Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Ipsden
Get a clear view of the roof at a property in Ipsden. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Ipsden
The roof is one of the most expensive parts of a home to repair, and one of the hardest for a buyer to see. Our pre-purchase roof survey gives you a close look at it before you are committed. We check the slates or tiles, the ridges and valleys, the flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, plus the loft where there’s safe access. You get a photo-illustrated written report. We survey natural slate, gutters and downpipes and flat-roofed extensions and dormers, and common reasons people get in touch are lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney and standing water on a flat extension roof.
Older buildings in small places like Ipsden 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. For a buyer or someone with a newly finished roof, it’s worth knowing which applies, as well as what condition the roof is in. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
You receive the findings by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Location
- Ipsden (OX10)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Should I look at the roof myself first?
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.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and falls from height are serious. That part is for a survey.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Ipsden
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed ahead of time. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which can make access easier.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Ipsden and across Oxfordshire can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
What we do, step by step
We work from the outside in: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the roof space where it can be reached. In total, it takes about 1–2 hours for a house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Rural addresses near Ipsden can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- 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.
Before we arrive
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Keep pets in another room
Book a survey
For a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Ipsden, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. A few details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.
Related advice
FAQs for Ipsden
Do you cover Ipsden?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Ipsden as anywhere else.
Is Ipsden within the area you cover?
Yes, Ipsden is covered. Our area covers London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. We will talk about access when booking.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
Book as soon as your offer is agreed. The report is most useful before exchange, because after that the roof is yours to deal with.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and that’s where a roof survey helps. It is not a replacement for a RICS survey.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. It’s a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, with a written report and photographs. It does not cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- The size of the roof
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report isn’t charged as an extra. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Helping us price your survey
We’ll normally ask about:
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
- What made you get in touch
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Why act early in Ipsden
A slow leak can go unnoticed for months. By the time a stain shows, timber or plaster may already be damp. Finding the cause at the survey stage lets you deal with it as soon as you move in. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Ipsden, driving rain gets into any weakness, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
For a price for your roof in Ipsden, phone 07833 053749 or email us and let us know about the roof. We’ll confirm the figure before booking.
Why book us in Ipsden
- PI and public liability insurance
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- 98% customer satisfaction
Read our cost guide and what we found on two real jobs.
Also near Ipsden
What else we do in Ipsden
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Ipsden
Historic houses such as Basildon Park, about 4.7 miles south, show how far back building in the area around Ipsden goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs. West Oxfordshire’s older buildings often carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their thatch. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about.
For landlords with property near Cholsey station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it. For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Mary, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Ipsden is about 8 miles north-west of Caversham, in Oxfordshire. Wherever you are in Ipsden, we can carry out pre-purchase roof surveys at your property. Ipsden is one of the places in Oxfordshire where we work. We also survey roofs in Reading.
Here we cover the OX10 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on The Street, Fir Close and Crabtree Corner. Other places close to Ipsden include Heath End (2 miles east), Checkendon (2 miles south-east), Woodcote (2 miles south), Nuffield (2 miles north-east) and Stoke Row (3 miles east). Larger places within reach include Oxford (14 miles north-west), Didcot (8 miles north-west), Abingdon-on-Thames (12 miles north-west), Thame (14 miles north), Wantage (15 miles west) and Henley-on-Thames (8 miles east).
Near you in Ipsden
We work in homes and buildings around King William IV Public House. The nearest railway station is Cholsey station, roughly 3.3 miles west. Other landmarks nearby include Wallingford Castle (3.2 miles north-west). For a walk, there’s Cholsey Marsh.
Practical tips
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Tell us your exchange date as you book
The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. Whichever package you choose, you can ask us what a finding means.
Chimneys and flashings need watching. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. A pair of binoculars from the garden shows a lot.