Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Oakley, Oxfordshire
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Oakley, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
Roof by roof
Clay and concrete tiles
Many post-war houses have concrete interlocking tiles. They’re heavy and hard-wearing, but they weather and can crack, and low-pitched roofs need their laps to be right.
Gutters and parapets
Hidden gutters behind parapets send water indoors when they block. We check their linings and outlets from wherever is safe.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Oakley
A Basic Survey starts from £150, while Standard starts from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. Standard adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. Premium adds thermal imaging, a drone inspection where applicable and an in-person consultation. Pick the one that fits the property. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. We survey the roof space, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and lead flashings and valleys, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are slates or tiles that have slipped or gone and standing water on a flat extension roof.
Houses in smaller places like Oakley can stand more in the open than those in a built-up town, so their roofs may take more wind and driving rain. Loose ridge tiles, lifted coverings and tired flashings are the kind of things that show it. Whether you’re buying or signing off new work, those edges deserve a close look. Wind lifts anything already loose, so a small fault on an exposed roof does not stay small for long.
If any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. That way, it is clear what was covered and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Place
- Oakley (OX39)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Before and after the survey
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Do not leave it until just before exchange
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. They’ll see exactly what we found, and where, which makes quotes easier to compare.
After you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, ideally once the leaves have dropped. Overflowing water is behind a lot of damp. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.
The survey, step by step
It helps to start with what’s prompted the survey: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit usually takes an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Some parts of a survey depend on the weather, so a visit to Oakley is booked with the forecast in mind: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from the ground and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know 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 ground level and from vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it’s safe.
- You get a written report with photographs and recommendations before you exchange.
Before the survey
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
How to book
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Advice
Common roof problems in Oakley
Chimneys take the worst of the weather. Mortar erodes, the flaunching around the pots cracks and the flashings work loose. On terraced and semi-detached homes, a stack may be shared with next door, which matters if work is needed.
People typically book a survey after spotting something like this:
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
The streets around a church such as Church of St Andrew are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether VAT is added on top
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- What experience they bring
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
What happens if roof problems are left?
A seller may honestly not know the state of the roof. The forms they complete only show what they’re aware of. An independent look tells you how the roof is now, whatever anyone remembers. On a bungalow or cottage around Oakley, the roof sits close to the rooms below, so a small leak can mark a ceiling within a few storms. Finding the cause first saves a second job inside.
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so the price reflects that. The price is confirmed before booking.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Oakley
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Prices that include VAT
- An independent look at the roof
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or our case studies.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- The roof’s overall size
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, inc. VAT, and we can help you choose.
What we need to know
Some details help us recommend the right survey and price. When you contact us, tell us:
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
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 talk you through the options and what they cost.
Places near Oakley
What else we do in Oakley
Questions from Oakley
How do I find out if my home in Oakley is listed?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Is Oakley in the area you cover?
Yes. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and Oakley is part of that. You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and some details, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
It’s your choice, but the two do different jobs. A RICS home survey covers the whole building, while ours looks only at the roof, in more detail. Our survey complements a RICS survey and doesn’t replace one.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. Roofs over flats are frequently shared, so we need permission from whoever owns or manages the building. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
What’s the best way to book?
It’s easiest to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Tell us the address and a little about the roof. We survey seven days a week.
Does the weather affect the survey?
It can, depending on the survey. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions are not right, we will talk to you about another date.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Oakley
The wider area around Oakley has a long history of building, with Adwell House about 3.2 miles west. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you own a rental within reach of Princes Risborough station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Oakley is about 4 miles south-east of Thame, in Oxfordshire. Oakley is one of many places we visit across Oxfordshire. We cover towns and villages across Oxfordshire, large and small. Our Oxford page covers surveys nearby.
Here we cover the OX39 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Streets in the area include Mill Lane, Beech Road and Oakley Lane, all of which we cover. If you’re just outside Oakley, we cover Crowell (1 mile south-west), Kingston Blount (1 mile south-west), Crowell Hill (1 mile south-east), Aston Rowant (2 miles south-west) and Postcombe (3 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (14 miles west), Didcot (15 miles south-west), Thame (4 miles north-west), Henley-on-Thames (12 miles south), Benson (10 miles south-west) and Headington Quarry (13 miles west).
Local landmarks in Oakley
In Oakley, that means homes and buildings near The Wheatsheaf pub and the streets around them. Oakley’s nearest station is Princes Risborough station, roughly 3.5 miles east. Other landmarks nearby include Thame Community Hospital (3.8 miles north-west). Not far away are Bald Hill and Oakley Hill nature reserve.