Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Milton Common
Need a pre-purchase roof survey in Milton Common? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, with the most urgent items set out first.
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf, with the report sent to whoever needs it. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Milton Common
A RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey covers the whole building, and the roof is only one part of it. Our survey is not a RICS survey, and it does not replace one. It adds a focused look at the roof on its own, with photos of what we find and written recommendations. You can have both if you want the fullest picture. We are frequently asked to look into bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs and ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof, across natural slate, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and gutters and downpipes.
Being in a small place like Milton Common makes no difference to the inspection itself: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed in advance. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them as you book. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
It is not only a list of defects. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend.
- Where
- Milton Common (OX9)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Places near Milton Common
Other services in Milton Common
What happens on the day
There isn’t much for you to do on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we’ll get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Around Milton Common, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. 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.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Before the survey
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Booking a survey
When you’re ready to go ahead, call 07833 053749 or send us an email. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
Read more
Common roof problems in Milton Common
Chimneys take the worst of the weather. Pointing crumbles, flaunching cracks and flashings lift. A stack may be shared with the neighbours, which matters if work is needed.
Problems we come across often include:
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
Take an older house close to Church of St Helen: ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs frequently have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- What experience they bring
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- How soon the report will arrive
- Whether VAT is added on top
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
We only report whatever is safely visible on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we check
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Natural slate
Milton Common questions
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Milton Common?
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.
Is Milton Common within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
What if it rains on the day?
Light rain does not usually stop a survey. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so if conditions aren’t right we’ll arrange another day with you.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We do not sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it is safe. We also inspect from ground level, upper windows and the loft space, and a drone is part of the Premium Survey where applicable.
How long does the survey visit take?
The visit typically takes about one to two hours at most homes, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. We will confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
How do I book a survey in Milton Common?
Just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address. We will ask a few questions, confirm the price and agree a date.
Why act early in Milton Common
The lender’s valuation is done for the lender, not for you. Its job is to check the property’s value for the mortgage, not at the condition of each slate and flashing. A roof survey is carried out for the buyer. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Milton Common, driving rain gets into any weakness, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
Prices start from £150, inc. VAT, for a Basic Survey. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400, both inc. VAT. You will know the exact price before booking.
What you get with us
- Package prices that include VAT
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or two real surveys.
Buying a home or a new roof in Milton Common
Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most. With Adwell House about 3.8 miles south-east, Milton Common sits in an area with a long building history. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Milton Common is about 4 miles west of Thame, in Oxfordshire. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Milton Common can all book pre-purchase roof surveys, with a written report and photographs every time. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Milton Common. We also survey roofs in Oxford.
All of OX9 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Local streets include London Road, Old London Road and Sandy Lane, and we cover them all. If you are just outside Milton Common, we cover Tiddington (1 mile north), Albury (1 mile north), Draycott (1 mile north), Great Milton (1 mile west) and Great Haseley (1 mile south-west). We also work in nearby towns like Oxford (8 miles west), Didcot (12 miles south-west), Bicester (13 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (10 miles west), Thame (4 miles east) and Henley-on-Thames (15 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Milton Common
In Milton Common, that means homes and buildings near The Three Pigeons pub, among other places. A little further out are Thame Community Hospital (3.9 miles east) and Waterperry Gardens Rural Museum (2.1 miles north-west). Not far away are Wells Farm.
What you can safely check yourself
It’s useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry.
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That is where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.