West Berkshire · London and the South East
East Garston Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in East Garston. We have completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- A ridge or slope that dips
Pre-purchase roof survey in East Garston: what you get
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Most of it can’t be seen from the street. We look closely and record what we see, with photographs that show you exactly where. We explain each finding in plain English, so you know what it means for the house you’re buying. We survey lead flashings and valleys, clay and concrete tiles and flat-roofed extensions and dormers, and people most frequently book us about blocked or leaking gutters and loose pots and cracked flaunching.
Some older homes in villages like East Garston are listed or sit in a conservation area. If so, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so check with the council before work starts. Whether you are buying or signing off new roofing, it’s worth knowing where you stand. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
It isn’t only a list of defects. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend.
- Location
- East Garston (RG17)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Roof by roof
Gutters and parapets
Some older terraces have a butterfly roof with a central valley gutter. If the home you are buying has one, that gutter and its outlet get a careful look.
Chimney stacks
Chimney stacks take the brunt of the weather. We check the pots, the flaunching, the pointing and the flashings.
Landlords, agents and block managers in East Garston
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photos included.
Letting agents and landlords in East Garston book surveys as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photographs, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
Also near East Garston
Other services in East Garston
Pre-purchase roof surveys in East Garston: local notes
There are about 500,000 buildings on England’s list of listed buildings, and around 10,000 conservation areas. If your 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, so the council is the place to ask. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new.
The streets around a church such as Church of All Saints are often among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
East Garston is about 7 miles south of Wantage, in West Berkshire. We provide pre-purchase roof surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in East Garston and nearby. East Garston is one of the towns and villages in West Berkshire we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. Oxford is in our area too.
We survey roofs across RG17 for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. Local streets include Station Road, Back Street and Humphrey's Lane. Other places close to East Garston include Eastbury (1 mile west), East Garston Woodlands (1 mile south-west), Great Shefford (2 miles south-east), East Shefford (2 miles south-east) and Shefford Woodlands (2 miles south). We also work in nearby towns such as Newbury (9 miles south-east), Thatcham (11 miles south-east), Speenhamland (9 miles south-east), Hungerford (6 miles south), Lambourn (3 miles north-west) and Shaw (9 miles south-east).
What’s near East Garston
Open spaces near East Garston include Watts Bank.
Why act early in East Garston
The lender’s valuation is done for the lender, not for you. It looks at whether the property is suitable security for the loan, and it won’t look closely at the roof. A roof survey is carried out for the buyer. Older and listed buildings around East Garston may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Why book with us
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Weekday and weekend surveys
Read our cost guide or two real surveys.
Checking the roof from ground level
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight.
What we do, step by step
There isn’t much for you to do on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will take it from there. The survey itself takes an hour or two at a typical home; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. In a small place like East Garston, access is usually the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- 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.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Before we arrive
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
Booking a survey
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
Read more
East Garston: your questions answered
How do I find out if my home in East Garston 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 East Garston within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Where we can, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If access is not possible, we note it in the report.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
It normally takes roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Report times depend on the package, from the same day for Premium to within 48 hours for Basic.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys, over more than 20 years, and 98% of customers are satisfied.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That gives you time to use the findings, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we’re allowed to reach.
When to book a survey in East Garston
Blocked or leaking gutters do damage that isn’t obvious at first. Water spilling over a gutter soaks brickwork and can rot fascias and rafter ends. Hidden gutters behind parapets or in roof valleys can send water indoors. They’re part of what we check.
People typically book a survey after spotting something like this:
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
Whatever the street in East Garston, a roof costs least to look after when faults are caught early.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Their insurance cover
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price