Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Westcot
Need a pre-purchase roof survey in Westcot? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Westcot
Older homes often have roofs that have been patched over the years. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Little of that is easy to judge from the pavement on a viewing. We look closely and record what we see, with photographs that show you exactly where. Each finding is explained in plain words, so you know what it means for the house you’re buying. We are often asked to look into blocked or leaking gutters and old water stains in the roof space, on gutters and downpipes, lead flashings and valleys and flat-roofed extensions and dormers.
For a small place like Westcot, the visit is planned like any other: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them as you book, so the visit can be planned around them. Whether you’re buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
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.
- Location
- Westcot (OX12)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Buying a home or a new roof in Westcot
If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. What can be done to an older roof may depend on listing or a conservation area. Your council and Historic England’s list will tell you where you stand, ideally before any re-roofing is planned.
Take an older house close to Church of the Holy Rood: the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Westcot is about 4 miles west of Wantage, in Oxfordshire. Westcot is part of the area we cover as part of our work across London and South East England. Westcot is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. There’s also a page for Oxford.
All of OX12 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Other places close to Westcot include Sparsholt (1 mile east), Kingston Lisle (1 mile west), Woolstone (3 miles west), Upper Lambourn (5 miles south) and Sheepdrove (5 miles south). Further out, we also cover Didcot (11 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (12 miles north-east), Witney (14 miles north), Carterton (13 miles north), Wantage (4 miles east) and Grove (4 miles east).
What’s near Westcot
Other landmarks nearby include Faringdon Day Hospital (5.8 miles north-west) and Uffington Museum (2.5 miles west). For a walk, there is Rams Hill and Letcombe Valley.
Common roof problems in Westcot
Buildings put up or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. It is often found in cement sheets, soffits and flue pipes. We do not test for it or carry out asbestos surveys, but we flag materials that might so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before anything is disturbed.
It’s worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
For any home in Westcot, it is the small, early fault that is cheapest to put right.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether the price includes VAT
- What follow-up you get after the report
- What the survey will not cover
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
What we look for on each type of roof
Natural slate
Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but the nails holding it corrode long before that. Slipped or missing slates are a sign of ‘nail fatigue’, and we note how widespread it looks.
Lead flashings and valleys
Many older houses have lead in their valleys and hidden gutters. Splits in a lead valley send water inside, and lead is also a target for theft.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. Access is agreed with the tenant in advance.
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the addresses.
Honest limits
Before you book, it’s worth knowing what a survey won’t do:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will recommend the right survey. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
Common questions in Westcot
Do you cover Westcot?
Yes, Westcot is within the area we cover. Our area covers London and South East England. You can phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a few details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Will you come out to Westcot?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Westcot?
It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. Let us know the address and a little about the roof. We survey seven days a week.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. We will talk about access when booking.
How long does the survey visit take?
Allow an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. We will give you an idea of timing when booking.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
Do you go up on the roof?
Only where it’s safe to do so. Much of the inspection is done from ground level, from windows and from the roof space. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where it applies.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
You can learn a lot from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
Towns and villages near Westcot
Other services in Westcot
What happens on the day
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that is worrying you. After that, we look at everything we can see safely, using the ground, windows, the loft and a drone where it applies. 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. Rural addresses near Westcot can be hard to find from a postcode alone, 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.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Getting ready for the survey
- Leave side gates unlocked
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Let us know about parking near the property
How to book
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from the ground or a window, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.