Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Farmoor
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Farmoor, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photos.
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Blocked or leaking gutters
Pre-purchase roof survey in Farmoor: what you get
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 inspect what access allows us to see safely, 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. Common reasons to book are slipped or missing slates and tiles and a ridge or slope that dips, on lead flashings and valleys, gutters and downpipes and flat-roofed extensions and dormers.
Some older homes in villages like Farmoor 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’re buying or signing off new roofing, it is worth knowing where you stand, as well as what condition the roof is in. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
Findings are set out part by part, from the coverings down to the gutters. You will see the good as well as the bad.
- Where
- Farmoor (OX2)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Common questions in Farmoor
Will you come out to Farmoor?
Yes, we do. Our area covers 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.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Farmoor?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
How experienced are you?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. The report is most useful before exchange, because after that the roof is yours to deal with.
What if it rains on the day?
It can, depending on the survey. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions aren’t right, we’ll talk to you about another date.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it is applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, including flight restriction zones near airports. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Farmoor?
Just call 07833 053749 or email us. We’ll ask a few questions, confirm the price and agree a date.
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
It’s useful to know what a survey will not do before you book:
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney stacks
We inspect the outside of the stack, not a flue, gas or sweep inspection. If a flue needs testing, we will suggest who to ask.
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.
The survey, step by step
There is not much for you to do on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, like stains, drips or loose pieces, and we will take it from there. The survey itself takes between one and two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Somewhere as small as Farmoor, access is frequently the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- We email a report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
How to prepare
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Arrange a survey
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Read more
Checking the roof from the ground
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and falls from height are serious. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
You can learn a lot from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
Places near Farmoor
Other services in Farmoor
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Farmoor
Buildings put up or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. Cement roof sheets, soffits and flue pipes are typical places to find it. We don’t test for it or carry out asbestos surveys, but we flag materials that might so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before anything is disturbed.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
Take an older house close to St Mary's Church: a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
What to check before booking
- Their insurance cover
- How soon the report will arrive
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- Whether you get a written report with photos
For landlords and managing agents
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To discuss a number of properties, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the addresses.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work around your tenants.
Local roofs and buyers in Farmoor
Appleton Manor, about 3.5 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Farmoor. 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. Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. The covering on a house you are buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest.
If you own a rental within reach of Oxford station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Farmoor is about 5 miles west of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. Roofs in Farmoor get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Oxfordshire. Farmoor is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys.
Every address in OX2 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Mayfield Road, Oxford Road and Meadow Close or anywhere close by, we can help. Close by, we survey roofs in Filchampstead (1 mile south), Swinford (1 mile north-west), Dean Court (2 miles south-east), Eynsham (2 miles north-west) and Wytham (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (5 miles east), Didcot (11 miles south-east), Bicester (13 miles north-east), Abingdon-on-Thames (6 miles south-east), Witney (6 miles west) and Carterton (10 miles west).
Landmarks near Farmoor
Farmoor’s nearest station is Oxford station, about 3.4 miles east. Other landmarks nearby include Oxford University Press Museum (3.6 miles east) and Radcliffe Infirmary (3.7 miles east). Open spaces near Farmoor include Hook Meadow and The Trap Grounds and Cumnor Hill.