Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Kingston Stert Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Kingston Stert, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Get in touch for a price.
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
Roof by roof
Lead flashings and valleys
Lead-lined valleys and gutters are common on older homes in London and South East England. Worn or cracked lead lets water straight into the roof, and missing lead is not unknown, as it is a target for thieves.
Flat roofs
A flat roof that has been coated over several times may hide problems underneath. We record what we can see and say where a closer look is needed.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Kingston Stert
A full home survey looks at the whole property, and the roof is only one part of it. We do not offer a RICS home survey, and ours isn’t a substitute for one. What it adds is a closer look at the roof alone, with photos of what we find and written recommendations. The two sit side by side if you want the fullest picture. If you are worried about quick fixes on flashings and valleys and cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
For a small place like Kingston Stert, the visit is planned like any other: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed beforehand. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at when you book. Whether you are buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Visits can be booked on weekdays and at weekends.
Findings are set out part by part, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, each with a short note and a photograph. It records what’s sound as well as what isn’t.
- Location
- Kingston Stert (OX39)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Honest limits
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Asbestos testing of any kind
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll recommend the right survey before booking. The full list of what we check.
What we check
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
What happens on the day
The visit has one job: to see as much of the roof as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. The visit usually takes between one and two hours for most houses, and more on a big or complicated roof. In a hamlet or village like Kingston Stert, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed in advance.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from ground level and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
Arrange a survey
We confirm the price for your roof before booking, so you know where you stand. Prices start from £150, including VAT. To book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Kingston Stert: local notes
If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. 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 Mary, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light. If you own a rental within reach of Princes Risborough station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in. Historic houses such as Adwell House, about 2.1 miles south-west, show how far back building around Kingston Stert goes. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area.
Kingston Stert is about 3 miles south of Thame, in Oxfordshire. In Kingston Stert, as across Oxfordshire, every roof gets the same careful survey. Our area takes in places right across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Oxford is in our area too.
Here we cover the OX39 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Sydenham (1 mile north-east), Emmington (1 mile north-east), Chinnor (2 miles east), Towersey (3 miles north) and Thame (3 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (13 miles west), Didcot (14 miles south-west), Abingdon-on-Thames (14 miles west), Henley-on-Thames (12 miles south), Benson (9 miles south-west) and Headington Quarry (11 miles west).
What’s near Kingston Stert
Around Kingston Stert, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Crown Inn and the streets around them. Kingston Stert’s nearest station is Princes Risborough station, roughly 4.6 miles east of the centre. A little further out are Thame Museum (3.5 miles north-west) and Thame Community Hospital (3 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Bald Hill and Oakley Hill nature reserve.
Leave it or get it looked at?
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, so it can fit around a tight timetable. Outbuildings and barns around Kingston Stert are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. It is worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
Every price we give includes VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for the job before booking.
Why us?
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
Read how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Kingston Stert
When we price a survey, we consider:
- How big the roof is
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- The shape of the roof and its details
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What we need to know
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you get in touch, it is useful to mention:
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
- What’s prompted the survey
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or send us an email, let us know about the property and we will point you to the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Tips from our surveys
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
- Ask whether there are papers for past 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. The outcome is between you and the seller.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. Binoculars from ground level are enough for a first look.
What else we do in Kingston Stert
FAQs for Kingston Stert
Is Kingston Stert in the area you cover?
Yes, Kingston Stert is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Kingston Stert?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That gives you time to use the findings.
How do I book a survey in Kingston Stert?
To book, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price and agree a day with you.
How long will you be at the property?
Allow between one and two hours for a house, and more on a big or complicated roof. We will give you an idea of timing when booking.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Ideally, yes. We look in the loft space where there is safe access, and views from upper windows help too. Access is normally arranged through the agent or seller.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It isn’t a replacement for a RICS survey.