Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Lower Basildon
A careful look at the roof at your property in Lower Basildon, and put it all in a report with photographs.
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
For landlords and managing agents
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, from shops and offices to industrial units. Bigger roofs take more time, so they’re priced to suit.
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Lower Basildon
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where it applies, along with a same-day report. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we’ll say so and inspect from every other safe vantage point. We survey clay and concrete tiles, chimney stacks and lead flashings and valleys, and people most frequently book us about bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs and cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing.
In a village or hamlet like Lower Basildon, 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. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
You receive the findings by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Location
- Lower Basildon (RG8)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Also near Lower Basildon
Other services in Lower Basildon
Buying a home or a new roof in Lower Basildon
Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Whether you’re buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
The streets around a church such as St Bartholomew's Church are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges. Landlords with a home close to Goring & Streatley station may find that a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one. With Basildon Park about 0.3 miles south, the area around Lower Basildon has a long history. When you buy an older home, the roof’s age, past repairs and any listing all affect what you might spend later.
Lower Basildon is about 7 miles west of Caversham, in Oxfordshire. Bookings from Lower Basildon are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Lower Basildon is one of the places in Oxfordshire we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. For surveys nearby, see our Reading page.
Every address in RG8 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We also cover the places around Lower Basildon: Goring (2 miles north), Elvendon (2 miles north-east), Streatley (2 miles north-west), South Stoke (3 miles north) and Hungerford Green (3 miles west). Further out, we also cover Didcot (9 miles north-west), Abingdon-on-Thames (14 miles north-west), Wantage (14 miles north-west), Henley-on-Thames (9 miles east), Grove (15 miles north-west) and Benson (8 miles north).
Near you in Lower Basildon
Around Lower Basildon, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Old Tavern. For rail, the closest station is Goring & Streatley station, about 1.4 miles north-west. Well-known places in the area include Yattendon Castle (4.4 miles south-west). Not far away are Hartslock.
How it works
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings in a report with photographs, sent to you by email. On timing, most surveys take about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Somewhere like Lower Basildon needs a little journey planning: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there’s safe access and from the roof where it’s safe.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from ground level and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the loft space and look at the roof from windows.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Booking a survey
If you’re buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or drop us an email whenever suits you.
Read more
Tips from our surveys
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Let us know your timetable
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
Your report arrives by email, with photos of what we found. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Findings are set out in plain English, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant.
Chimneys and flashings need watching. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. Binoculars from the ground are enough for a first look.
Different roofs, different checks
Flat roofs
Ponding, blistering, splits and worn upstands are the usual warning signs. We check outlets too, since a blocked one leaves water sitting on the roof, and we say what we see from wherever is safe.
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay and concrete tiles commonly last 50 years or more. We check for slipped, cracked and missing tiles, along with odd replacement tiles that hint at earlier leaks.
Lower Basildon questions
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Lower Basildon?
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. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Is Lower Basildon within the area you cover?
Yes. Lower Basildon is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
How soon is the report ready?
Premium reports arrive the same day, Standard reports within 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. We send it by email with photos included.
What insurance do you have?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
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, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes, you can. The report sets out what we found, with photos, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. We cannot promise how the seller will respond.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Light rain is normally fine; heavy rain and wind are different. Strong wind or heavy rain can make access unsafe and ground a drone, so we’d move the date with you.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Our packages start from £150, inc. VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- Roof area
- Height and safe access
- House, block, shop or office
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all inc. VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Helping us price your survey
When you call or email, these details help:
- When you need the report by
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- What kind of property and roof it is
- What made you get in touch
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price before you book.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground.