Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Great Tew Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Great Tew. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
FAQs for Great Tew
Do you carry out roof surveys in Great Tew?
Yes, Great Tew is within the area we cover. We survey roofs across London and the South East. Just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the property, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Is my home in Great Tew listed or in a conservation area?
We cannot confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it applies and safe. We fly a sub-250g drone and we are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where it applies.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It works alongside a home survey.
How quickly will I get the report?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed with photos included.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We do not sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, like old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it’s disturbed.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so we need permission from the building owner or managing agent. We can only inspect what we are given access to.
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Great Tew
Older homes often 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 that show you exactly where. We explain each finding in plain English, so it is clear what it means for your purchase. We’re frequently asked to look into gaps where slates or tiles have come loose and bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs, across clay and concrete tiles, chimney stacks and lead flashings and valleys.
Older buildings in small places like Great Tew may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials a new roof may use, so check with the council and Historic England’s list. Whether you are buying or signing off new roofing, it is worth knowing where you stand. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photographs, sent by email. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- Great Tew (OX7)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Great Tew
Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. If your home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission, so the council is the place to ask.
The streets around a church like Church of St Michael and All Angels are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them. In and around Great Tew, as anywhere, a roof is easiest to deal with when its problems are found early.
Great Tew is about 8 miles south-west of Banbury, in Oxfordshire. We survey roofs in Great Tew and the rest of Oxfordshire, as part of our work across London and South East England. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Great Tew. You can also see our page for Oxford.
Surveys in OX7 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on The Square, Old Road and New Road or a nearby road, we can survey it. We also cover the places around Great Tew: Little Tew (1 mile south-west), Swerford (2 miles north-west), Wigginton (2 miles north), South Newington (3 miles north) and Church Enstone (3 miles south). We also work in nearby towns such as Banbury (8 miles north-east), Bicester (12 miles east), Witney (12 miles south), Carterton (15 miles south-west), Kidlington (11 miles south-east) and Bure Park (12 miles east).
Landmarks near Great Tew
Around Great Tew, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Falkland Arms Public House, among other places. Well-known places in the area include Old Forge Museum (Great Tew) (less than half a mile north) and Deddington Castle (4.9 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Woodford Bottom and Lamb's Pool.
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
Some things can’t be seen without opening up the roof, so a survey has limits:
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Asbestos testing of any kind
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will recommend the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Great Tew
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
Places near Great Tew
More services for Great Tew
What you can safely check yourself
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That is where a survey comes in.
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground.
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney stacks
Chimney stacks take the brunt of the weather. We check the pots, the flaunching, the pointing and the flashings, as far as we can see them safely.
Clay and concrete tiles
Tiled roofs often last half a century or longer. Cracked, slipped or missing tiles are noted, along with odd replacement tiles that hint at earlier leaks.
The survey, step by step
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the loft space if there is safe access. All told, expect an hour or two for a house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. For a village or hamlet like Great Tew, the journey is planned beforehand: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
Book a survey
Getting a price is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and give us a few details about the property and we’ll point you to the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
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Practical tips
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Request records of any re-roofing
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Book once your offer is accepted
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so they can raise enquiries with the seller’s side. Past repairs, re-roofing and any records of that work are all fair questions, especially where we’ve found patch repairs.
Every so often, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.
Why get it checked now?
When a chain is moving fast, a roof survey can feel like one more delay. We visit on any day of the week, and the Premium Survey report arrives the same day, which helps it fit around your exchange date. In a place like Great Tew, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why us?
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- An independent view of the roof
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Take a look at what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.