Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Foscot
Pre-purchase roof surveys across Foscot, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
What we look for on each type of roof
Gutters and parapets
Parapet and box gutters are hidden behind walls and can overflow inside. Where we can see them safely, we check the linings and outlets.
Chimney stacks
Chimney stacks take the brunt of the weather. We check the pots, the flaunching, the pointing and the flashings.
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Foscot
We survey roofs for buyers in Foscot and across London and South East England. From terraced and semi-detached homes to detached houses and flats, the roof gets the same careful look. We tell you what’s sound, what needs attention and how urgent it is. We’re insured for professional indemnity and public liability, with more than 20 years’ experience behind us. To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. We survey the roof space, lead flashings and valleys and clay and concrete tiles, and common reasons people get in touch are worn or lifted lead flashings and bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs.
For a small place like Foscot, the visit is planned like any other: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at when booking. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Where
- Foscot (OX7)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Let us know about it when booking and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Letting agents frequently book on a landlord’s behalf, and the report can go to both. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Nearby places to Foscot
Also in Foscot
Tips from our surveys
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. What helps most:
- Ask for loft access on the day
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Let us know your timetable
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller, and we cannot promise any result.
Do not block the vents at the eaves. Poor ventilation lets condensation build up, wetting timbers and insulation. Avoid packing insulation into the eaves so tightly that air can’t flow.
The survey, step by step
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. The inspection then takes about 1–2 hours at most homes, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Older rural homes like those around Foscot can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- We arrange access with 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 written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
Book a survey
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Read more
Common questions in Foscot
Do you cover smaller places like Foscot?
Yes, Foscot is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
How do I find out if my home in Foscot is listed?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. The outcome is between you and the seller, so we cannot promise any saving.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. It’s a dedicated roof survey, and you get a written report with photos. It does not cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Foscot: local notes
Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new. Chastleton House, about 4.4 miles north, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Foscot. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
Take an older house close to Church of St Leonard: the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are. If you let a flat or house near Kingham station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Foscot is about 9 miles north of Carterton, in Oxfordshire. Bookings from Foscot are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Foscot is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire we cover. Oxford is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: OX7. Streets in the area include Station Road and Old Burford Road. We also cover the places around Foscot: Idbury (2 miles south-west), Fifield (2 miles south), Milton-under-Wychwood (3 miles south), Fulbrook (6 miles south) and Little Barrington (6 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Witney (10 miles south-east), Carterton (9 miles south), Chipping Norton (5 miles north-east), Woodstock (13 miles east), Cogges (10 miles south-east) and Bloxham (14 miles north-east).
What’s near Foscot
The closest station to Foscot is Kingham station, about 0.6 miles north-east. Nearby you will also find Moore Cottage Hospital (5 miles west).
Why get it checked now?
After exchange, any roof defect is yours to deal with. Before then, you can still ask questions, ask for work to be done or reconsider. Finding out later gives you the same facts, but too late to use them in the purchase. For an older or listed building in a place like Foscot, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
A Basic Survey starts from £150, including VAT. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400. We confirm the price for your survey before you book.
What you get with us
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
Read how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
You can learn a lot from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date, which helps when we look at the roof.