Roof surveys across London and the South East 07833 053749info@independentroofsurvey.co.uk

Oxfordshire · London and the South East

Pre-purchase roof survey in Tilehurst, Oxfordshire

Pre-purchase roof surveys in Tilehurst from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.

  • Chimney mortar that has eroded
  • Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
  • Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes

Pre-purchase roof surveys in Tilehurst

Should I look at the roof myself first?

What you can’t do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That’s where a survey comes in.

Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Don’t go up yourself.

Pre-purchase roof survey in Tilehurst

Our packages start with the Basic Survey from £150, with the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all with VAT included. Standard adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. Premium goes further, with thermal imaging, a drone where it applies and a same-day report. Choose the level that suits the home you are buying. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. If you are worried about blistered or split felt on a flat roof and gutters choked with leaves and moss, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on flat-roofed extensions and dormers, chimney stacks and gutters and downpipes alike.

Houses in smaller places like Tilehurst can stand more in the open than those in a built-up town, which can mean more wind and rain on the roof. Loose ridge tiles, lifted coverings and tired flashings are the kind of things that show it. 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.

After the visit, you get a report with photographs, emailed to you. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.

Illustration of a house with a sale sign and a roof survey checklist
Location
Tilehurst (RG31, RG30)
Wider area
Oxfordshire
Cost
From £150 inc. VAT
Report
Written, with photos, emailed to you
Appointments
Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
Cover
PI and public liability insurance
Phone
07833 053749
Page updated
27 October 2026

What affects the price in Tilehurst

Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:

  • The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
  • The size of the roof
  • The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
  • Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets

Price depends partly on the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, inc. VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.

What to let us know when you get in touch

The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, let us know:

  • Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
  • The kind of building and roof involved
  • Where the property is, with the postcode
  • Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access

If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine. To get started, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.

Surveys for landlords and agents in Tilehurst

Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget.

If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To discuss a number of properties, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the addresses.

What happens on the day

After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a report with photographs, emailed to you. As for time on site, most surveys take about one to two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Some parts of a survey depend on the weather, so a visit to Tilehurst is booked with the forecast in mind: the parts that need calm, dry weather are planned around it.

  1. Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
  2. Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
  3. We check the roof from ground level, from windows, from the roof space and from the roof where safe.
  4. We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
  5. We email a written report with photographs and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.

Preparing for the visit

  • Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
  • Show us where any leaks or stains appear
  • Let us know about parking near the property

Booking a survey

Booking is simple: just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email, tell us about the property and we will point you to the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.

Ask for a survey

Read more

Tilehurst homes and their roofs

Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Whether you’re buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.

Take an older house close to Tilehurst Methodist Church: older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them. If you let a flat or house near Tilehurst station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in. With Mapledurham House about 1.6 miles north, the area around Tilehurst has a long history. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area.

Tilehurst is about 3 miles west of Reading, in Oxfordshire. We provide pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Tilehurst and the surrounding area. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Tilehurst and the places around it.

Here we cover the RG31 and RG30 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Streets in the area include Ash Road, Tyle Road and Riley Road, and we cover them all. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Tilehurst Within (1 mile south-east), Norcot (1 mile east), Little Heath (1 mile west), Horncastle (1 mile south-east) and Purley on Thames (1 mile north). Larger places within reach include Didcot (14 miles north-west), Henley-on-Thames (7 miles north-east), Benson (11 miles north), Wallingford (10 miles north-west), Great Western Park (14 miles north-west) and Watlington (13 miles north).

What’s near Tilehurst

We work in homes and buildings around Round Copse, The Butchers Arms and Little Heath School, among other places. The nearest railway station is Tilehurst station, about 0.8 miles north of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Battle Hospital (1.7 miles east) and Broad Street Mall (2.6 miles east). For a walk, there’s South Lake and Moor Copse Nature Reserve.

Map of Tilehurst © OpenStreetMap contributors

When you need someone else

This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:

  • What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
  • Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
  • Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits

Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll tell you. What our survey covers.

Roof types and parts we check

  • Gutters and downpipes
  • Clay and concrete tiles
  • Chimney stacks
  • Natural slate
  • Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
  • The roof space
  • Lead flashings and valleys

Tips from our surveys

Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:

  • Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
  • Give your solicitor a copy of the report
  • Ask for loft access on the day
  • Let us know your timetable

Your report arrives by email, with photos of what we found. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Each defect is explained in plain words, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant.

Look in the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.

FAQs for Tilehurst

How do I find out if my home in Tilehurst is listed?

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.

Is Tilehurst within the area you cover?

Yes, we do. We work right across London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.

Does someone need to be in?

Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.

Is this an asbestos survey?

No. Asbestos surveys and sampling are not something we do. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000.

What if it rains on the day?

Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drones can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions aren’t right, we’ll talk to you about another date.

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, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.

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. What the seller agrees to is their decision.

20+ yearsRoof survey experience
5,000+ surveys98% customer satisfaction
Drones and thermal imagingCAA-registered drone operator
Fully insuredProfessional indemnity and public liability
Reports from £150Prices include VAT