Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Lower Heyford
Need a pre-purchase roof survey in Lower Heyford? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
Different roofs, different checks
Flat roofs
Flat roofs on extensions, dormers and garages are easy to forget about. Felt roofs often last around 15 to 20 years, rubber longer and GRP up to about 30. We check how the covering is wearing.
Clay and concrete tiles
Concrete interlocking tiles are common on post-war and newer homes. They wear slowly, but surfaces erode and edges crack.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Lower Heyford
Some roofs cannot 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. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we will say so and inspect from every other safe vantage point. If you are worried about loose pots and cracked flaunching and patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on lead flashings and valleys, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and chimney stacks alike.
Somewhere as small as Lower Heyford, 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. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
We keep jargon out of it: if work is needed, the report says so clearly.
- Location
- Lower Heyford (OX25)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Why it is worth a survey now in Lower Heyford
Sellers are not always aware of roof problems. The forms they complete only show what they’re aware of. Our survey shows you the roof as it is today. Older and listed buildings around Lower Heyford may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so leaving a defect until it’s urgent leaves less time to plan.
A Basic Survey starts from £150, inc. VAT. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400. You will know the price for your roof before booking.
Why book with us
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
What we do, step by step
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that is worrying you. After that, we look at everything we can see safely. The survey normally takes roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, and more on a big or complicated roof. Older rural homes like those around Lower Heyford can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- 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
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
Booking a survey
To book a survey, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Advice
Also near Lower Heyford
Other services in Lower Heyford
When to book a survey in Lower Heyford
Many roofs have had quick fixes over the years. Bitumen painted over a flashing, mortar where lead should be, or a few tiles that don’t match can be signs that something has leaked before. We note what we see so you can ask about it.
Problems we come across often include:
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Mary, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Questions to ask before you book
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- What experience they bring
- What the survey won’t cover
Lower Heyford questions
Is my home in Lower Heyford listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Do you cover Lower Heyford?
Yes, Lower Heyford is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That way you can still act on what we find.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. The outcome is between you and the seller.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Let us know about it as you book and we’ll explain what’s needed.
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.
How many surveys have you done?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
Before and after the survey
Small things make a difference. Some pointers:
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Request records of any re-roofing
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
With Standard, you get a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. If anything in the report is not clear, ask us.
Don’t block the vents at the eaves. Poor ventilation lets condensation build up, wetting timbers and insulation. Keep insulation clear of eaves vents so air can move.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and falls from height are serious. That is where a survey comes in.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Lower Heyford: local notes
If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. An older home may be listed, or stand in a conservation area. Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the council can say whether a street is in a conservation area. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent.
If you let a flat or house near Heyford station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Lower Heyford is about 6 miles west of Bicester, in Oxfordshire. Roofs in Lower Heyford get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Oxfordshire. We cover towns and villages across Oxfordshire, large and small. Our Oxford page covers surveys nearby.
All of OX25 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We cover properties on Station Road, Market Square and Freehold Street and the roads around them. If you’re just outside Lower Heyford, we cover Caulcott (1 mile east), Upper Heyford (1 mile north-east), Somerton (3 miles north), Middleton Stoney (3 miles east) and Fritwell (4 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include Oxford (12 miles south), Banbury (10 miles north), Bicester (6 miles east), Witney (13 miles south-west), Kidlington (7 miles south) and Headington Quarry (12 miles south).
What’s near Lower Heyford
Around Lower Heyford, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Bell Inn. Lower Heyford has its own railway station: Heyford station. A little further out are Bicester Community Hospital (5.9 miles east) and Ardley Castle (3.5 miles north-east).