Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in Marston
Tracing where water is getting into your roof across Marston, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Call or email for a price.
- Water that shows only in certain storms
- Damp underlay across a wide area
- Damp on a chimney breast
What this survey can’t tell you
Every survey has limits, and it’s better to know them up front. Bear these in mind:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Leaks from plumbing, tanks or pipework rather than the roof
- The repair itself (the investigation finds and reports the cause)
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll tell you. What our survey covers.
What we check
- Flat roof details
- Rooflights and dormers
- Slate and tile slopes
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- The roof space
- Lead flashings
- Chimney stacks
About our roof leak investigation in Marston
Some ‘leaks’ are not leaks at all. In a badly ventilated roof space, condensation can form under the roof and drip, leaving marks that look just like rainwater. Knowing which it is means the right fix can be done, since the cure for one won’t solve the other. We look at the pattern of damp, the weather and the ventilation before reaching a view. We survey lead flashings, chimney stacks and valleys and parapet gutters, and common reasons people get in touch are condensation that looks like a leak and stains around a skylight.
Being in a small place like Marston makes no difference to how a leak or storm damage is looked at: we simply plan the journey and access ahead. Let us know where the water shows, when it appears and anything you’ve noticed outside, plus any earlier repairs. Photos of the stain and of the roof from outside are helpful too.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Where
- Marston (OX3, OX2)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How it works
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings in a report with photographs, emailed to you. As for time on site, most surveys take an hour or two for a house, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Around Marston, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it’s safe.
- You get in touch with details of the leak and any photos.
- We check the stain, the ceiling and the loft above it.
- We check the likely entry points outside, such as flashings, valleys, chimneys and gutters.
- Where it helps, we take moisture readings and use thermal imaging.
- Your report sets out where the water is most likely getting in, with photos and recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Booking a survey
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and give us some details about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
Advice
Places near Marston
What else we do in Marston
What affects the cost of roof leak investigations
Not every roof costs the same to survey, for these reasons:
- How big the roof is
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
Prices start from £150, with VAT included, for a Basic Survey. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400. We confirm the price for your roof before you book.
What we need to know
We will typically ask about:
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- When you need the report by
We survey roofs seven days a week. To arrange a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Can I check my roof myself?
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Why it is worth a survey now in Marston
Wet insulation does not insulate well. A slow leak can soak it for months before a stain appears. The sooner the cause is found, the less needs replacing. Outbuildings and barns around Marston are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we will tell you which fits.
Why book us in Marston
- Package prices that include VAT
- Surveys on any day of the week
- An independent view of the roof
- 5,000+ surveys completed
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
Marston 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. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Where water gets in depends a good deal on what the roof is made of and how it is detailed. Historic houses like Holywell Manor, about 1.5 miles south, show how far back building in the area around Marston goes. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If you run a business near Clarendon Shopping Centre, finding where water is getting in quickly keeps disruption down. If you live near a park like Oxford University Parks, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys.
Marston is about 2 miles north of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. We cover Marston and the rest of Oxfordshire, as part of our work across London and South East England. Marston is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire we cover for roof leak investigations.
Here we cover the OX3 and OX2 postcode area for roof leak investigations. If you need a roof leak investigation at a property on Back Lane, Mill Lane and Butts Lane or anywhere close by, we can help. Other places close to Marston include Northway (1 mile south-east), New Marston (1 mile south), Norham Manor (1 mile south-west), Summertown (1 mile west) and North Oxford (1 mile west). Larger places within reach include Didcot (12 miles south), Bicester (9 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (7 miles south), Witney (11 miles west), Carterton (15 miles west) and Thame (12 miles east).
Landmarks near Marston
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Oxford University Parks, Oxford Academy and Swan School. You will also find Victoria Arms (0.5 miles west) and St Hugh's College Main Building Including Library (1.3 miles south-west). The nearest railway station is Oxford station, about 2.2 miles south-west of the centre. A little further out are Pitt Rivers Museum (1.5 miles south-west) and Oxford Castle (2.1 miles south-west). Open spaces near Marston include Headington Hill and Hook Meadow and The Trap Grounds.
Marston: your questions answered
Is Marston within the area you cover?
Yes. Marston is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Do you cover Marston?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs such as sagging are noted, but we don’t provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. If one is needed, the report says so.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. We check the roof, not the whole building, and it isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
Can every leak be traced?
We cannot promise to find every leak on one visit. Most leave clues we can follow, but intermittent leaks that need particular weather can be harder. We report what we found and the likeliest sources.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only if it is safe. We inspect what can be seen safely: from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the roof space, from the roof itself where safe and by drone where applicable. Anything we cannot see is noted in the report.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
We’re covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
When to book a survey in Marston
Flashings are one of the commonest sources of roof leaks. Where a roof meets a chimney, a wall or a dormer, lead or mortar seals the joint. Once that seal cracks or lifts, water gets behind it.
People typically book a survey after spotting one of these:
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
- Wet patches on loft insulation
- Staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
If you look after a building such as St Nicholas Primary School, on a building that size, finding the source of a drip means looking well beyond the stain.
Questions to ask before you book
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- What exactly goes into their report
- Whether the price includes VAT