Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Barford St Michael, Oxfordshire
Get a clear view of the roof at a property in Barford St Michael from an independent roof surveyor. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
FAQs for Barford St Michael
Is my home in Barford St Michael listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Do you cover Barford St Michael?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
How long will you be at the property?
On site, it typically takes roughly 1–2 hours at most homes; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Report times depend on the package, from the same day for Premium to within 48 hours for Basic.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it’s applicable and safe, yes. We are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. It is included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where it applies, the Premium Survey.
Do you go up on the roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. We inspect from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where applicable.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. It is a dedicated roof survey, and you get a written report with photos. It isn’t a RICS survey and does not cover the rest of the house.
How experienced are you?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys, across London and South East England.
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Barford St Michael
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. We look closely and record what we see, with photos so you can see it for yourself. We explain each finding in plain English, so you know what it means for the house you are buying. We survey clay and concrete tiles, chimney stacks and gutters and downpipes, and the problems we are asked to look at most are chimney mortar that has eroded and flashings that have lifted or split.
Older buildings in small places like Barford St Michael may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials a new roof may use, so check with the council and Historic England’s list. Whether you’re buying or signing off new roofing, it’s worth knowing where you stand, as well as what condition the roof is in. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Location
- Barford St Michael (OX15)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Barford St Michael
Survey packages start from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- House, block, shop or office
- The roof’s overall size
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, including VAT, and we will tell you which fits.
What we need to know
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It is useful to include:
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
You can call us seven days a week. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Useful tips for Barford St Michael property owners
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. Our suggestions:
- Check we will be able to get into the roof space
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Mention any deadline when you contact us
- Request records of any re-roofing
We email the report to you, with photos of each finding. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Each defect is explained in plain words, and recommendations are ranked by urgency where that helps.
Don’t block the vents at the eaves. Poor ventilation lets condensation build up, wetting timbers and insulation. Avoid packing insulation into the eaves so tightly that air cannot flow.
Why act early in Barford St Michael
The lender’s valuation is done for the lender, not for you. It looks at whether the property is suitable security for the loan, and it will not look closely at the roof. Our survey is done for you, and the report is written for you to use. For an older or listed building in a place like Barford St Michael, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
Every price we give includes VAT, and the report isn’t charged as an extra. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
What you get with us
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Over 20 years’ experience
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Read what a roof survey costs or our case studies.
How the survey works
Safety comes first on every visit. Everything that can be seen safely is inspected, and anything we can’t see is noted in the report. The survey usually takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, or half a day or so for a commercial building. For a village or hamlet like Barford St Michael, the journey is planned in advance: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect what can safely be seen, inside and out.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Getting ready for the survey
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Book a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Related advice
What we’re asked to look at in Barford St Michael
Slates and tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay that hold them. Good slate can last well over a century, yet the nails holding it rust and let slates slide. It is a frequent finding on older houses.
Most people get in touch after spotting one of these:
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- A ridge or slope that dips
For landlords with property near Kings Sutton station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Barford St Michael
Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. The covering on a house you’re buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest.
With Broughton Castle about 3.6 miles north, the area around Barford St Michael has a long history. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area. If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Church of St Michael, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Barford St Michael is about 5 miles south of Banbury, in Oxfordshire. We visit Barford St Michael as part of our work across Oxfordshire. Barford St Michael is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. We also survey roofs in Oxford.
We cover every part of the OX15 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. Whether your property is on Robins Close, The Green and Townsend or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Close by, we survey roofs in Barford St John (1 mile north), Hempton (1 mile south-east), Deddington (2 miles east), Nether Worton (2 miles south) and Dane Hill (3 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Banbury (5 miles north), Bicester (11 miles south-east), Witney (15 miles south), Kidlington (12 miles south), Bure Park (11 miles south-east) and Chipping Norton (8 miles south-west).
What’s near Barford St Michael
Around Barford St Michael, our work takes us to homes and buildings near George Inn, among other places. The closest station to Barford St Michael is Kings Sutton station, roughly 4.3 miles north-east. Nearby you will also find Deddington Castle (2.3 miles east) and Horton General Hospital (4.6 miles north). The countryside around Barford St Michael includes Crouch Hill.