Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Cutteslowe Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you decide what to do next. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Cutteslowe.
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
Pre-purchase roof survey in Cutteslowe
If you’re buying a flat, the roof may well be shared. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that is often not the individual flat owner. We look at as much of the roof as access safely allows, and the report helps you ask your solicitor or the managing agent the right questions. Where the building has a flat roof, it’s checked as far as access allows. We’re often asked to look into damp timbers or stains in the loft and chimney mortar that has eroded, across clay and concrete tiles, natural slate and gutters and downpipes.
Houses in smaller places like Cutteslowe can stand more in the open than those in a built-up town, so their roofs may take more wind and driving rain. Ridges, verges and flashings are where that weather typically shows first. For a purchase or a new roof, those exposed edges are checked closely. Wind lifts anything already loose, so a small fault on an exposed roof doesn’t stay small for long.
We keep jargon out of it: where something needs attention, it says so plainly.
- Place
- Cutteslowe (OX2)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Cutteslowe: your questions answered
How do I find out if my home in Cutteslowe is listed?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Will you come out to Cutteslowe?
Yes, Cutteslowe is covered. We survey roofs across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
What insurance do you have?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
Book as soon as your offer is agreed. You need the report before you exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
What if it rains on the day?
Light rain is typically fine; heavy rain and wind are different. In high wind or heavy rain, a drone cannot fly and access may not be safe, and we’d agree another day.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it helps and the rules allow, yes. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, across 20+ years of surveying roofs.
Cutteslowe homes and their roofs
Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. Holywell Manor, about 2.5 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Cutteslowe. If you own one of the older houses, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
If you own a rental within reach of Oxford Parkway station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Cutteslowe is about 3 miles north-west of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. We visit Cutteslowe as part of our work across Oxfordshire, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Across Oxfordshire, we cover Cutteslowe.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: OX2. That includes homes and businesses on Wren Road, Scott Road and Wyatt Road. Main roads around Cutteslowe include the A4165. If you’re just outside Cutteslowe, we cover Sunnymead (1 mile south), Summertown (1 mile south), North Oxford (1 mile south), Wolvercote (1 mile west) and Godstow (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Oxford (3 miles south-east), Didcot (12 miles south), Bicester (9 miles north-east), Abingdon-on-Thames (8 miles south), Witney (10 miles west) and Carterton (14 miles west).
What’s near Cutteslowe
Around Cutteslowe, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Oxford University Parks, St Hugh's College Main Building Including Library and The Plough pub and the streets around them. Other local landmarks include Oxford Academy (1.1 miles south) and Summer Fields School (0.8 miles south). Cutteslowe’s nearest station is Oxford Parkway station, about 1 mile north of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Acland Hospital (2 miles south) and Oxford University Museum of Natural History (2.2 miles south). Open spaces near Cutteslowe include Headington Hill and Hook Meadow and The Trap Grounds.
Useful tips for Cutteslowe property owners
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. Our suggestions:
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Mention any deadline when you contact us
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.
Look in the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.
The survey, step by step
You don’t need to do much on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we’ll take it from there. A typical survey takes roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. In a smaller place like Cutteslowe, as anywhere, the forecast plays a part: the parts that need calm, dry weather are planned around it.
- 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.
- 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.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Before we arrive
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
How to book
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from the ground or a window. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Read more
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
To be straight with you, there are limits to any roof survey:
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
Places near Cutteslowe
What else we do in Cutteslowe
When to book a survey in Cutteslowe
Viewings rarely include a proper look at the roof. You walk round the rooms, but the roof stays out of sight, and a quick glance from the street misses a lot. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, so a closer look is worth having before you commit.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Roman Catholic Church of St Gregory and St Augustine, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Their insurance cover
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings and valleys
Many older houses have lead in their valleys and hidden gutters. Worn or cracked lead lets water straight into the roof, and missing lead is not unknown, as it’s a target for thieves.
Gutters and parapets
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter, normally to the back of the house. If the home you are buying has one, that gutter and its outlet get a careful look.
For landlords and managing agents
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Cutteslowe. To discuss a property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the addresses.