Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Marston, Oxfordshire
Know where you stand with the roof before you decide what to do next. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Marston.
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Blocked or leaking gutters
How the survey works
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings as a photo-illustrated written report, emailed to you. As for time on site, it typically takes an hour or two at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Around Marston, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it’s useful to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- 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
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
How to book
To get a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Marston, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us price the survey accurately.
Advice
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Marston
If you’re buying a flat, the roof may well be shared. Depending on the lease, roof repairs may fall to the building owner or a management company. We inspect what access allows us to see safely, and the report helps you ask your solicitor or the managing agent the right questions. If the building has a flat roof, we look at that too where access allows. We survey chimney stacks, lead flashings and valleys and clay and concrete tiles, and people most often book us about worn or lifted lead flashings and a ridge or slope that dips.
Older buildings in small places like Marston may be listed or in a conservation area. If so, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so check with the council before work starts. Whether you’re buying or signing off new roofing, it’s worth knowing where you stand. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photographs, emailed to you. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Location
- Marston (OX3, OX2)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from the ground
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and falls from height are serious. That’s where a survey comes in.
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Local roofs and buyers in Marston
With Holywell Manor about 1.5 miles south, Marston sits in an area with a long building history. If yours is one of the older homes, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof. Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new.
If you own a rental within reach of Oxford station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer. If you live in an older home near Church of St Nicholas, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Marston is about 2 miles north of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. If you’re in Marston, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Marston is one of the places in Oxfordshire we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys.
All of OX3 and OX2 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Streets in the area include Back Lane, Mill Lane and Butts Lane, and we cover them all. We also cover the places around Marston: Northway (1 mile south-east), New Marston (1 mile south), Norham Manor (1 mile south-west), Summertown (1 mile west) and North Oxford (1 mile west). We also work in nearby towns such as Didcot (12 miles south), Bicester (9 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (7 miles south), Witney (11 miles west), Carterton (15 miles west) and Thame (12 miles east).
Local landmarks in Marston
Typical jobs here are in homes near Oxford University Parks, Oxford Academy and Swan School, among other places. Other local landmarks include Victoria Arms (0.5 miles west) and St Hugh's College Main Building Including Library (1.3 miles south-west). The closest station to Marston is Oxford station, about 2.2 miles south-west of the centre. Nearby you will also find Pitt Rivers Museum (1.5 miles south-west) and Oxford Castle (2.1 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Headington Hill and Hook Meadow and The Trap Grounds.
What affects the price in Marston
We confirm the price for the job before you book. These are the things that affect it:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, including VAT.
What to tell us when you get in touch
We will normally ask about:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Dates you are working to, like exchange
When you’re ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.
What we cannot see
No survey can tell you everything, and we’d rather be clear about that before you book. Bear these in mind:
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll suggest the right survey. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
Questions from Marston
How do I find out if my home in Marston is listed?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Is Marston within the area you cover?
Yes. Marston is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. It’s a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, and you get a written report with photos. It does not cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
They do different things. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Our survey complements a RICS survey and doesn’t replace one.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it helps and it is safe, yes. Flights depend on the weather on the day and airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We are a CAA-registered drone operator.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, if the freeholder or managing agent agrees access. We check the parts we are given access to, and the report makes that clear.
Are you insured?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and details are available on request.
Leave it or get it looked at?
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, whatever anyone remembers. In a place like Marston, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so they’re priced to match. You’ll know the figure before booking.
Why book with us
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Prices that include VAT
Useful tips for Marston property owners
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Let us know your exchange date when you book
- Book once your offer is accepted
It is worth sharing the report with your solicitor so they can raise enquiries with the seller’s side. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it.
Keep the loft ventilated. Poor ventilation lets condensation build up, wetting timbers and insulation. Avoid packing insulation into the eaves so tightly that air can’t flow.