Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Roke Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Need a pre-purchase roof survey in Roke? We can help, with a written report you can act on. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
Common questions in Roke
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Roke?
Usually it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. RAF Benson is about 2 miles away, so we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before any flight. A small drone can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, and the rest of the survey does not depend on the drone.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Roke?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
How soon is the report ready?
Premium reports arrive the same day, Standard reports within 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. We send it by email with photos included.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
Book as soon as your offer is agreed. The report is most useful before exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
How experienced are you?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, over more than 20 years, with 98% customer satisfaction.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Does the weather affect the survey?
It can, depending on the survey. Drones can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions aren’t right, we will talk to you about another date.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Roke
Buying a flat brings its own roof questions. Depending on the lease, roof repairs may fall to the building owner or a management company. We inspect what access allows us to see safely, and the report gives you clear points to raise with your solicitor or the managing agent. Where the building has a flat roof, it is checked as far as access allows. We survey the roof space, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and chimney stacks, and people most often book us about blistered or split felt on a flat roof and gaps where slates or tiles have come loose.
Being in a small place like Roke makes no difference to the inspection itself: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at when you book, so the visit can be planned around them. Whether you’re buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Visits can be booked on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Where
- Roke (OX10)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Roke
With Brightwell Manor about 3.4 miles south-west, Roke sits in an area with a long building history. On older houses around here, roofs frequently 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. Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most.
Roke is about 7 miles east of Didcot, in Oxfordshire. We cover Roke and the rest of Oxfordshire. Roke is one of the places in Oxfordshire where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys. Our Oxford page covers surveys nearby.
We survey roofs across the OX10 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. If you’re just outside Roke, we cover Ewelme (2 miles south-east), Brightwell Baldwin (2 miles north-east), Chalgrove (2 miles north), Britwell Salome (3 miles east) and Watlington (4 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (10 miles north-west), Didcot (7 miles west), Abingdon-on-Thames (8 miles west), Thame (9 miles north-east), Wantage (14 miles west) and Henley-on-Thames (11 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Roke
We work in homes and buildings around Home Sweet Home pub and Wallingford School and the streets around them. Nearby you will also find Aston Martin Heritage Trust Museum (2.4 miles north-west) and Wallingford Castle (2.5 miles south-west). Open spaces near Roke include Wittenham Clumps and Ewelme Watercress Beds.
How it works
Every visit follows the same pattern: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from every safe vantage point, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. It usually takes about one to two hours at a typical home, and longer for a large or complex roof. Older rural homes like those around Roke can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- The roof is inspected from every safe vantage point, inside and out.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- We email a photo-illustrated written report and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Before the survey
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Book a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email when you’re ready.
Advice
Useful tips for Roke property owners
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Our tips:
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Mention any deadline when you get in touch
- Share the report with your solicitor
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, and we cannot promise any result.
Every so often, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Roke
Letting agents and landlords in Roke book surveys as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photos, useful for planning maintenance.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, including offices, shops and units. Bigger roofs take more time, and they’re priced for the size.
Also in Roke
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Roke
Many roofs have had quick fixes over the years. Bitumen painted over a flashing, mortar where lead should be, or a few tiles that don’t match can point to a problem that keeps coming back. Our report records them so you can ask the seller what was done and when.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
If you live in an older home near Church of St Helen, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Their report turnaround times
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Is VAT included in the price?
Honest limits
It is a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll point you to the right survey. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings are a common source of leaks, so we look at each one closely. We photograph any that need work.
Chimney stacks
Our chimney check is a visual one, not a flue, gas or sweep inspection. If a flue needs testing, we will suggest who to ask.