Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Kencot
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Kencot, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Call or email for a price.
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Kencot
Some roofs can’t be seen well from ground level or from windows. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where it applies, a drone inspection, and the report arrives the same day. Where a flight isn’t possible, because of airspace rules or the weather, we tell you and inspect from every other safe vantage point. We are frequently asked to look into chimney mortar that has eroded and gaps where slates or tiles have come loose, on natural slate, clay and concrete tiles and the roof space.
In a village or hamlet like Kencot, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
If any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Location
- Kencot (OX18)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Kencot
Prices vary from roof to roof, and it comes down to:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- The size of the roof
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we will tell you which fits.
What we need to know
We’ll typically ask about:
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- What kind of property and roof it is
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Even if you go ahead regardless, knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan. You will know which jobs are urgent and which can wait, and you can line up a roofer before small faults grow. Older cottages and farmhouses around Kencot can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
We offer 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 book us in Kencot
- An independent look at the roof
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Photos and a written report every time
Local roofs and buyers in Kencot
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. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new. RAF Brize Norton is about 2 miles from Kencot. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Church of St Peter, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Kencot is about 2 miles south-west of Carterton, in Oxfordshire. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Kencot. Kencot is one of the places in Oxfordshire where we work. Oxford is in our area too.
Surveys in OX18 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Alvescot (1 mile south-east), Shilton (2 miles north) and Bradwell (3 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Abingdon-on-Thames (15 miles east), Witney (6 miles north-east), Wantage (13 miles south-east), Grove (12 miles south-east), Faringdon (6 miles south) and Kidlington (15 miles east).
Around Kencot
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Plough pub and Carterton Community College and the streets around them. Other landmarks nearby include Swinford Museum (1.9 miles west) and Longworth Hospital (5.9 miles south).
Questions from Kencot
Is Kencot within the area you cover?
Yes. Kencot is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We survey roofs across London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Kencot?
It depends on the exact address and the weather on the day. RAF Brize Norton is about 2 miles away, so we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before any flight. High wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
How soon is the report ready?
It depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Let us know your timetable when booking.
How long does the survey visit take?
The visit typically takes between one and two hours at most homes, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. We’ll confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once access has been agreed. Roofs over flats are frequently shared, so we need permission from the freeholder or managing agent. We inspect only the parts we’re allowed to reach.
Are you insured?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It is not a replacement for a RICS survey.
What else we do in Kencot
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Kencot
Viewings rarely include a proper look at the roof. You see the rooms, not the slates, and a quick glance from the street misses a lot. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, which is why buyers book a closer look before committing.
We are often asked to look at:
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
With Kelmscott Manor about 4 miles south, the area around Kencot has a long history. Older homes in the area can come with listed status or conservation area rules, which affect re-roofing, so check with the council before you buy.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- How soon the report will arrive
- What follow-up you get after the report
- What experience they bring
What we do, step by step
There isn’t much for you to do on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will take it from there. The survey itself takes about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. In a hamlet or village like Kencot, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, 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.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed ahead of time.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Before we arrive
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Book a survey
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Read more
Practical tips
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Do not leave it until just before exchange
- Let us know your timetable
If you want quotes for the work, roofers can work from the report. They’ll see exactly what we found, and where, 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. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
What we cannot see
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
- The condition of the rest of the house (that’s a RICS home survey)
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will recommend the right survey before you book. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Kencot
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate