Buckinghamshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Bishopstone, Buckinghamshire
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Bishopstone, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photographs.
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Bishopstone
A roof report gives you something solid to take back to the seller or the agent. You might ask about past repairs, ask for work to be done before completion or think again about your offer. We cannot say how a seller will respond, but you will be negotiating from a clear picture rather than a hunch. It also helps you decide whether to go ahead at all. We’re frequently asked to look into gutters choked with leaves and moss and signs of past leaks inside the loft, on the roof space, lead flashings and valleys and chimney stacks.
In a village or hamlet like Bishopstone, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
After the visit, you get a report with photos, sent by email. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Place
- Bishopstone (HP17)
- Region
- Buckinghamshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan.
We survey roofs for landlords and letting agents as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photographs, useful for planning maintenance.
Questions from Bishopstone
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Bishopstone?
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.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Bishopstone?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it is applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules. We are a CAA-registered drone operator.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling are not something we do. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it.
Does the weather affect the survey?
It can, depending on the survey. Drones can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. If the conditions are not right, we will talk to you about another date.
Do you go up on the roof?
Where it is safe, yes. Much of the inspection is done from ground level, from windows and from the roof space. On Premium, a drone is used where it applies.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS home survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Checking the roof from ground level
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 do not climb up for a closer look.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
What we do, step by step
It’s useful to start with what’s prompted the survey: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit normally takes about 1–2 hours for most houses, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. In a small place like Bishopstone, access is normally the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed ahead of time.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Before the survey
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Find any records of previous roof work
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
Booking a survey
We survey roofs on weekdays and at weekends. To arrange a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Advice
What this survey can’t tell you
In fairness, a roof survey has limits:
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll recommend the right survey. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
Tips from our surveys
Getting the most from a pre-purchase roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Request records of any re-roofing
The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. If anything in the report is not clear, ask us.
After strong winds, look at the roof from ground level. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Bishopstone: local notes
If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. Thatch survives on some older buildings in Buckinghamshire’s villages. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new.
Whatever the street in Bishopstone, a roof costs least to look after when faults are caught early. For landlords with property near Aylesbury station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Bishopstone is about 2 miles south of Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire. Bishopstone is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and South East England. Bishopstone is one of the places in Buckinghamshire we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. For surveys nearby, see our Oxford page.
All of HP17 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Bishopstone, Furlong Crescent and Moreton Lane or a nearby road, we can help. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Sedrup (1 mile north), Walton Court (1 mile north-east), Ford (2 miles west), Upton (2 miles west) and Little Kimble (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover High Wycombe (11 miles south), Chesham (11 miles south-east), Marlow (15 miles south), Amersham (13 miles south-east), Beaconsfield (15 miles south-east) and Elmhurst (3 miles north-east).
What’s near Bishopstone
In Bishopstone, that means homes and buildings near The Harrow pub and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Aylesbury station, roughly 2.1 miles north-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include National Paralympic Heritage Centre (1.9 miles north-east) and Friars Square (2.2 miles north-east). Open spaces near Bishopstone include Brush Hill Local Nature Reserve and Beacon Hill.
Roof by roof
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings are a common source of leaks, so they get close attention in a pre-purchase survey. We photograph any that need work.
Natural slate
Slate is common on Victorian and Edwardian houses. We check for slipped, cracked and missing slates, and for clips or tingles that show past repairs.