Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in West Hendred, Oxfordshire
Need a pre-purchase roof survey in West Hendred? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
Useful tips for West Hendred property owners
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- 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
- Don’t leave it until just before exchange
Once the home is yours, the report becomes a maintenance list. Deal with the urgent items first, and use the photos as a record of how the roof looked when you bought. Premium comes with a follow-up after 12 months.
Check the roof from the garden and the street after a storm. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Dealing with them early keeps water out.
About our pre-purchase roof survey in West Hendred
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where applicable, along with a same-day report. Where a flight isn’t possible, because of airspace rules or the weather, we tell you and look from the ground, windows and the loft instead. If you’re worried about blocked or leaking gutters and slipped or missing slates and tiles, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on chimney stacks, clay and concrete tiles and flat-roofed extensions and dormers alike.
Somewhere as small as West Hendred, 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. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
We write the report in plain English, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Photos show what each point refers to.
- Location
- West Hendred (OX12)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Why it’s worth a survey now in West Hendred
Lots of buyers go ahead anyway, but with their eyes open. The report shows what needs doing first, and you can line up a roofer before small faults grow. In a place like West Hendred, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. It is worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Why us?
- Surveys on any day of the week
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Drones and thermal imaging where applicable
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
Read how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
When to book a survey in West Hendred
Flat roofs turn up on extensions, dormers, porches and garages. Felt flat roofs frequently last around 15 to 20 years, and standing water, blisters and splits are typical signs of ageing. A buyer can easily miss them, because many can only be seen from an upstairs window.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Flashings that have lifted or split
For landlords with property near Didcot Parkway station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Before booking anyone
- How soon the report will arrive
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
How it works
We check the roof from outside and, where it is relevant and there is safe access, from inside the roof space too. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging. All in, the survey usually takes roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Older roofs in small places like West Hendred can have low, tight loft spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Getting ready for the survey
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
Book a survey
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so ring 07833 053749 or email us with the details.
Related advice
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed ahead of time. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, with the most urgent items set out first.
Nearby places to West Hendred
What else we do in West Hendred
Local roofs and buyers in West Hendred
Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. The covering on a house you’re buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you live in an older home near Church of the Holy Trinity, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
West Hendred is about 3 miles east of Wantage, in Oxfordshire. Bookings from West Hendred are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. West Hendred is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire where we work. There’s also a page for Oxford.
We survey roofs across OX12 for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. We cover properties on Bankside, The Greenway and The Millham and the roads around them. Close by, we survey roofs in East Hendred (1 mile east), Ardington (1 mile west), East Lockinge (1 mile south-west), Rowstock (2 miles east) and West Ilsley (4 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Oxford (12 miles north-east), Didcot (5 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (6 miles north-east), Witney (14 miles north-west), Wantage (3 miles west) and Grove (3 miles west).
Landmarks near West Hendred
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Hare pub. The closest station to West Hendred is Didcot Parkway station, about 4.9 miles east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Abingdon Community Hospital (5.5 miles north-east) and Atlas Computer Laboratory (2.2 miles south-east). For a walk, there’s Chain Hill and Mowbray Fields.
West Hendred questions
Does a conservation area affect roof work in West Hendred?
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.
Will you come out to West Hendred?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Ideally, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and views from upper windows help too. Access is usually arranged through the agent or seller.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
It is your choice, but the two do different jobs. A RICS home survey covers the whole building, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Our survey complements a RICS survey and does not replace one.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We do not sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it.
Does the weather affect the survey?
It depends on the weather and the survey. In high wind or heavy rain, a drone cannot fly and access may not be safe, so we’d move the date with you.
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, so we cannot promise any saving.
What affects the price in West Hendred
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- The shape of the roof and its details
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, with VAT included, and we can help you choose.
Helping us price your survey
The more you tell us, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, it helps to mention:
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
To get a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in West Hendred, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us give you an accurate price.