Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Shellingford, Oxfordshire
Tracing where water is getting into your roof around Shellingford, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
How a roof leak investigation works in Shellingford
Some leaks only appear in certain weather. Driving rain from one direction, melting snow or a gutter that overflows in a downpour can all set it off. Telling us when it happens helps a lot, along with any photos you’ve taken. Even on a dry day, a leak normally leaves clues: stained timbers, tide marks and damp underlay. Moisture readings show where materials are still wet. If you are worried about damp underlay across a wide area and leaks at a dormer or roof window, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Somewhere as small as Shellingford, older roofs have frequently been repaired many times. That makes it hard to tell new damage from old wear, which matters if you are thinking of an insurance claim. The report says what was seen and what it points to. Older walls and timbers hold water for a long time, so it is worth finding the cause soon.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent.
- Place
- Shellingford (SN7)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Wind, rain and roofs in Shellingford
West Oxfordshire’s older buildings often carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their thatch. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Knowing the roof type helps narrow down where water may be getting in. An older home may be listed, or stand in a conservation area. Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the council can say whether a street is in a conservation area. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent.
The streets around a church such as Church of St Faith are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, leaks on older roofs often start at lead flashings, valleys or around old chimney stacks.
Shellingford is about 6 miles north-west of Wantage, in Oxfordshire. From houses to flats and shops in Shellingford, the roof can be surveyed on a weekday or at the weekend. Shellingford is one of the places in Oxfordshire we cover. Our Oxford page covers surveys nearby.
We cover every part of the SN7 postcode area for roof leak investigations and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Church Street and Fernham Road, and we cover them all. Close by, we survey roofs in Stanford in the Vale (1 mile east), Hatford (2 miles north-east), Baulking (2 miles south), Bow (2 miles east) and Fernham (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover Oxford (15 miles north-east), Didcot (13 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (11 miles east), Witney (10 miles north), Carterton (9 miles north) and Wantage (6 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Shellingford
We work in homes and buildings around Faringdon Community College, among other places. Nearby you will also find Faringdon Castle (1.9 miles north-west) and Faringdon Museum (2.2 miles north-west). The countryside around Shellingford includes Badbury Hill.
Other services in Shellingford
What we do, step by step
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings as a photo-illustrated written report, sent to you by email. On timing, most surveys take between one and two hours on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. In a small place like Shellingford, access is normally the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- We help you choose the package that suits the leak.
- We agree a date, including weekends.
- We inspect inside and out, starting from the stain.
- Moisture detection and thermal imaging are used where your package includes them and they help.
- You get photos, the likely cause and clear recommendations.
Before the survey
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Book a survey
We confirm the price for the job before you book, so you know where you stand. Our price is from £150, including VAT. To book, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
Shellingford questions
Do you cover smaller places like Shellingford?
Yes, Shellingford is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Shellingford?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
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.
How do you tell a leak from condensation?
Many apparent leaks turn out to be condensation. Leaks tend to follow wet weather and show in one place, while condensation is often spread out and worse in cold weather. We tell you which it is most likely to be.
What insurance do you have?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and details are available on request.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only when it’s safe. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. We use safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where it applies.
What does the report include?
It explains what we saw, what it means and what we’d suggest, backed by photographs. It also says if any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, so you know exactly what was covered.
What we’re asked to look at in Shellingford
Every flat roof covering has a working life. Felt often lasts around 15 to 20 years, and splits, blisters and lifting laps let water in. Leaks frequently start at the edges, upstands and outlets.
It’s worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Stains around a skylight
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
- Staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall
Take a building like Shellingford Church of England (Voluntary Aided) School: on a building that size, finding the source of a drip means looking well beyond the stain.
Before booking anyone
- Will the report include photos?
- What insurance they carry
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- What they won’t be able to tell you
For landlords and managing agents
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photographs included.
Practical tips
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Mention earlier attempts to fix the leak
- Take dated photos of the leak
- Tell us if there are tanks or pipes in the loft
- Write down the wind direction and rain when it leaks
Any roofer you ask to quote can work from the report. The photos show the defects and where they are, rather than at the stain.
After a downpour, look in the roof space with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Watch for water marks, wet underlay and damp wood. Photograph anything new.
Checking the roof from the ground
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
When you need someone else
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Faults hidden behind ceilings or boarding
- Carrying out the fix
- A promise to find every leak on a single visit
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll recommend the right survey before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- The roof space
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Chimney stacks
- Slate and tile slopes
- Lead flashings
- Flat roof details
- Rooflights and dormers