Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Grove, Oxfordshire
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Grove. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Grove
If you’re buying a flat, the roof may well be shared. Depending on the lease, roof repairs may fall to the building owner or a management company. We check as much of the roof as access safely allows, and the report gives you clear points to raise with your solicitor or the managing agent. If the building has a flat roof, we check that too where access allows. If you’re worried about gutters choked with leaves and moss and roof slopes that look uneven or sagging, we can find out what’s behind it.
Around Grove, you will mostly find houses and bungalows of different ages. Older roofs may still have their original slates or clay tiles, with fixings and underlay that have done a long stint. Whether you are buying or have just had the roof replaced, that hidden layer is worth knowing about. Older roofs often have bitumen felt under the coverings, as breathable membranes only arrived in the late 1990s.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photographs, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- Grove (OX12)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Grove: your questions answered
Is Grove within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Grove?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Grove as anywhere else.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes. You might ask for work to be done, ask questions or ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Not necessarily. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
They do different things. A home survey looks at the whole property, while ours looks only at the roof, in more detail. Our survey complements a RICS survey and doesn’t replace one.
Are you insured?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey seven days a week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Just tell us the days that suit you.
Places near Grove
Also in Grove
Can I check my roof myself?
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey.
A lot can be seen from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
Useful tips for Grove property owners
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Some pointers:
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
If you want quotes for the work, roofers can work from the report. The photos show the defects and where they are, which makes quotes easier to compare.
Look in the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Grove
Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the council can say whether a street is in a conservation area. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent.
If you live in an older home near St. John the Baptist, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming. For any home in Grove, it is the small, early fault that is cheapest to put right.
Grove is about 8 miles west of Didcot, in Oxfordshire. Grove is one of many places we visit across Oxfordshire. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Grove and the places around it. Oxford is in our area too.
Here we cover the OX12 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on Millbrook Square, Main Street and Station Road or a nearby road, we can survey it. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Denchworth (1 mile north-west), West Hanney (2 miles north), Lyford (3 miles north), Goosey (3 miles west) and Charney Bassett (3 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (13 miles north-east), Didcot (8 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (8 miles north-east), Witney (13 miles north), Carterton (13 miles north-west) and Faringdon (8 miles north-west).
Near you in Grove
We work in homes and buildings around The Bell pub, King Alfred's and St Mary's School and the streets around them. Other landmarks nearby include Williams F1 Grand Prix Collection (0.9 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Chain Hill and Letcombe Valley.
Roof by roof
Natural slate
Good slate is one of the longest-lasting roof coverings, yet the nails that fix it often give out first. When slates start to slip, corroded nails are often the reason.
Lead flashings and valleys
Many older houses have lead in their valleys and hidden gutters. Splits in a lead valley send water inside, and lead is also a target for theft.
Honest limits
Some things cannot be seen without opening up the roof, so a survey has limits:
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will recommend the right survey before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in Grove
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
The survey, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photographs as we go and make notes for the report. Most visits take between one and two hours for a house, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Some parts of a survey depend on the weather, so a visit to Grove is booked with the forecast in mind: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from the ground and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Getting ready for the survey
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Arrange a survey
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or email us, let us know about the property and we’ll point you to the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Related advice
What happens if roof problems are left?
When a chain is moving fast, a roof survey can feel like one more delay. Weekend visits are available as well as weekdays, and a Premium report comes the same day, which helps it fit around your exchange date. With lower homes, common in places like Grove, there is little between a roof defect and the ceiling, so water can show inside quickly once it gets past the covering. Finding the cause first saves a second job inside.
Every price we give includes VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before booking.
Why book us in Grove
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- An independent look at the roof