Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Bletchingdon
Not sure what state the roof is in? We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Bletchingdon and across Oxfordshire, with plain-English findings.
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Flashings that have lifted or split
Bletchingdon: your questions answered
How do I find out if my home in Bletchingdon is listed?
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.
Is Bletchingdon within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
They do different things. A RICS home survey covers the whole building, while ours looks only at the roof, in more detail. Ours sits alongside a RICS survey rather than replacing it.
How quickly will I get the report?
Premium reports arrive the same day, Standard reports within 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. We send it by email, with photos.
Does someone need to be in?
Someone needs to let us in if we are looking inside or in the loft. We’ll talk about access as you book.
Are you insured?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it is safe. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft, and a drone is part of the Premium Survey where it applies.
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Bletchingdon
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where applicable, along with a same-day report. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we will say so and look from ground level, windows and the loft instead. We survey natural slate, gutters and downpipes and clay and concrete tiles, and people most frequently book us about ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof and a ridge or slope that dips.
Some older homes in villages like Bletchingdon are listed or sit 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 are buying or signing off new roofing, it is 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.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. It’s useful right away, and a good reference for later, like when you want to compare after future work.
- Location
- Bletchingdon (OX5)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Bletchingdon?
Many roofs have had quick fixes over the years. Bitumen over flashings, mortar fillets in place of lead and odd replacement tiles can point to a problem that keeps coming back. We note what we see so you can ask about it.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St Giles, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Questions to ask before you book
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Is VAT included in the price?
- What exactly goes into their report
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
It is a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
- The condition of the rest of the house (that’s a RICS home survey)
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll tell you before you book. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Natural slate
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
Buying a home or a new roof in Bletchingdon
Historic houses such as Blenheim Palace, about 3.9 miles west, show how far back building in the area around Bletchingdon goes. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead. Oxford Airport is about 3 miles from Bletchingdon. If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you own a rental within reach of Tackley station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Bletchingdon is about 6 miles south-west of Bicester, in Oxfordshire. Anywhere in Bletchingdon, we can carry out pre-purchase roof surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Our area takes in places right across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Oxford.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: OX5. You will find streets such as Station Road, St Giles and Annesley Close, all of which we cover. Close by, we survey roofs in Enslow (1 mile west), Kirtlington (1 mile north), Hampton Poyle (1 mile south), Weston-on-the-Green (2 miles east) and Kidlington (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include Oxford (7 miles south), Banbury (15 miles north), Bicester (6 miles north-east), Abingdon-on-Thames (12 miles south), Witney (10 miles south-west) and Carterton (15 miles south-west).
Landmarks near Bletchingdon
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Blacks Head Public House. For rail, the closest station is Tackley station, roughly 2.1 miles north-west of the centre. A little further out are Bicester Community Hospital (5.7 miles north-east) and Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum (3.6 miles west). For a walk, there is Woodsides Meadow.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
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, which helps when budgeting.
We survey roofs for landlords and agents as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photos, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. The main factors are:
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Which survey package you book
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What to tell us when you contact us
We will typically ask about:
- What made you get in touch
- The property’s address and postcode
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Anything about access we should know
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
How the survey changes by roof type
Lead flashings and valleys
Lead flashings seal the joints where a roof meets a wall or chimney. We check whether they’ve lifted, split or been replaced with mortar or bitumen.
Chimney stacks
Our chimney check is a visual one, not a flue, gas or sweep inspection. If a flue needs testing, we’ll suggest who to ask.
What we do, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from each safe vantage point, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. Most visits take about 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Cottages and farmhouses around Bletchingdon frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
How to prepare
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
How to book
Once you know what you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.