Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Lower Shiplake
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Lower Shiplake and the rest of Oxfordshire. We survey on weekdays and at weekends.
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Lower Shiplake
Buildings put up or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. It is often found in cement sheets, soffits and flue pipes. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys, but we flag materials that might and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before work starts.
People normally book a survey after spotting something like this:
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Blocked or leaking gutters
For an older house near a landmark like Church of St Mary, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Questions to ask before you book
- What the survey will not cover
- What experience they bring
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- What exactly goes into their report
Pre-purchase roof survey in Lower Shiplake
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Most of it cannot be seen from the street. Our survey picks it out, with photos so you can see it for yourself. We explain each finding in plain English, so you know what it means for the house you are buying. Typical surveys look at gaps where slates or tiles have come loose and ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof, across gutters and downpipes, clay and concrete tiles and flat-roofed extensions and dormers.
In a village or hamlet like Lower Shiplake, 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.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Location
- Lower Shiplake (RG9)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Lower Shiplake: your questions answered
Will you come out to Lower Shiplake?
Yes, we do. We work right across London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Lower Shiplake?
Yes. Our area covers London and the South East, and Lower Shiplake is part of that. You can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and some details.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so we need permission from the building owner or managing agent. We can only inspect what we are given access to.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. What the seller agrees to is their decision, so we can’t promise any saving.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Even if you go ahead regardless, knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan. The report shows what needs doing first, and you can line up a roofer before small faults grow. For older village homes like those around Lower Shiplake, the right replacement materials are not always easy to find quickly. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, with VAT included, and we can help you choose.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Lower Shiplake
- An independent view of the roof
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
Read how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
Can I check my roof myself?
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
No survey can tell you everything, and it’s better to know them up front. Keep these in mind:
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Whether timbers meet design loads
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll recommend the right survey before booking. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Lower Shiplake
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
Local roofs and buyers in Lower Shiplake
If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Whether you’re buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
Greenlands, about 3.6 miles north, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Lower Shiplake. If you are buying an older home nearby, it is worth knowing whether it is listed or in a conservation area before you plan any re-roofing. For landlords with property near Shiplake station, it’s worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Lower Shiplake is about 4 miles north of Woodley, in Oxfordshire. Bookings from Lower Shiplake are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Across Oxfordshire, we cover Lower Shiplake and the places around it. There is also a page for Reading.
We survey roofs across the RG9 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. Whether your property is on Station Road, Oaks Road and Quarry Lane or anywhere close by, we can survey it. With the A4155 close by, Lower Shiplake is simple for us to get to for pre-purchase roof surveys. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Wargrave (1 mile south-east), Cockpole Green (2 miles north-east), Remenham Hill (2 miles north), Bowsey Hill (2 miles east) and Remenham (3 miles north). Further out, we also cover Benson (12 miles north-west), Chinnor (13 miles north), Tilehurst (7 miles south-west), Wallingford (12 miles north-west), Little Heath (8 miles south-west) and Oakley (13 miles north).
Local landmarks in Lower Shiplake
Around Lower Shiplake, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School, The Baskerville pub and Mill Meadows, among other places. There is a railway station in Lower Shiplake itself: Shiplake station. A little further out are Frazer Nash Archives (1.3 miles north) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (5.2 miles south-west). Not far away are South Lake and Sonning Hill.
Places near Lower Shiplake
Also in Lower Shiplake
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- House, block, shop or office
- The roof’s overall size
For a price for your roof in Lower Shiplake, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Getting in touch
To price your survey accurately, we’ll ask about:
- Anything about access we should know
- The property’s address and postcode
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
When you are ready to go ahead, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
What we do, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. It usually takes about 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Around Lower Shiplake, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it’s useful to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- You book once your offer is accepted and tell us the address and your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from the ground, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it is safe.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Check pets are kept safely away
Book a survey
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.