Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Fulbrook, Oxfordshire
An experienced roof surveyor for pre-purchase roof surveys in Fulbrook. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us.
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
The survey, step by step
Where it is relevant and can be reached safely, the roof space is checked as well as the outside. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging. The whole visit normally takes an hour or two for most houses, and longer for a large or complex roof. Older rural homes like those around Fulbrook 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.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- 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.
How to prepare
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
How to book
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine; never climb up to get a better view. To get started, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
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Pre-purchase roof survey in Fulbrook
Older homes frequently have roofs that have been patched over the years. Corroded nails let slates slide, valley linings wear thin and chimney mortar erodes. Little of that is easy to judge from the pavement on a viewing. We look closely and record what we see, with photos so you can see it for yourself. We explain each finding in plain English, so it’s clear what it means for your purchase. We survey chimney stacks, natural slate and gutters and downpipes, and the problems we are asked to look at most are blistered or split felt on a flat roof and flashings that have lifted or split.
In a village or hamlet like Fulbrook, 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.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent.
- Where
- Fulbrook (OX18)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we can’t see
A survey is a close look at the roof, but it cannot do everything. The main limits are:
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
- Whether timbers meet design loads
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll point you to the right survey. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we check
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
More services for Fulbrook
Surveys for landlords and agents in Fulbrook
Where a roof is shared: 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.
We survey roofs for landlords and letting agents as well as householders. A photo-illustrated written report gives you a clear record of the roof.
What we look for on each type of roof
Flat roofs
Ponding, blistering, splits and worn upstands are the usual warning signs. We look at outlets too, since a blocked one leaves water sitting on the roof, and we say what we see from wherever is safe.
Natural slate
Many older homes in London and South East England have slate roofs. We check for slipped, cracked and missing slates, plus the metal clips that show earlier patching.
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Fulbrook
Historic houses such as Minster Lovell Hall, about 4.2 miles east, show how far back building in the area around Fulbrook goes. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, like 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. If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
For landlords with property near Shipton station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in. The streets around a church like Church of Saint James the Great are often among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Fulbrook is about 4 miles north-west of Carterton, in Oxfordshire. Surveys in Fulbrook work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Fulbrook is one of the places in Oxfordshire we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. Oxford is in our area too.
We work across OX18 for pre-purchase roof surveys. We cover properties on Church Lane, Meadow Lane and Upper End and the roads around them. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Burford (1 mile south-west), Little Barrington (3 miles west), Milton-under-Wychwood (3 miles north), Fifield (4 miles north) and Idbury (5 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Witney (6 miles east), Carterton (4 miles south-east), Faringdon (11 miles south), Kidlington (15 miles east), Chipping Norton (9 miles north) and Woodstock (12 miles east).
Around Fulbrook
Around Fulbrook, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Cotswold Arms Inn and Burford School, among other places. Fulbrook’s nearest station is Shipton station, about 3.8 miles north of the centre.
DIY checks: what’s safe
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. Never climb onto the roof to look.
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.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Fulbrook
Is my home in Fulbrook listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
Will you come out to Fulbrook?
Yes, Fulbrook is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
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.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime. Let us know your preferred days as you book.
Do you need access inside the house?
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.
Does someone need to be in?
That depends on the survey. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in.
Practical tips
Small things make a difference. Our tips:
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller.
After you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, particularly after autumn. Blocked gutters cause much of the damp we see. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.