Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Iffley
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Iffley. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
What we look for on each type of roof
Natural slate
Good slate is one of the longest-lasting roof coverings, but the nails holding it corrode long before that. When slates start to slip, corroded nails are frequently the reason, and we note how widespread it looks.
Lead flashings and valleys
Many leaks start at a flashing, so they get close attention in a pre-purchase survey. We photograph any that need work.
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Iffley
Older homes often have roofs that have been patched over the years. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Little of that is easy to judge from the pavement on a viewing. Our survey picks it out, with photographs that show you exactly where. We explain each finding in plain English, so you know what it means for the house you’re buying. Typical surveys look at old water stains in the roof space and standing water on a flat extension roof, across clay and concrete tiles, natural slate and lead flashings and valleys.
In a smaller place like Iffley, some houses face open ground, so their roofs may take more wind and driving rain. Ridges, verges and flashings are where that weather usually shows first. For a purchase or a new roof, those exposed edges are looked at closely. Wind lifts anything already loose, so a small fault on an exposed roof doesn’t stay small for long.
The report is written in plain words, so you do not need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photograph where possible, and recommendations are put in order of urgency where relevant.
- Place
- Iffley (OX4)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before you book. This is what makes a difference:
- The size of the roof
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- The shape of the roof and its details
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, all including VAT. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What to tell us when you contact us
A little information up front helps. Please include:
- The property’s address and postcode
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Anything about access we should know
We confirm the price for the job before booking, so you know the cost up front. Prices start from £150, including VAT. To book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Questions from Iffley
Is Iffley within the area you cover?
Yes, Iffley is covered. We survey roofs across London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Iffley?
We cannot confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
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.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. The report is most useful before exchange, because after that the roof is yours to deal with.
Do you go up on the roof?
When conditions and the roof make it safe, yes. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Let us know your preferred days when booking.
What we do, step by step
Once we have finished looking, we write up our findings in a report with photos, sent to you by email. On timing, it typically takes about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. For a survey in Iffley, we agree the time, the access and parking before the day. Weekday and weekend visits are both possible. Tell us about any garages, outbuildings or extensions you want included.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it’s safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
Booking a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from the ground or a window. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Read more
Iffley homes and their roofs
About 2 miles north-west lies Holywell Manor, a reminder of how long the area around Iffley has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. 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. The covering on a house you are buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest.
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St James, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs frequently have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Iffley is about 1 mile south of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. We survey roofs in Iffley and the rest of Oxfordshire, as part of our work across London and South East England. Iffley is one of the places in Oxfordshire we cover.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in OX4 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We cover properties on Tree Lane, Banjo Road and Jersey Road and the roads around them. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Cowley (1 mile east), Donnington (1 mile north-west), Littlemore (1 mile south), Blackbird Leys (1 mile south-east) and Redbridge (1 mile west). Further out, we also cover Didcot (8 miles south), Bicester (12 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (4 miles south-west), Witney (12 miles west), Thame (11 miles east) and Wantage (13 miles south-west).
What’s near Iffley
Around Iffley, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Alexander Library of Ornithology, Emmanuel Christian School and South Park, among other places. Also close by are Greyfriars Catholic School (0.5 miles north) and The Jolly Postboys pub (less than half a mile north-east). For rail, the closest station is Oxford station, about 2.4 miles north-west. Other landmarks nearby include British Tattoo History Museum (0.7 miles north) and Oxford Castle and earlier settlement remains (2.1 miles north-west). Not far away are Headington Hill and CS Lewis Nature Reserve.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Iffley
Blocked or leaking gutters do damage that is not obvious at first. Water spilling over a gutter soaks brickwork and can rot fascias and rafter ends. Hidden gutters behind parapets or in roof valleys can send water indoors. They’re part of what we look at.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
If you let a flat or house near Oxford station, it’s worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Questions to ask before booking
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- What follow-up you get after the report
Leave it or get it looked at?
Small roof defects let water in slowly. Damp can spread into timbers and ceilings before anyone sees a mark. Finding the cause at the survey stage lets you deal with it as soon as you move in. Blocked gutters on homes around Iffley overflow and soak walls. Dealing with the cause is simple; drying out a wall is not.
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. The price is confirmed before you book.
Why book us in Iffley
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Package prices that include VAT
See how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
Tips that help
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
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. What happens next is your decision and the seller’s, 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.