Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in North Oxford
Know where you stand with the roof before you spend money on it. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in North Oxford, with photos and a clear written report.
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
Pre-purchase roof survey in North Oxford: what you get
A roof report gives you something solid to take back to the seller or the agent. You can ask about the roof’s history, ask for repairs before completion or rethink the price. What the seller agrees to is up to them, but you will be negotiating from a clear picture rather than a hunch. It can also help you decide whether the purchase is still right for you. If you’ve noticed quick fixes on flashings and valleys and lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on flat-roofed extensions and dormers, chimney stacks and the roof space alike.
Around North Oxford, you will mostly find houses and bungalows of different ages. In older homes, the slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay holding them. For a purchase or a newly replaced roof, what’s under the coverings matters as much as what’s on top. Breathable membranes only appeared in the late 1990s, so older roofs often have bitumen felt or nothing at all.
The written findings come 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.
- Where
- North Oxford (OX2)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in North Oxford
About 1.5 miles south-east lies Holywell Manor, a reminder of how long the area around North Oxford has been built on. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St Michael and All Angels, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
North Oxford is about 2 miles north-west of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. We provide pre-purchase roof surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in North Oxford and the surrounding area. Across Oxfordshire, we cover North Oxford and the places around it.
We cover every part of OX2 for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on Hobson Road, Linton Road and Banbury Road or anywhere close by, we can help. Being close to the A4165, North Oxford is simple for us to get to for pre-purchase roof surveys. Other places close to North Oxford include Summertown (1 mile north), Park Town (1 mile south), Walton Manor (1 mile south), Norham Manor (1 mile south-east) and Sunnymead (1 mile north). We also work in nearby towns like Didcot (11 miles south), Bicester (10 miles north-east), Abingdon-on-Thames (7 miles south), Witney (10 miles west), Carterton (14 miles west) and Thame (13 miles east).
Local landmarks in North Oxford
We work in homes and buildings around St Aloysius' Catholic Primary School, Oxford University Parks and St Edward's School, among other places. Other local landmarks include St Hugh's College Main Building Including Library (0.5 miles south) and Dew Drop Inn (less than half a mile north). For rail, the closest station is Oxford station, about 1.4 miles south of the centre. Nearby you will also find Oxford University Press Museum (1.1 miles south) and Oxford Castle (1.5 miles south). Open spaces near North Oxford include Hook Meadow and The Trap Grounds and Headington Hill.
What we can’t see
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will point you to the right survey before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in North Oxford
Rear extensions, dormers and garages often have flat roofs. A felt roof often lasts around 15 to 20 years, and standing water, blisters and splits are typical signs of ageing. A buyer can easily miss them, because many can only be seen from an upstairs window.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
If you own a rental within reach of Oxford station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- What experience they bring
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
Towns and villages near North Oxford
More services for North Oxford
The survey, step by step
We check the roof from outside and, where it is relevant and there is safe access, from inside the roof space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. All in, the survey usually takes about 1–2 hours at a typical home, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Some parts of a survey depend on the weather, so a visit to North Oxford is booked with the forecast in mind: the parts that need calm, dry weather are planned around it.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Before we arrive
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
How to book
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will explain the options and the price.
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Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
We survey roofs for landlords and letting agents as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photographs.
Roof by roof
Flat roofs
Repeated coatings on a flat roof can mask what’s underneath. We record what we can see and say where a closer look is needed.
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay and concrete tiles commonly last 50 years or more. Cracked, slipped or missing tiles are noted, along with odd replacement tiles that hint at earlier leaks.
North Oxford: your questions answered
Do you carry out roof surveys in North Oxford?
Yes, North Oxford is within the area we cover. Our area covers London and South East England. Just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the property.
Will you come out to North Oxford?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We work right across London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. We look at the parts we’re given access to.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them, and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Where possible, yes. We look in the loft space where there’s safe access, and views from upper windows help too. The agent or seller can arrange entry.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
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.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Leaving it means judging the roof from the street. That will not show slipped slates on the rear slope, a worn valley or cracked flaunching. A survey fills that gap before you commit. Tradespeople may need to travel further to a smaller place like North Oxford, so it’s useful to plan roof work rather than call someone out in a hurry. Knowing early gives you time to get the right people in.
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, from £400 inc. VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you want to find out.
Why book us in North Oxford
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- Package prices that include VAT
- PI and public liability insurance
- Over 20 years’ experience
Read our cost guide and two real surveys.