Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Sprig's Alley
A careful look at the roof at your property in Sprig's Alley, and put it all in a photo-illustrated written report.
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- A ridge or slope that dips
Pre-purchase roof survey in Sprig's Alley: what you get
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Most of it cannot be seen from the street. Our survey picks it out, with photos so you can see it for yourself. Each finding is explained in plain words, so you know what it means for the house you are buying. We survey clay and concrete tiles, natural slate and chimney stacks, and common reasons people get in touch are slipped or missing slates and tiles and damp timbers or stains in the loft.
For a small place like Sprig's Alley, the visit is planned like any other: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed 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 seven days a week.
Findings are set out part by part, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, with a note and a photo for each point. You will see the good as well as the bad.
- Where
- Sprig's Alley (OX39)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Common questions in Sprig's Alley
Will you come out to Sprig's Alley?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Is Sprig's Alley in the area you cover?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Sprig's Alley as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Do you use drones?
Yes, where it is applicable. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
Are you insured?
We’re covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys, over more than 20 years, and 98% of clients are satisfied.
Will you need to get into the loft?
If it can be arranged, yes. From the loft space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If we can’t get in, the report says so.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. The outcome is between you and the seller.
When to book a survey in Sprig's Alley
Most viewings never get near the roof. You see the rooms, not the slates, and a quick glance from the street misses a lot. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, which is why buyers book a closer look before committing.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
Landlords with a home close to Saunderton station may find that a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- What the survey will not cover
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Their track record with similar roofs
What happens on the day
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a photo-illustrated written report, emailed to you. On timing, most surveys take between one and two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. In a hamlet or village like Sprig's Alley, 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.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed beforehand.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from ground level and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
How to prepare
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Book a survey
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details.
Related advice
Different roofs, different checks
Gutters and parapets
The rainwater system keeps water off the walls. We check for blockages, leaking joints and sagging runs.
Natural slate
Older slate roofs frequently have bitumen felt under them, and very old ones may have none. Where we can see it from the loft, we say what condition it is in.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, including offices, shops and units. Larger roofs take longer, so they’re priced to suit.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Let us know about it when you book and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Also near Sprig's Alley
Other services in Sprig's Alley
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Sprig's Alley
Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. Adwell House, about 4.4 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Sprig's Alley. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
Sprig's Alley is about 6 miles south-east of Thame, in Oxfordshire. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Sprig's Alley can all book pre-purchase roof surveys. Sprig's Alley is one of the places in Oxfordshire where we work. Oxford is in our area too.
All of OX39 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We cover properties on Sprigs Holly Lane and Sprigs Holly and the roads around them. We also cover the places around Sprig's Alley: Bennett End (1 mile south-east), Stokenchurch (1 mile south), Rout's Green (1 mile east), Radnage (2 miles south-east) and Waterend (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (15 miles west), Thame (6 miles north-west), Henley-on-Thames (10 miles south), Benson (10 miles south-west), Headington Quarry (14 miles north-west) and Wallingford (12 miles south-west).
Local landmarks in Sprig's Alley
Around Sprig's Alley, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Sir Charles Napier Inn, among other places. The closest station to Sprig's Alley is Saunderton station, roughly 2.9 miles east. Other landmarks nearby include Thame Community Hospital (5.6 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Oakley Hill nature reserve and Bald Hill.
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- House, block, shop or office
- Which survey package you book
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
Prices start from £150, with VAT included, for a Basic Survey. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400. We confirm the price for your survey before you book.
What to let us know when you contact us
What helps most when you contact us:
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to ring 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
It’s useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when booking.
You can learn a lot from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.