Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Ratley, Oxfordshire
Know where you stand with the roof before you spend money on it. Pre-purchase roof surveys in Ratley.
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Ratley
If you are buying a flat, the roof may well be shared. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that’s often not the individual flat owner. We inspect what access allows us to see safely, and the report helps you ask your solicitor or the managing agent the right questions. Where the building has a flat roof, it is checked as far as access allows. Typical surveys look at gutters choked with leaves and moss and patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem, across clay and concrete tiles, chimney stacks and the roof space.
Being in a small place like Ratley makes no difference to the inspection itself: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed beforehand. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at when booking. Whether you are buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Visits can be booked seven days a week.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Where
- Ratley (OX15)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
When you need someone else
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
What we do, step by step
After the inspection, everything we found is written up in a report with photographs, emailed to you. As for time on site, most surveys take between one and two hours at a typical home; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. In a hamlet or village like Ratley, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- 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 the survey
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
Book a survey
Getting a price is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or email us, let us know about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
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Ratley homes and their roofs
West Oxfordshire’s older buildings frequently 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. With Upton House about 1.3 miles south-west, Ratley sits in an area with a long building history. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Peter Ad Vincula, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Ratley is about 6 miles north-west of Banbury, in Oxfordshire. We survey roofs in Ratley and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and South East England. Ratley is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. We also survey roofs in Oxford.
Here we cover the OX15 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on High Street, Townhill and Chapel Lane or anywhere close by, we can help. If you’re just outside Ratley, we cover Edgehill (1 mile west), Sun Rising (2 miles south-west) and Hornton (2 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Banbury (6 miles south-east), Chipping Norton (13 miles south), Neithrop (6 miles south-east), Grimsbury (7 miles south-east), Ruscote (6 miles south-east) and Bloxham (8 miles south).
Local landmarks in Ratley
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Rose And Crown Public House and the streets around them. A little further out are W. O. Bentley Memorial Foundation (3.3 miles south-east) and King John's Castle (3.9 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Edge Hill.
Why act early in Ratley
Without a survey, you’re relying on a glance from the pavement. That will not show slipped slates on the rear slope, a worn valley or cracked flaunching. We fill that gap before you’re tied in. In a place like Ratley, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Prices start from £150, inc. VAT, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, both inc. VAT. You’ll know the price for your survey before booking.
What you get with us
- 98% of clients satisfied
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- An independent look at the roof
Ratley: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Ratley?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Do you cover smaller places like Ratley?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it is safe. We also inspect from ground level, upper windows and the roof space.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. We will talk about access when you book.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it applies and safe. We fly a sub-250g drone and we’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). It’s included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where applicable, the Premium Survey.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, if the freeholder or managing agent agrees access. We look at the parts we’re given access to, and the report makes that clear.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
We are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
Towns and villages near Ratley
Other services in Ratley
Practical tips
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Ask for loft access on the day
- Don’t leave it until just before exchange
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. What happens next is your decision and the seller’s.
Don’t block the vents at the eaves. Poor ventilation lets condensation build up, wetting timbers and insulation. Keep insulation clear of eaves vents so air can move.
Roof by roof
Flat roofs
A flat roof that has been coated over several times may hide problems underneath. We record what we can see and say where a closer look is needed.
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay plain tiles are common on older South East homes, and some still have peg tiles. Where pegs have rotted, tiles can slip.
For landlords and managing agents
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too. Larger roofs take longer, so they’re priced to suit.
With a portfolio of properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the addresses.