Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Shillingford Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys across Shillingford, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
Questions from Shillingford
Will you come out to Shillingford?
Yes, Shillingford is covered. We survey roofs across London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Shillingford?
Normally it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. RAF Benson is about 3 miles away, so we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before any flight. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, and the rest of the survey doesn’t depend on the drone.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we are allowed to reach, and the report makes that clear.
When will the report arrive?
That depends on which survey you choose: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Let us know your exchange date and we’ll help you choose.
What insurance do you have?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
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.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We don’t sample or test for asbestos. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it’s disturbed.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Shillingford: what you get
The roof is one of the most expensive parts of a home to repair, and one of the hardest for a buyer to see. A pre-purchase roof survey looks at it closely before you’re tied in. We check the coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters, plus the loft where there’s safe access. The findings come in a written report with photos. We are frequently asked to look into old water stains in the roof space and lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney, on chimney stacks, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and natural slate.
Somewhere as small as Shillingford, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings frequently sit beside a few newer homes. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Where
- Shillingford (OX10)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Flat roofs
Flat roofs on extensions, dormers and garages are easy to forget about. Felt roofs frequently last around 15 to 20 years, rubber longer and GRP up to about 30. We look for signs of age and failure.
Chimney stacks
A stack stands exposed above the roof line. The pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings are all checked.
What we can’t see
Every survey has limits, and it is better to know them up front. Bear these in mind:
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
What we check
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- The roof space
Nearby places to Shillingford
Other services in Shillingford
Why act early in Shillingford
A seller may honestly not know the state of the roof. The forms they complete only show what they’re aware of. Our survey shows you the roof as it is today, whatever anyone remembers. Matching old materials, like handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. That is one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
We offer three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why us?
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- Visits on any day of the week
- Prices that include VAT
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
Read what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
Local roofs and buyers in Shillingford
Historic houses like Brightwell Manor, about 1.8 miles south-west, show how far back building in the area around Shillingford goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. 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. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most.
If you live in an older home near Church of St Lawrence, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Shillingford is about 5 miles east of Didcot, in Oxfordshire. From houses to flats and shops in Shillingford, the roof can be surveyed on a weekday or at the weekend. Shillingford is one of the places in Oxfordshire we cover. Our Oxford page covers surveys nearby.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: OX10. Streets in the area include Warborough Road, New Road and Hartley Close, all of which we cover. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Warborough (1 mile north), Dorchester (1 mile north-west), Brightwell-cum-Sotwell (1 mile south-west), Benson (2 miles south-east) and Berrick Salome (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (9 miles north-west), Didcot (5 miles west), Abingdon-on-Thames (7 miles north-west), Thame (11 miles north-east), Wantage (13 miles west) and Henley-on-Thames (12 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Shillingford
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Six Bells Inn and Wallingford School. Shillingford’s nearest station is Cholsey station, roughly 4.3 miles south of the centre. A little further out are Aston Martin Heritage Trust Museum (1.9 miles north) and Brightwell Castle (1.7 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Ewelme Watercress Beds and Wittenham Clumps.
Tips from our surveys
You do not need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
With Standard, you get a follow-up consultation, while Premium includes a consultation in person. Whichever package you choose, you can ask us what a finding means.
Every so frequently, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Shillingford
Patch repairs are common on roofs of every age. 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.
Look out for signs like these:
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
If you let a flat or house near Cholsey station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Their report turnaround times
The survey, step by step
The visit typically starts outside and finishes in the loft: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the loft space where it can be reached. In total, it takes about 1–2 hours at a typical home, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Around Shillingford, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it’s safe.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- 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.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Before we arrive
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
Getting a price
Most bookings start with a short call: call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.