Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Sunnymead Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Sunnymead and the rest of Oxfordshire. We survey on weekdays and at weekends.
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
- A structural engineer’s report
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Sunnymead
Our packages start with the Basic Survey from £150, with the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT. Standard adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. Premium goes further, with thermal imaging, a drone where applicable and a same-day report. Pick the one that fits the property. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. We’re often asked to look into worn or lifted lead flashings and a ridge or slope that dips, across chimney stacks, gutters and downpipes and clay and concrete tiles.
Houses in smaller places like Sunnymead can stand more in the open than those in a built-up town, so their roofs may take more wind and driving rain. Ridges, verges and flashings are where that weather normally shows first. Whether you are buying or signing off new work, those edges deserve a careful look. On an exposed roof, a loose ridge or verge soon becomes a bigger job.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Place
- Sunnymead (OX2)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. That way we can focus on what matters to you. The visit normally takes an hour or two for most houses, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Homes around Sunnymead often have gardens on more than one side, which gives us room to step back and see the roof. Let us know if any side is fenced off or hard to reach. The loft, where there is safe access, completes the picture.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the loft space and look at the roof from windows.
- You get a report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Getting a price
If you are buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email when you are ready.
Advice
Also near Sunnymead
What else we do in Sunnymead
DIY checks: what’s safe
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That part is for a survey.
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Sunnymead
West Oxfordshire’s older buildings frequently carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their 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. Holywell Manor, about 2.1 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Sunnymead. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
Landlords with a home close to Oxford Parkway station may find that the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Sunnymead is about 3 miles north-west of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. Sunnymead is part of the area we cover as part of our work across London and South East England. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Sunnymead.
Surveys in OX2 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. You will find streets like Wren Road, Scott Road and Wyatt Road, all of which we cover. Being close to the A4165, Sunnymead is simple for us to get to for pre-purchase roof surveys. Other places close to Sunnymead include Cutteslowe (1 mile north), Summertown (1 mile south), North Oxford (1 mile south), Wolvercote (1 mile west) and Park Town (1 mile south). Further out, we also cover Oxford (3 miles south-east), Didcot (12 miles south), Bicester (9 miles north-east), Abingdon-on-Thames (7 miles south), Witney (10 miles west) and Carterton (14 miles west).
Around Sunnymead
Around Sunnymead, our work takes us to homes and buildings near St Hugh's College Main Building Including Library, Oxford University Parks and Dew Drop Inn and the streets around them. Also close by are Summer Fields School (0.5 miles south) and Oxford Academy (0.7 miles south). For rail, the closest station is Oxford Parkway station, roughly 1.4 miles north. A little further out are Oxford Castle (2.3 miles south) and Oxford University Museum of Natural History (1.8 miles south). For a walk, there’s Hook Meadow and The Trap Grounds and Headington Hill.
Useful tips for Sunnymead property owners
Getting the most from a pre-purchase roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- Ask for loft access on the day
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
Once the home is yours, the report becomes a maintenance list. Deal with the urgent items first, and keep the photographs to compare against later. The Premium Survey includes a 12-month follow-up.
Keep the loft ventilated. Poor ventilation lets condensation build up, wetting timbers and insulation. Avoid packing insulation into the eaves so tightly that air can’t flow.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Sunnymead
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed in advance. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends, which can make access easier.
We survey roofs for landlords and letting agents as well as homeowners. A photo-illustrated written report gives you a clear record of the roof.
When to book a survey in Sunnymead
Slates and tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay that hold them. Natural slate can last 100 years or more, yet the nails holding it rust and let slates slide. It is a frequent finding on older houses.
Most people get in touch after spotting something like this:
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Blocked or leaking gutters
Take an older house close to Roman Catholic Church of St Gregory and St Augustine: the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Before you book anyone
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- What exactly goes into their report
- What follow-up you get after the report
- When you will get the report
Sunnymead questions
Is Sunnymead within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Sunnymead?
Yes, Sunnymead is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Sunnymead as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes, you can. The report sets out what we found, with photos, which you can share with the seller or agent. How the seller responds is up to them.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
Once your offer has been accepted, and before exchange. That gives you time to use the findings.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Where we can, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If access isn’t possible, we note it in the report.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime. Just say which days work for you.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Only where it is safe. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft.