Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Somerton, Oxfordshire
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in Somerton, and put it all in a report with photographs.
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Somerton
Buyers in Somerton and right across London and South East England use our pre-purchase roof survey. From terraced and semi-detached homes to detached houses and flats, we follow the same careful process. The report says what’s in good order, what is not and what to deal with first. We’re insured for professional indemnity and public liability, with more than 20 years’ experience behind us. To book, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. Common reasons to book are slates or tiles that have slipped or gone and lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney, on flat-roofed extensions and dormers, gutters and downpipes and natural slate.
Somewhere as small as Somerton, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings often sit beside a few newer homes. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
It is not only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend.
- Where
- Somerton (OX25)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Common questions in Somerton
Is Somerton in the area you cover?
Yes, Somerton is within the area we cover. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know about the property, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Is my home in Somerton listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Somerton?
Just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address. We’ll ask a few questions, confirm the price and agree a date, weekday or weekend.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Ideally, yes. We look in the roof space where there’s safe access, and upstairs windows give useful views. The agent or seller can arrange entry.
How quickly will I get the report?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. We send it by email with photos included.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling aren’t something we do. Where a material might contain it, like old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it.
What happens on the day
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. It normally takes an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. In a small place like Somerton, access is usually the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- 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.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
How to book
To get a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Somerton, call 07833 053749 or email us. Some details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.
Read more
Why act early in Somerton
When a chain is moving fast, a roof survey can feel like one more delay. Weekend visits are available as well as weekdays, and a Premium report comes the same day, which helps it fit around your exchange date. Older cottages and farmhouses around Somerton can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
For a price for your roof in Somerton, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Why us?
- A written report with photos
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Read our cost guide or our case studies.
Practical tips
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Ask for loft access on the day
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or 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.
After you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, particularly after autumn. Blocked gutters cause much of the damp we see. Get a professional in rather than climbing up yourself.
Places near Somerton
More services for Somerton
Somerton homes and their roofs
Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the council can say whether a street is in a conservation area. Re-roofing in different materials may need permission there. Older buildings in west Oxfordshire frequently have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new.
The streets around a church like Church of St James are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs frequently have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Somerton is about 6 miles north-west of Bicester, in Oxfordshire. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Somerton can all book pre-purchase roof surveys. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Somerton and the places around it. There’s also a page for Oxford.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in OX25 are booked the same way as anywhere else. That includes homes and businesses on Water Street, Wharf Lane and Ardley Road. If you’re just outside Somerton, we cover Fritwell (2 miles east), Clifton (2 miles north), Upper Heyford (2 miles south), Souldern (2 miles north-east) and Lower Heyford (3 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (14 miles south), Banbury (8 miles north), Bicester (6 miles south-east), Witney (15 miles south-west), Kidlington (9 miles south) and Headington Quarry (14 miles south).
Local landmarks in Somerton
For rail, the closest station is Heyford station, roughly 2.7 miles south of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Deddington Castle (2.4 miles north-west).
What we’re asked to look at in Somerton
Flat roofs turn up on extensions, dormers, porches and garages. Felt flat roofs often last around 15 to 20 years, and ponding, blisters and splits are common signs of age. A buyer can easily miss them, particularly when they’re only visible from an upper floor.
Look out for signs like these:
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
If you own a rental within reach of Heyford station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Before booking anyone
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Their insurance cover
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Whether you get a written report with photos
When you need someone else
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Asbestos testing of any kind
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
DIY checks: what’s safe
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.