Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Ardley Roof Leak Investigation
Tracing where water is getting into your roof around Ardley, with a written report you can act on. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
- Damp on a chimney breast
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
What a survey costs
We confirm the price for the job before booking. This is what makes a difference:
- Which survey package you book
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, how it can safely be seen and which survey you book.
What to let us know when you get in touch
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- The property’s address and postcode
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
Most bookings start with a short call: ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in Ardley
On a flat roof, water can travel a long way under the covering. Common causes are splits and blisters, tired upstands and outlets that don’t drain. Ponding water makes any weakness worse. We check both the covering and the room underneath. Leaks under flat extension, garage and dormer roofs are common. Felt often lasts around 15 to 20 years, so age is part of the picture. If you’re worried about drips from nail tips in a cold loft and damp patches next to the stack, we can find out what’s behind it.
Many homes in small places like Ardley face open ground, where storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hardest. Damp in old stone, brick or timber walls is slow to dry out, so it pays to find the cause quickly. A written record also helps if you need to explain it to anyone else.
If any part of the leaking roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Place
- Ardley (OX27)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
You don’t need to do much on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, like stains, drips or loose pieces, and we will get on with the inspection. A typical survey takes about 1–2 hours for a house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Older roofs in small places like Ardley can have low, tight loft spaces, so it’s useful to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it’s safe.
- You get in touch with details of the leak and any photos.
- We look at the stain, the ceiling and the loft above it.
- Outside, we check every likely route in.
- We use moisture detection, and thermal imaging where it’s useful.
- Your report sets out where the water is most likely getting in, with photos and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Let us know about parking near the property
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
Book a survey
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Nearby places to Ardley
Also in Ardley
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings
A leak at a flashing frequently shows some way from the joint. That’s why we check the flashings near a stain, not just the one directly above.
Valleys
A valley leak can appear well away from the valley inside. From inside the roof space, we follow the water’s route back.
Questions from Ardley
Do you cover smaller places like Ardley?
Yes, Ardley is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Do you cover Ardley?
Yes, Ardley is within the area we cover. We work right across London and South East England. Just ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the property, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Let us know your preferred days when you book.
Will you fix the leak as part of this?
A leak investigation finds and reports the likely source. The repair itself is a separate job. You get a report with photos showing where the water is getting in and what needs attention, which whoever carries out the work can follow.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and details are available on request.
How do I book a survey in Ardley?
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us the address and what you want to find out. We will confirm the price and find a day that suits.
How long will you be at the property?
On site, it normally takes an hour or two for most houses, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Ardley roofs and the weather
Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Different coverings let water in at different points, which shapes where the search starts. Listing and conservation areas can both shape what roof work is allowed on an older home. The council is the place to check, along with Historic England’s list.
Landlords with a home close to Bicester North station may find that finding the cause of a leak fast keeps a tenant’s home dry and the work focused.
Ardley is about 4 miles north-west of Bicester, in Oxfordshire. Ardley is one of many places we visit across Oxfordshire. Our area takes in places right across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. We also survey roofs in Oxford.
Here we cover the OX27 postcode area for roof leak investigations. If you need a roof leak investigation at a property on Church Road, Station Road and Somerton Road or a nearby road, we can survey it. Neighbouring places we cover for roof leak investigations include Fewcott (1 mile north-west), Fritwell (1 mile north-west), Upper Heyford (2 miles south-west), Middleton Stoney (2 miles south) and Souldern (3 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Oxford (13 miles south), Banbury (10 miles north-west), Bicester (4 miles south-east), Kidlington (9 miles south), Headington Quarry (13 miles south) and Bure Park (3 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Ardley
In Ardley, that means homes and buildings near The Fox and Hounds pub. The nearest railway station is Bicester North station, roughly 3.8 miles south-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Ardley Castle (less than half a mile west) and Bicester Community Hospital (3.9 miles south-east). Open spaces near Ardley include Graven Hill.
Before and after the survey
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. A few suggestions:
- Catch drips in a bucket and protect the floor
- Take dated photos of the leak
- Note the weather when the leak shows
- Stay off ladders and the roof
Keep the report after the work is done. If water appears again, it shows what was found before.
After a downpour, look in the loft space with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Look for drips, damp patches and stains on timbers. Photograph anything new.
For landlords and managing agents
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, putting the urgent items at the top.
Common roof problems in Ardley
When a slate slips or a tile cracks, the underlay takes the water. Old bitumen felt may cope for a while, but it tears and sags with age, and very old roofs may have no underlay at all. Corroded nails, known as ‘nail fatigue’, are a frequent cause on slate roofs.
Problems we come across often include:
- Damp ceilings under a flat roof
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
- Water marks that spread in wet weather
- Stains around a skylight
If you live in an older home near Church of St Mary, old mortar, worn lead and slipped slates are the usual suspects when water gets in.
Questions to ask before you book
- What the survey won’t cover
- Their insurance cover
- What experience they bring
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof