Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Filchampstead
Get a clear view of the roof at a property in Filchampstead. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
What you can safely check yourself
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date, which helps when we look at the roof.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us as you book.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Filchampstead
A RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey covers the whole building, so the roof is one item among many. Our survey is not a RICS survey, and it does not replace one. It adds a focused look at the roof on its own, with photos and written recommendations you can act on. You can have both. If you’re worried about blocked or leaking gutters and gaps where slates or tiles have come loose, we can find out what’s behind it.
In a village or hamlet like Filchampstead, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Where
- Filchampstead (OX2)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Other services in Filchampstead
Tips that help
Most of what helps is simple and safe from ground level. A few suggestions:
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Request records of any re-roofing
Your report arrives by email, with photographs of what we found. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Each defect is explained in plain words, and recommendations are ranked by urgency where that helps.
Chimneys and flashings need watching. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. Binoculars from the ground are enough for a first look.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Filchampstead
Gutter problems often look minor from the street. 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. We check them as part of the survey.
It’s worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Old water stains in the loft space
For an older house near a landmark such as St Mary's Church, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Filchampstead
Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Appleton Manor, about 2.8 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Filchampstead. If you’re buying an older home nearby, it’s worth knowing whether it is listed or in a conservation area before you plan any re-roofing. For landlords with property near Oxford station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Filchampstead is about 5 miles west of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. Filchampstead gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. We cover towns and villages across Oxfordshire.
Surveys in OX2 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include Cumnor Road and Lower Whitley Road, and we cover them all. Close by, we survey roofs in Farmoor (1 mile north), Cumnor (1 mile south-east), Chawley (1 mile south-east), Dean Court (1 mile east) and Swinford (2 miles north). Further out, 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 (7 miles west) and Carterton (11 miles west).
Near you in Filchampstead
Typical jobs here are in homes near Matthew Arnold School. For rail, the closest station is Oxford station, roughly 3.2 miles east. Nearby you’ll also find Oxford University Press Museum (3.4 miles east) and Radcliffe Infirmary (3.6 miles east). For a walk, there is Lashford Lane Fen and Cumnor Hill.
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- Which survey package you book
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Getting in touch
Some details help us point you to the right survey and price. When you get in touch, it helps to mention:
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
- What’s prompted the survey
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form to find out.
How it works
After the inspection, everything we found is written up in a report with photographs, sent to you by email. On timing, it normally takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. In a hamlet or village like Filchampstead, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- 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 the survey
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
Getting a price
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or email us, and we’ll ask about the building and what you need. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Related advice
How the survey changes by roof type
Gutters and parapets
The rainwater system keeps water off the walls. Leaking joints, sagging lengths and blockages are all noted, along with fascias and soffits.
Flat roofs
Repeated coatings on a flat roof can mask what’s underneath. We say when the covering would need opening up to know more.
Common questions in Filchampstead
Do you carry out roof surveys in Filchampstead?
Yes, Filchampstead is within the area we cover. We survey roofs across London and the South East. You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and a few details, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Filchampstead?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS home survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Do I need to be at home?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you when booking.
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 are allowed to reach.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
Allow between one and two hours on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. We will confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing aren’t part of what we do. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before any work.