Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Ardley, Oxfordshire
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Ardley, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Flashings that have lifted or split
Useful tips for Ardley property owners
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. Our suggestions:
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Ask for loft access on the day
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so they can raise enquiries with the seller’s side. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it.
Check the roof from the garden and the street after a storm. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Dealing with them early keeps water out.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Ardley
A Basic Survey starts from £150, while Standard starts from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check. Premium adds thermal imaging, a drone inspection where it applies and an in-person consultation. Pick the one that fits the property. All three include a written report with photos and recommendations. If you’ve noticed patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem and ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof, we can find out what’s behind it.
Being in a small place like Ardley makes no difference to the inspection itself: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at when booking. Whether you are buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. It is useful right away, and a good reference for later, like when you want to compare after future work.
- Location
- Ardley (OX27)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Can I check my roof myself?
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
You can learn a lot from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Ardley
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait.
How the survey works
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. That way we can focus on what matters to you. Most visits take between one and two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. In a hamlet or village like Ardley, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Before the survey
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Leave side gates unlocked
How to book
To book a survey, ring 07833 053749 or send 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.
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Pre-purchase roof surveys in Ardley: local notes
If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. If your home is older, it’s worth knowing whether it is 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.
If you let a flat or house near Bicester North station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer. The streets around a church such as Church of St Mary are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Ardley is about 4 miles north-west of Bicester, in Oxfordshire. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Ardley can all book pre-purchase roof surveys, with a written report and photographs every time. Ardley is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. We also survey roofs in Oxford.
Surveys in OX27 are booked the same way as anywhere else. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Church Road, Station Road and Somerton Road or a nearby road, we can survey it. Other places close to Ardley 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). We also work in nearby towns such as 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).
What’s near Ardley
In Ardley, that means homes and buildings near The Fox and Hounds pub. The nearest railway station is Bicester North station, about 3.8 miles south-east of the centre. Nearby you will also find Ardley Castle (within half a mile west) and Bicester Community Hospital (3.9 miles south-east). For a walk, there is Graven Hill.
What we look for on each type of roof
Clay and concrete tiles
Concrete interlocking tiles are common on post-war and newer homes. They wear slowly, but surfaces erode and edges crack, and low-pitched roofs need their laps to be right.
Gutters and parapets
Gutters, downpipes and outlets carry water away from walls. Leaking joints, sagging lengths and blockages are all noted.
Also in Ardley
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Ardley
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Ardley?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Do you cover smaller places like Ardley?
Yes, Ardley is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Just tell us the days that suit you.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS home survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS 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 is not a replacement for a RICS survey.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing are not part of what we do. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before any work.
Are you insured?
We are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
What a survey costs
Prices vary from roof to roof, and it comes down to:
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- Building height and the viewpoints available
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, including VAT, and we can help you choose.
What to tell us when you get in touch
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Dates you’re working to, like exchange
We survey roofs on weekdays and at weekends. To find a date that works for you, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and the days you’d prefer.