Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Long Wittenham
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Long Wittenham, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Call or email for a price.
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Long Wittenham
With a written roof report, you can go back to the seller or agent with specifics. You might ask about past repairs, ask for work to be done before completion or think again about your offer. We cannot say how a seller will respond, but you’ll be asking from facts rather than guesses. It can also help you decide whether the purchase is still right for you. We’re often asked to look into gutters that overflow or drip at the joints and slipped or missing slates and tiles, across the roof space, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and chimney stacks.
Somewhere as small as Long Wittenham, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings often sit beside a few newer homes. 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. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent, whichever applies.
- Where
- Long Wittenham (OX14)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Common questions in Long Wittenham
Do you cover smaller places like Long Wittenham?
Yes, Long Wittenham is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Is my home in Long Wittenham listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drones can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. If the conditions are not right, we will talk to you about another date.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
Allow about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. We’ll give you an idea of timing as you book.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes. You might ask for work to be done, ask questions or ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller, so we cannot promise any saving.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Where we can, yes. From the roof space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If access isn’t possible, we note it in the report.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That is where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
It helps to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when you book, as it helps us focus the survey.
Honest limits
It’s a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
Local roofs and buyers in Long Wittenham
Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most. Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
The streets around a church like Church of St Mary are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming. Clifton Hampden Manor lies about 1.2 miles north, so building around Long Wittenham goes back a long way. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area. If you own a rental within reach of Appleford station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Long Wittenham is about 3 miles north-east of Didcot, in Oxfordshire. Wherever you are in Long Wittenham, we can carry out pre-purchase roof surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Long Wittenham and the places around it. You can also see our page for Oxford.
We work across the OX14 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. You’ll find streets such as High Street, Didcot Road and Wessex Way, all of which we cover. We also cover the places around Long Wittenham: Clifton Hampden (1 mile north), Appleford-on-Thames (1 mile west), Culham (2 miles north-west), Didcot (3 miles south-west) and Sutton Courtenay (3 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (8 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (4 miles north-west), Thame (13 miles north-east), Wantage (10 miles west), Henley-on-Thames (15 miles south-east) and Grove (9 miles west).
Near you in Long Wittenham
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Plough Public House. Long Wittenham’s nearest station is Appleford station, about 1.3 miles west. Other landmarks nearby include Brightwell Castle (2.6 miles south-east) and Pendon Museum (under half a mile west). Open spaces near Long Wittenham include Wittenham Clumps and Mowbray Fields.
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 get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes between one and two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Older roofs in small places like Long Wittenham can have low, tight loft spaces, so it is useful to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it is safe.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- We agree a time and how we’ll get in, including the loft.
- We check the roof from ground level, from windows, from the roof space and from the roof where safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Tell us where we can park nearby
Booking a survey
Booking is simple: just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email, let us know about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
Advice
What affects the price in Long Wittenham
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- The roof’s overall size
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
A Basic Survey starts from £150, inc. VAT. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400, both with VAT included. You will know the price for your survey before booking.
What we need to know
Here’s what helps us most when you contact us:
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
We survey roofs on weekdays and at weekends. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or email us.
For landlords and managing agents
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Towns and villages near Long Wittenham
More services for Long Wittenham
Useful tips for Long Wittenham property owners
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Let us know your timetable
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
It’s worth sharing the report with your solicitor so they can raise enquiries with the seller’s side. Past repairs, re-roofing and any records of that work are all fair questions.
Don’t 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 cannot flow.