Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Donnington, Oxfordshire
Find out the condition of the roof at your property in Donnington. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
Pre-purchase roof survey in Donnington: what you get
Some roofs cannot be seen well from ground level or from windows. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where it applies, and the report arrives the same day. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we’ll say so and inspect from every other safe vantage point. If you’re worried about standing water on a flat extension roof and bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs, we can find out what’s behind it, on lead flashings and valleys, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and gutters and downpipes alike.
Around Donnington, you will mostly find houses and bungalows of different ages. Older roofs may still have their original slates or clay tiles, with fixings and underlay that have done a long stint. For a purchase or a newly replaced roof, what’s under the coverings matters as much as what’s on top. Older roofs often have bitumen felt under the coverings, as breathable membranes only arrived in the late 1990s.
If any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Place
- Donnington (OX4, OX1)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps with budgets and planning.
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Let us know about it as you book and we will plan the survey around it.
Why it’s worth a survey now in Donnington
Small roof defects let water in slowly. By the time a stain shows, timber or plaster may already be damp. Spotting it before you buy lets you deal with it as soon as you move in. With lower homes, common in places like Donnington, there is little between a roof defect and the ceiling, so a small leak can mark a ceiling within a few storms. Catching the cause first saves redecorating as well.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Why book us in Donnington
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Photographs and a written report every time
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
See our cost guide or our case studies.
The survey, step by step
Every roof is different; as a rough guide, the survey takes between one and two hours at most homes, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. You are welcome to ask questions while we’re there. With a bit of garden around a house, as there often is around Donnington, the roof can be viewed from several angles. Mention any side of the property we cannot get to. The loft, where there’s safe access, completes the picture.
- You book once your offer is accepted and let us know the address and your timetable.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from the ground, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it is safe.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Before the survey
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
Book a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply ring 07833 053749 or email us whenever suits you.
Read more
Local roofs and buyers in Donnington
If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. About 1.4 miles north-west lies Holywell Manor, a reminder of how long the area around Donnington has been built on. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
If you own a rental within reach of Oxford station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one. The streets around a church such as St Alban the Martyr are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Donnington is about 1 mile south of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. Donnington is one of many places we visit across Oxfordshire. Across Oxfordshire, we cover Donnington and the places around it.
We survey roofs across OX4 and OX1 for pre-purchase roof surveys. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Meadow Lane, Arnold Road and Iffley Road or a nearby road, we can survey it. Being close to the A4158, Donnington is easy for us to reach for pre-purchase roof surveys. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Iffley (1 mile south-east), New Hinksey (1 mile west), Cowley (1 mile south-east), Oxford (1 mile north) and Redbridge (1 mile south-west). We also work in nearby towns like Didcot (9 miles south), Bicester (12 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (5 miles south-west), Witney (12 miles west), Thame (11 miles east) and Wantage (13 miles south-west).
Near you in Donnington
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Greyfriars Catholic School, Magdalen Arms and South Park. Nearby too are Alexander Library of Ornithology (1.1 miles north-west) and Emmanuel Christian School (1.3 miles south). For rail, the closest station is Oxford station, about 1.9 miles north-west of the centre. Nearby you will also find Warneford Hospital (1 mile north-east) and British Tattoo History Museum (0.5 miles north-east). For a walk, there’s CS Lewis Nature Reserve and Headington Hill.
Also near Donnington
Also in Donnington
What this survey cannot tell you
It’s a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will suggest the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Survey packages start from £150, with VAT included. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- How big the roof is
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Height and safe access
Every price we give includes VAT. Prices start from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before booking.
Getting in touch
There is no need for technical words. It is enough to tell us:
- What’s prompted the survey
- The property’s address and postcode
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form to find out.
Tips from our surveys
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Our tips:
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. You might ask for the work to be done before completion, or ask to adjust the price. What happens next is your decision and the seller’s, and we can’t promise any result.
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. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
Common questions in Donnington
Is Donnington in the area you cover?
Yes, Donnington is within the area we cover. Our area covers London and South East England. Just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the property, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Will you come out to Donnington?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling are not something we do. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
Once your offer has been accepted, and before exchange. That gives you time to use the findings, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.
What if it rains on the day?
A survey can normally go ahead in light rain. High wind or heavy rain can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so we’ll agree a new date if the weather isn’t suitable.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
Allow between one and two hours for most houses, and more on a big or complicated roof. We will confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
How many surveys have you done?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.