Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Yarnton
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Yarnton, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photos.
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Old water stains in the roof space
Buying a home or a new roof in Yarnton
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. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new. With Blenheim Palace about 3.2 miles north-west, Yarnton sits in an area with a long building history. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
For landlords with property near Oxford Parkway station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Yarnton is about 5 miles north-west of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. In Yarnton, as across Oxfordshire, every roof gets the same careful survey. Our area takes in places right across Oxfordshire, large and small.
All of OX5 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys. That includes homes and businesses on Dashwood Avenue, Spencer Avenue and Merton Way. Other places close to Yarnton include Begbroke (1 mile north-west), Worton (1 mile west), Thrupp (2 miles north), Bladon (2 miles north-west) and Shipton-on-Cherwell (3 miles north). We also work in nearby towns like Oxford (5 miles south-east), Didcot (14 miles south), Bicester (9 miles north-east), Abingdon-on-Thames (9 miles south), Witney (8 miles west) and Carterton (12 miles west).
Around Yarnton
In Yarnton, that means homes and buildings near The Red Lion pub and Gosford Hill School and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Oxford Parkway station, about 1.4 miles east. Well-known places in the area include Acland Hospital (3.8 miles south-east) and Oxford Castle (4.3 miles south-east). Open spaces near Yarnton include Harcourt Hill and Hook Meadow and The Trap Grounds.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Yarnton: what you get
Book after your offer is accepted and before exchange. That is when the findings are most useful, because nothing is binding yet. Visits run on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when the chain is moving fast. The report comes within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. If you are worried about signs of past leaks inside the loft and flashings that have lifted or split, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
In a village or hamlet like Yarnton, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Whether you are buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Location
- Yarnton (OX5)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Surveys for landlords and agents in Yarnton
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To discuss a number of properties, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf, and the report can go to both. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
When you need someone else
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- Whether timbers meet design loads
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney stacks
A leaning stack, cracked flaunching or crumbling pointing can all need work. We note them with photos so you can ask about them.
Gutters and parapets
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter, typically to the back of the house. If yours does, we check that gutter and where it drains.
What we are asked to look at in Yarnton
Viewings rarely include a proper look at the roof. You see the rooms, not the slates, and a quick glance from the street misses a lot. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, so a closer look is worth having before you commit.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
Take an older house close to Church of St Bartholomew: ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs frequently have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Questions to ask before you book
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Whether the price includes VAT
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
The survey, step by step
We will ask a few questions first, like when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Rural addresses near Yarnton 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.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- Access to the house and the loft 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.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
How to prepare
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Leave a clear route to the loft
How to book
Not sure which survey you need? It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Related advice
Checking the roof from ground level
You can learn a lot from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
It helps to keep a record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
Other services in Yarnton
Yarnton questions
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Yarnton?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. Yarnton is about 3 miles from Oxford Airport, so the Drone Safety Map is checked for restrictions around it before we fly. High wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying.
Will you come out to Yarnton?
Yes, Yarnton is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. We’ll talk about access as you book.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Only where it is safe. We also inspect from ground level, upper windows and the roof space.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It works alongside a home survey.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. You need the report before you exchange, because after that the roof is yours to deal with.