Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Hornton Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Find out the condition of the roof at your property in Hornton from an independent roof surveyor. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Hornton
A chimney stack stands out in the wind and rain and they’re often the least maintained part of a roof. Pointing crumbles, flaunching cracks and flashings lift. On terraced and semi-detached homes, a stack may be shared with next door, which matters if work is needed.
Common reasons to book include:
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St John the Baptist, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
What to check before booking
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- Are they insured for the work?
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Hornton
Buyers in Hornton and right across London and South East England use our pre-purchase roof survey. Whether it is a terrace, a semi, a detached house or a flat, the roof gets the same careful look. The report says what’s in good order, what isn’t and what to deal with first. We are insured for professional indemnity and public liability, with more than 20 years’ experience behind us. To book, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. Common reasons to book are lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney and sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes, on gutters and downpipes, the roof space and flat-roofed extensions and dormers.
Somewhere as small as Hornton, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings frequently sit beside a few newer homes. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, for example when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Where
- Hornton (OX15)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Also near Hornton
More services for Hornton
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Whether timbers meet design loads
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
Can I check my roof myself?
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when booking and it will help the survey.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Why it is worth a survey now in Hornton
Plenty of buyers go ahead anyway, but with their eyes open. The report shows what needs doing first, so you can plan work before small faults get bigger. Around Hornton, older homes frequently have old roof timbers, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it’s left.
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so the price reflects that. You will know the figure before booking.
Why us?
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Photographs and a written report every time
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
See how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Hornton
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Hornton?
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.
Will you come out to Hornton?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
They do different things. A RICS home survey covers the whole building, while ours looks only at the roof, in more detail. Ours sits alongside a RICS survey rather than replacing it.
Will you need to get into the loft?
If it can be arranged, yes. From the roof space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If access isn’t possible, we note it in the report.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
Book as soon as your offer is agreed. You need the report before you exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Hornton?
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know the address and what you’d like to know. We’ll confirm the price and find a day that suits.
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 photographs.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Hornton: local notes
West Oxfordshire’s older buildings often carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their thatch. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Whether you are buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds. About 1.6 miles west lies Upton House, a reminder of how long the area around Hornton has been built on. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Hornton is about 4 miles north-west of Banbury, in Oxfordshire. In Hornton, as across Oxfordshire, every roof gets the same careful survey. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Hornton. For surveys nearby, see our Oxford page.
We survey roofs across the OX15 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on Pages Lane, The Green and Eastgate or a nearby road, we can survey it. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Ratley (2 miles north-west), Edgehill (2 miles north-west) and Sun Rising (2 miles west). Further out, we also cover Banbury (4 miles south-east), Chipping Norton (12 miles south-west), Neithrop (4 miles south-east), Grimsbury (5 miles south-east), Ruscote (4 miles south-east) and Bloxham (6 miles south).
Local landmarks in Hornton
Nearby you will also find Horton General Hospital (5.1 miles south-east) and Hanwell Castle (2.8 miles east). The countryside around Hornton includes Edge Hill.
For landlords and managing agents
Landlords, agents and building managers in Hornton and across Oxfordshire can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photographs included.
How the survey works
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 for most houses, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Older roofs in small places like Hornton can have low, tight loft spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it is safe.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- 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.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Before we arrive
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
Arrange a survey
We confirm the exact price before booking, so you know the cost up front. Our price is from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.