Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Northway
Get a clear view of the roof at a property in Northway from an independent roof surveyor. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- A ridge or slope that dips
What we can’t see
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Northway
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
Pre-purchase roof survey in Northway: what you get
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where it applies, and the report arrives the same day. Where a flight is not possible, because of airspace rules or the weather, we tell you and inspect from every other safe vantage point. We survey natural slate, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and clay and concrete tiles, and common reasons people get in touch are gutters that overflow or drip at the joints and blistered or split felt on a flat roof.
Bungalows, chalet bungalows and older cottages are common in smaller places like Northway, and many have been extended or had dormers added. Low roofs are easier to see from the ground, but dormer cheeks, valleys and flat-roofed additions still need close attention. That applies whether you’re buying in Northway or checking a new roof there. Snags and wear both tend to show at dormer lead work and along flat-roof edges.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, sent by email. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Where
- Northway (OX3)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips from our surveys
Nothing here needs a ladder. A few suggestions:
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
After you move in, keep the report somewhere safe. Deal with the urgent items first, and keep the photos to compare against later. The Premium Survey includes a 12-month follow-up.
Every so often, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.
How the survey changes by roof type
Natural slate
Older slate roofs often have bitumen felt under them, and very old ones may have none. Where we can see it from the loft, we say what condition it is in.
Gutters and parapets
Some older terraces have a butterfly roof with a central valley gutter. If yours does, we check that gutter and where it drains.
The survey, step by step
On the day, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you want to find out. We then inspect everything that can safely be seen, using the ground, windows, the loft and a drone where applicable. Most surveys take between one and two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Being in a smaller place like Northway does not change how the visit works: outside, inside and from any safe vantage point, in that order. It’s useful to show us anything you’ve already noticed.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the loft space and look at the roof from windows.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
Before we arrive
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Keep pets in another room
Book a survey
Not sure which survey you need? It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll explain the options and the price.
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Also near Northway
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Questions from Northway
Is Northway within the area you cover?
Yes, Northway is covered. We work right across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Northway?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
How many surveys have you done?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have completed over 5,000 surveys.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We carry out surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To find a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
How long does the survey visit take?
Allow about one to two hours at most homes, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. We will confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. You need the report before you exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes, you can. The report sets out what we found, with photos, which you can share with the seller or agent. How the seller responds is up to them.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Northway: local notes
West Oxfordshire’s older buildings often carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their thatch. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. Holywell Manor, about 1.5 miles south-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Northway. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Take an older house close to St Anthony of Padua: ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges. For landlords with property near Oxford station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Northway is about 1 mile north of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Northway for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Our area takes in places right across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: OX3. You will find streets like Copse Lane, Marsh Lane and Upway Road, all of which we cover. Northway is on the A40, so it is easy for us to get to. We also cover the places around Northway: Headington (1 mile south-east), Marston (1 mile north-west), New Marston (1 mile south-west), Headington Hill (1 mile south) and Headington Quarry (1 mile south-east). Further out, we also cover Didcot (11 miles south), Bicester (9 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (7 miles south), Witney (12 miles west), Thame (11 miles east) and Wantage (15 miles south-west).
Local landmarks in Northway
We work in homes and buildings around English Faculty Library, Bury Knowle Park and Cheney School, among other places. Other local landmarks include Rye St Antony School (0.8 miles south) and White Hart Inn (0.6 miles south-east). The nearest railway station is Oxford station, about 2.4 miles south-west of the centre. A little further out are Churchill Hospital (0.5 miles south) and Oxford Castle (2.2 miles south-west). The countryside around Northway includes Headington Hill and CS Lewis Nature Reserve.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Northway
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer.
Landlords and agents in Northway book surveys as well as householders. A photo-illustrated written report gives you a clear record of the roof, useful for planning maintenance.
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Northway
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- How big the roof is
- House, block, shop or office
One thing that affects the price is the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, including VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
What to tell us when you contact us
These details help when you contact us:
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- The address and postcode of the property
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the details.