Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Bradwell, Oxfordshire
Wondering about the leaking roof at a property in Bradwell? You can book a roof leak investigation in Bradwell and across Oxfordshire.
- Wet patches on loft insulation
- Damp ceilings under a flat roof
- Water that shows only in certain storms
What a survey costs
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. The main factors are:
- The size of the roof
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, inc. VAT. We’ll tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Getting in touch
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- Access details, like a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to call 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.
How a roof leak investigation works in Bradwell
Moisture readings and thermal imaging are used where they’re useful. Moisture readings show which materials are wet. Thermal imaging shows temperature differences that can point to wet areas, not water itself, so we confirm what it suggests with moisture readings. Thermal imaging is part of the Premium Survey, and moisture detection comes with Standard. Thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, on a dry roof with little wind. Typical surveys look at leaks below a flat extension roof and stains around a skylight, on the roof space, slate and tile slopes and rooflights and dormers.
In a village or hamlet like Bradwell, older cottages and farmhouses often have roofs that have been patched over many years. That makes it hard to tell new damage from old wear, which matters if you’re thinking of an insurance claim. We look at whatever is safely visible and set out what we find. Damp in old walls and timbers is slow to dry, so the sooner the cause is found the better.
Findings are set out part by part, from the coverings down to the gutters, with a note and a photo for each point. You will see the good as well as the bad.
- Location
- Bradwell (OX18)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Landlord and commercial surveys in Bradwell
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, with the report sent to whoever needs it. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the addresses.
Your questions about roof leak investigations in Bradwell
How do I find out if my home in Bradwell is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Will you come out to Bradwell?
Yes. Bradwell is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We work right across London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Will you photograph what you find?
Yes. The report includes photographs of what we found, so you can see each point for yourself.
Does someone need to be in?
It depends on what we need to see. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in; we will agree the details when booking.
How soon will I get the report?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. Each one is emailed, ready to forward.
What happens next?
We email you the written report with photos and recommendations. You can use it to talk to a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent, whichever applies.
Does the investigation include the repair?
Our job here is to trace the leak and explain it, and the repair is separate. The report gives any roofer a clear brief.
What you can safely check yourself
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry.
You can learn a lot from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
What else we do in Bradwell
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings
Mortar fillets are sometimes used instead of lead. They crack as the roof and wall move, letting rain run behind the joint.
Parapet and box gutters
Some older terraces have a butterfly roof with a valley gutter in the middle. If that gutter or its outlet fails, water can come through the top-floor ceiling.
What happens on the day
On the day, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you’d like to know. After that, we check everything we can see safely, using the ground, windows, the loft and a drone where it applies. The survey usually takes between one and two hours for most homes, though a hard-to-trace leak can take longer. Cottages and farmhouses around Bradwell frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- We start with what you’ve seen: where the stain is and when it gets worse.
- The visit starts indoors, at the stain and in the loft.
- Outside, we check every likely route in.
- Where it helps, we take moisture readings and use thermal imaging.
- You receive a written report with photos showing the likely source and what needs attention.
Before we arrive
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
How to book
We confirm the exact price before you book, so you know the cost up front. Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Advice
Wind, rain and roofs in Bradwell
England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. 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 the council is the place to ask. Older buildings in west Oxfordshire frequently have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. The covering and its details give the first clues when tracing where water is coming from.
If you live in an older home near Church of St Mary, leaks on older roofs often start at lead flashings, valleys or around old chimney stacks. Anyone responsible for a site like Burford School will know that a leak through a large roof is often found some distance from where the water shows inside.
Bradwell is about 2 miles west of Carterton, in Oxfordshire. Bradwell gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Bradwell is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire where we work. There is also a page for Oxford.
All of OX18 is within our area for roof leak investigations. We offer roof leak investigations to properties on Woodside Drive, Glissard Way and Birch Drive. We also cover the places around Bradwell: Shilton (1 mile east), Kencot (3 miles south-east) and Alvescot (3 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Witney (7 miles east), Grove (15 miles south-east), Faringdon (9 miles south), Chipping Norton (12 miles north), Woodstock (14 miles east) and Cogges (7 miles east).
Near you in Bradwell
Nearby you’ll also find Swinford Museum (3 miles south) and Bronze Age Bowl Barrow (3.9 miles south-east).
Honest limits
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- Leaks that only appear in weather we can’t recreate
- Faults hidden behind ceilings or boarding
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll suggest the right survey. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Chimney stacks
- Rooflights and dormers
- Flat roof details
- Lead flashings
- The roof space
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Slate and tile slopes