Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Cholsey
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you spend money on it. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Cholsey, with photographs and a clear written report.
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
What happens on the day
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. In a smaller place like Cholsey, as anywhere, the forecast plays a part: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from the ground and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from ground level and from vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- You get a written report with photographs and recommendations before you exchange.
How to prepare
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Booking a survey
To book a survey, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Advice
Pre-purchase roof survey in Cholsey
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 asking from facts rather than guesses. It also helps you decide whether to go ahead at all. We survey gutters and downpipes, the roof space and clay and concrete tiles, and common reasons people get in touch are roof slopes that look uneven or sagging and gutters that overflow or drip at the joints.
Smaller places like Cholsey frequently have bungalows and cottages as well as houses, many of them extended or given dormers over the years. Low roofs are easier to see from the ground, but dormer cheeks, valleys and flat-roofed additions still need close attention. That applies whether you’re buying in Cholsey or checking a new roof there. Lead around a dormer and the edges of a flat roof are common places for snags and wear alike.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Where
- Cholsey (OX10)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Should I look at the roof myself first?
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.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
How the survey changes by roof type
Natural slate
Older slate roofs often have bitumen felt under them, and very old ones may have none. Where we can see it from the loft, we say what condition it’s in.
Gutters and parapets
Some older terraces have a butterfly roof with a central valley gutter. If yours does, we check that gutter and where it drains.
Local roofs and buyers in Cholsey
Older buildings in west Oxfordshire frequently have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. The covering on a house you are buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest. With Brightwell Manor about 2.9 miles north, Cholsey sits in an area with a long building history. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If you let a flat or house near Cholsey station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Cholsey is about 5 miles south-east of Didcot, in Oxfordshire. Anywhere in Cholsey, we can carry out pre-purchase roof surveys at your property. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Cholsey. There’s also a page for Reading.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in OX10 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on Station Road, Church Road and Lapwing Lane or a nearby road, we can help. We also cover Winterbrook (1 mile north-east), North Stoke (1 mile east), Moulsford (1 mile south), South Stoke (2 miles south) and Mongewell (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns like Oxford (13 miles north), Didcot (5 miles north-west), Abingdon-on-Thames (9 miles north-west), Thame (14 miles north-east), Wantage (12 miles west) and Henley-on-Thames (11 miles east).
Around Cholsey
We work in homes and buildings around Wallingford School, Cranford House School and Morning Star pub. Cholsey has its own railway station: Cholsey station. A little further out are Wallingford Castle (2.4 miles north-east). The countryside around Cholsey includes Cholsey Marsh and Wittenham Clumps.
Towns and villages near Cholsey
Other services in Cholsey
Tips from our surveys
Nothing here needs a ladder. A few suggestions:
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. The photos show the defects and where they are, which makes quotes easier to compare.
After strong winds, look at the roof from the ground. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.
What we are asked to look at in Cholsey
A chimney stack stands out in the wind and rain and they’re often the least maintained part of a roof. Pointing crumbles, flaunching cracks and flashings lift. On terraced and semi-detached homes, a stack may be shared with next door, which matters if work is needed.
Look out for signs like these:
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
For an older house near a landmark like Church of St Mary, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs frequently have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Before booking anyone
- Is VAT included in the price?
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- How soon the report will arrive
Questions from Cholsey
Is Cholsey within the area you cover?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Do you cover Cholsey?
Yes, Cholsey is within the area we cover. Our area covers London and the South East. Just phone 07833 053749 or email us and let us know about the property, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
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. Home surveys sometimes suggest a closer look at the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It doesn’t stand in for a RICS survey.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. The report sets out what we found, with photos, which you can share with the seller or agent. We cannot promise how the seller will respond.
Do you use drones?
Where it helps and the rules allow, yes. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
How do I book a survey in Cholsey?
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price and find a day that suits.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
When we price a survey, we consider:
- The size of the roof
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. The price is always agreed first.
What we need to know
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- When you need the report by
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
We confirm the price for your roof before booking, so you know where you stand. Our price is from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or email us.