Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Alvescot Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Alvescot and the rest of Oxfordshire. We survey on any day of the week.
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Alvescot
Alvescot is about 2 miles from RAF Brize Norton. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. The wider area around Alvescot has a long history of building, with Kelmscott Manor about 3.7 miles south. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Alvescot is about 2 miles south of Carterton, in Oxfordshire. In Alvescot, as across Oxfordshire, every roof gets the same careful survey. Alvescot is one of the places in Oxfordshire we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. Our Oxford page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in OX18 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on Station Road, Pemscott Close and Thorpes Field or a nearby road, we can help. We also cover the places around Alvescot: Kencot (1 mile north-west), Shilton (3 miles north) and Bradwell (3 miles north-west). Larger places within reach include Abingdon-on-Thames (14 miles east), Witney (6 miles north-east), Wantage (13 miles south-east), Grove (12 miles south-east), Faringdon (6 miles south) and Kidlington (15 miles north-east).
Near you in Alvescot
In Alvescot, that means homes and buildings near Carterton Community College and The Plough pub and the streets around them. Other landmarks nearby include Bronze Age Bowl Barrow (0.8 miles east) and Swinford Museum (2.1 miles west).
Pre-purchase roof survey in Alvescot
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Most of it cannot be seen from the street. Our survey picks it out, with photos that show you exactly where. We explain each finding in plain English, so it is clear what it means for your purchase. We survey lead flashings and valleys, chimney stacks and flat-roofed extensions and dormers, and people most often book us about cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing and old water stains in the roof space.
Older buildings in small places like Alvescot may be listed or in a conservation area. If so, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so check with the council before work starts. Whether you are buying or signing off new roofing, it’s worth knowing where you stand. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
We write the report in plain English, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Each point is backed by a photo where possible.
- Location
- Alvescot (OX18)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from ground level
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That’s where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Alvescot
Blocked or leaking gutters do damage that isn’t obvious at first. Water spilling over a gutter soaks brickwork and can rot fascias and rafter ends. Valley and parapet gutters can overflow inside the house. We check them as part of the survey.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Old water stains in the roof space
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of St Peter, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
What to check before booking
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- Which limits apply to the survey
- How soon the report will arrive
- Whether the price includes VAT
How it works
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings as a photo-illustrated written report, sent to you by email. As for time on site, most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Rural addresses near Alvescot can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from the ground, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- Your report arrives by email, with photos and recommendations prioritised by urgency.
Getting ready for the survey
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Getting a price
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Advice
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Alvescot. To discuss a property or a block, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
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.
Common questions in Alvescot
Will you come out to Alvescot?
Yes. Alvescot is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We work right across London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
How do I find out if my home in Alvescot is listed?
We cannot confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Where it is applicable and safe, yes. We fly a sub-250g drone and we’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where it applies.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It does not stand in for a RICS survey.
How long does the survey visit take?
Allow an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. We will give you an idea of timing as you book.
When will the report arrive?
It depends on the package: within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Let us know your exchange date and we’ll help you choose.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. Access is agreed with you as you book.
When you need someone else
It is useful to know what a survey won’t do before you book:
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Alvescot
- Gutters and downpipes
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
Other services in Alvescot
Tips from our surveys
Small things make a difference. Some pointers:
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Let us know your exchange date when booking
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Book once your offer is accepted
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or agent. You might ask for the work to be done before completion, or ask to adjust the price. What happens next is your decision and the seller’s, and we cannot promise any result.
Once you’ve moved in, keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, ideally once the leaves have dropped. Overflowing water is behind a lot of damp. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.