Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in East Hanney, Oxfordshire
Wondering about the roof at a property in East Hanney? You can book a pre-purchase roof survey in East Hanney and across Oxfordshire.
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in East Hanney
Most viewings never get near the roof. You see the rooms, not the slates, and a quick glance from the street misses a lot. New paint on a ceiling can hide old water stains, so a closer look is worth having before you commit.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
Historic houses such as Longworth House, about 4.5 miles north-west, show how far back building around East Hanney goes. When you buy an older home, the roof’s age, past repairs and any listing all affect what you might spend later.
What to check before booking
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- What experience they bring
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Their report turnaround times
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in East Hanney
Buying a flat brings its own roof questions. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that’s frequently 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 is checked as far as access allows. We survey chimney stacks, the roof space and clay and concrete tiles, and common reasons people get in touch are damp timbers or stains in the loft and gutters choked with leaves and moss.
In a village or hamlet like East Hanney, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
Where we can’t see part of the roof, the report says so. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Location
- East Hanney (OX12)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from the ground
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
A lot can be seen from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
How it works
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. It usually takes about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. For a village or hamlet like East Hanney, the journey is planned beforehand: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect what can be seen safely, inside and out.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed beforehand.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
Getting a price
We confirm the exact price before booking, so you know where you stand. Prices start from £150, including VAT. To book, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Local roofs and buyers in East Hanney
Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. Older houses in the South East frequently have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you live in an older home near Church of St James, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
East Hanney is about 3 miles north of Wantage, in Oxfordshire. East Hanney is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and the South East. East Hanney is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire where we work. We also survey roofs in Oxford.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: OX12. Whether your property is on Main Street, The Green and Morlands or a nearby road, we can survey it. If you’re just outside East Hanney, we cover Frilford (3 miles north-east), Steventon (3 miles east), Marcham (3 miles north-east), Fyfield (4 miles north) and Frilford Heath (4 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Oxford (11 miles north-east), Didcot (7 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (6 miles north-east), Witney (11 miles north), Carterton (12 miles north-west) and Wantage (3 miles south).
What’s near East Hanney
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Black Horse pub and the streets around them. A little further out are Hinton Waldrist Castle (4.6 miles north-west) and Williams F1 Grand Prix Collection (1.3 miles south-west). For a walk, there’s Chain Hill and Hitchcopse Pit.
FAQs for East Hanney
Do you cover smaller places like East Hanney?
Yes, we do. We work right across London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Is my home in East Hanney listed or in a conservation area?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
How quickly will I get the report?
Premium reports arrive the same day, Standard reports within 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. We send it by email with photos included.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Where it is safe, yes. We inspect from the ground, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where it applies.
What if it rains on the day?
Light rain is normally fine; heavy rain and wind are different. In strong wind or a downpour, a drone can’t fly and access may not be safe, and we’d agree another day.
When you need someone else
A survey is a careful look at the roof, but it can’t do everything. The main limits are:
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer before booking. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
Also in East Hanney
What we look for on each type of roof
Clay and concrete tiles
Concrete interlocking tiles are common on post-war and newer homes. They wear slowly, but surfaces erode and edges crack.
Flat roofs
Ponding, blistering, splits and worn upstands are the usual warning signs. Blocked outlets are checked as well, and we say what we see from wherever is safe.
Tips from our surveys
Most of what helps is simple and safe from ground level. Our suggestions:
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
It’s worth sharing the report with your solicitor so questions can go to the seller’s solicitor. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it, particularly where we have found patch repairs.
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.