailes: your questions answered
Do you cover smaller places like Lower Brailes?
Yes, Lower Brailes is covered. We survey roofs across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Is my home in Lower Brailes listed or in a conservation area?
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.
What insurance do you have?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability.
How many surveys have you done?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Is ponding on a flat roof a problem?
Standing water on a flat roof deserves a closer look. It frequently means a blocked outlet, poor falls or a dipping deck, and it wears the covering faster. We record where it sits and the likely cause.
How soon will I get the report?
Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24–48 hours and Premium reports on the same day. All of them come by email, ready to forward.
How many years has my flat roof got left?
There’s no honest way to give an exact number of years. As a guide, felt often lasts around 15 to 20 years, EPDM often 30 to 50 and GRP up to about 30, but your report describes the actual condition.
What happens if roof problems are left?
A survey can show whether a whole new roof is needed or whether the problems are in a few places. Sometimes some details are to blame, and sometimes the covering has simply had its day. Our report gives you the evidence to discuss with a roofer. Older cottages and farmhouses around Lower Brailes can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we can help you choose.
Why book us in Lower Brailes
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- 98% of customers satisfied
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Clear package prices, inc. VAT
Take a look at what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.