Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in West Challow, Oxfordshire
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for West Challow, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
Landlords, agents and block managers in West Challow
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in West Challow. For a price for a let property or a block, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, including offices, shops and units. Bigger roofs take more time, so they’re priced to suit.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in West Challow
The roof is one of the most expensive parts of a home to repair, and one of the hardest for a buyer to see. Our pre-purchase roof survey gives you a careful look at it before you are committed. We check the coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters, and the loft space where it’s safe to get in. The findings come in a written report with photos. We survey chimney stacks, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and lead flashings and valleys, and people most often book us about roof slopes that look uneven or sagging and flashings that have lifted or split.
For a small place like West Challow, the visit is planned like any other: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed in advance. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when booking, so the visit can be planned around them. Whether you are buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Visits can be booked on weekdays and at weekends.
It isn’t only a list of defects. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend.
- Place
- West Challow (OX12)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
West Challow homes and their roofs
Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. There are about 500,000 buildings on England’s list of listed buildings, and around 10,000 conservation areas. If your home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission, so check with the council.
For any home in West Challow, it’s the small, early fault that is cheapest to put right.
West Challow is about 2 miles west of Wantage, in Oxfordshire. We survey roofs in West Challow and the surrounding area across London and South East England. West Challow is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire where we work. There is also a page for Oxford.
Every address in OX12 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We cover properties on Orchard Gardens, The Glebe and Silver Lane. Other places close to West Challow include Childrey (1 mile south-west), East Challow (1 mile east), Letcombe Regis (1 mile south-east), Wantage (2 miles east) and Letcombe Bassett (2 miles south). Further out, we also cover Oxford (15 miles north-east), Didcot (10 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (10 miles north-east), Witney (13 miles north), Carterton (13 miles north-west) and Faringdon (6 miles north-west).
Around West Challow
Around West Challow, our work takes us to homes and buildings near King Alfred's, The Hatchet Public House and Betjeman Millennium Park and the streets around them. Other landmarks nearby include Williams F1 Grand Prix Collection (3.1 miles north-east). The countryside around West Challow includes Chain Hill and Letcombe Valley.
What you can safely check yourself
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Different roofs, different checks
Clay and concrete tiles
Older homes in the South East often have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles on some. Where pegs have rotted, tiles can slip, so we look for gaps along the courses.
Natural slate
Older slate roofs often have bitumen felt under them, and very old ones may have none. From inside the roof space, we report what we can see of it.
Common questions in West Challow
Is West Challow in the area you cover?
Yes, West Challow is within the area we cover. Our area covers London and South East England. You can call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and some details.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in West Challow?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That way you can still act on what we find, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and that is where a roof survey helps. It is not a replacement for a RICS survey.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Where it helps and it is safe, yes. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We are a CAA-registered drone operator.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS home survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling are not something we do. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it.
Before and after the survey
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Don’t leave it until just before exchange
With Standard, you get a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. Whichever package you choose, you can ask us what a finding means.
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.
Also near West Challow
Also in West Challow
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in West Challow?
Rear extensions, dormers and garages frequently have flat roofs. Felt flat roofs frequently 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.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
Take an older house close to Church of St Laurence: ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Will the report include photos?
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
What happens on the day
Photographs are taken throughout the visit, so you can see in the report what we found and where. We take close-ups from wherever is safe, including by drone where it’s applicable and the weather allows. Most surveys take an hour or two for most houses, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Somewhere as small as West Challow, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed beforehand.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- You get a report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
Before we arrive
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
How to book
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, so ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the details.