Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Crawley, Oxfordshire
Not sure what state the roof is in? We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Crawley and across Oxfordshire, with plain-English findings.
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Crawley
When we price a survey, we consider:
- The shape of the roof and its details
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- The size of the roof
Every price we give includes VAT, and the report isn’t charged as an extra. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Booking your survey
Some details help us suggest the right survey and price. When you get in touch, it is useful to mention:
- What kind of property and roof it is
- What’s prompted the survey
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- The address and postcode of the property
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from ground level or a window, and please do not climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Crawley
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Corroded nails let slates slide, valley linings wear thin and chimney mortar erodes. Most of it can’t be seen from the street. Our survey picks it out, with photos so you can see it for yourself. Each finding is explained in plain words, so it’s clear what it means for your purchase. We survey chimney stacks, the roof space and gutters and downpipes, and common reasons people get in touch are slates or tiles that have slipped or gone and gutters choked with leaves and moss.
Some older homes in villages like Crawley 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. For a buyer or someone with a newly finished roof, it’s worth knowing which applies, as well as what condition the roof is in. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
Findings are set out part by part, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, with a note and a photo for each point. You’ll see the good as well as the bad.
- Place
- Crawley (OX29)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips that help
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
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. Findings are set out in plain English, and recommendations are ranked by urgency where that helps.
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.
Common roof problems in Crawley
A chimney stack stands out in the wind and rain. Mortar erodes, the flaunching around the pots cracks and the flashings work loose. On terraced and semi-detached homes, a stack may be shared with next door, which matters if work is needed.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St John the Evangelist, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Before you book anyone
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Which limits apply to the survey
- How soon the report will arrive
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
Nearby places to Crawley
What else we do in Crawley
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Crawley
Is Crawley within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Is my home in Crawley listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. The report is most useful before exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It doesn’t stand in for a RICS survey.
How soon is the report ready?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed, with photographs.
Are you insured?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes. You will have photos and a written description of each defect, which you can share with the seller or agent. We can’t promise how the seller will respond.
Crawley homes and their roofs
West Oxfordshire’s older buildings frequently carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their thatch. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new. The wider area around Crawley has a long history of building, with Minster Lovell Hall about 1.1 miles west. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Landlords with a home close to Finstock station may find that a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Crawley is about 1 mile north-west of Witney, in Oxfordshire. Bookings from Crawley are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Crawley is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. We also survey roofs in Oxford.
We work across OX29 for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. We cover properties on Witney Hill, Farm Lane and Foxburrow Lane and the roads around them. We also cover the places around Crawley: Leafield (2 miles north-west), Swinbrook (4 miles west), Ascott d'Oyley (4 miles north-west), Ascott-under-Wychwood (5 miles north-west) and Ascott Earl (5 miles north-west). Further out, we also cover Oxford (12 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (13 miles south-east), Carterton (5 miles south-west), Wantage (15 miles south), Grove (14 miles south) and Faringdon (11 miles south).
Landmarks near Crawley
We work in homes and buildings around Wood Green School and The Lamb Inn, among other places. The closest station to Crawley is Finstock station, roughly 3.6 miles north-east of the centre. A little further out are Cogges Manor Farm Museum (1.9 miles south-east). Open spaces near Crawley include Blenheim Farm.
How the survey changes by roof type
Clay and concrete tiles
Many post-war houses have concrete interlocking tiles. They’re heavy and hard-wearing, but they weather and can crack.
Natural slate
Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but the nails holding it corrode long before that. Slipped or missing slates are a sign of ‘nail fatigue’.
When you need someone else
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you before you book. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Crawley
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
What happens on the day
Safety comes first on every visit. We inspect everything that’s safely in view, and if part of the roof cannot be seen, the report says so. Most visits take an hour or two for most houses, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Somewhere like Crawley needs a little journey planning: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it’s safe.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Before we arrive
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
Book a survey
To get a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Crawley, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Some details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.