Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Roof survey in Cothill, Oxfordshire
Roof surveys in Cothill and the rest of Oxfordshire. Surveys run on any day of the week.
- Debris building up in roof valleys
- Blocked, sagging or leaking gutters
- Lifted, split or missing lead flashings
Local roofs in Cothill
Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Older houses in the South East frequently have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. If the drone is used for your survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
Take a building like Dry Sandford Primary School: long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of St Helen, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Cothill is about 2 miles north-west of Abingdon-on-Thames, in Oxfordshire. We survey roofs in Cothill and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and South East England. Across Oxfordshire, we cover Cothill and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Oxford page.
Every address in OX13 is within our area for roof surveys. Other places close to Cothill include Dry Sandford (1 mile north-east), Shippon (1 mile south-east), Frilford Heath (1 mile south-west), Tubney (2 miles west) and Marcham (2 miles south). Further out, we also cover Oxford (6 miles north-east), Didcot (7 miles south-east), Witney (10 miles north-west), Carterton (12 miles north-west), Wantage (8 miles south-west) and Grove (7 miles south-west).
Around Cothill
Typical jobs here are in homes near Merry Miller pub and Larkmead School, among other places. The nearest railway station is Radley station, about 3.9 miles east. Well-known places in the area include Abingdon Community Hospital (2 miles south-east) and FitzHarris Castle (2.4 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Cumnor Hill and Dry Sandford Pit.
Roof surveys for homes and businesses in Cothill
Roof coverings last a long time, but not for ever. Natural slate can last 100 years or more, and clay and concrete tiles commonly 50 years or more, yet nails, battens and underlay frequently fail first. We tell you which parts are ageing and which are sound. Knowing that helps you plan work before it becomes urgent. If you’ve noticed loose ridge or hip tiles and debris building up in roof valleys, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on chimney stacks, flat roofs and ridges, hips and valleys alike.
In a village or hamlet like Cothill, older cottages and farmhouses often sit alongside barns, outbuildings and a few newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, frequently with chimneys that have stood a long time. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs often need the most attention.
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
- Cothill (OX13)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
Where it’s relevant and can be reached safely, the loft space is checked as well as the outside. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging. The whole visit typically takes an hour or two for an ordinary house roof, and longer if there are extensions, dormers or several chimneys. Around Cothill, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it helps to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- You let us know about the property and any concerns.
- A visit is booked for a weekday or a weekend.
- The roof is inspected from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it is safe.
- We check the coverings, ridges, hips, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters, and photograph what we find.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Arrange a survey
We survey roofs seven days a week. To arrange a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Related advice
Nearby places to Cothill
Other services in Cothill
What we look for on each type of roof
Flat roof coverings
Felt flat roofs often last around 15 to 20 years, EPDM rubber around 30 to 50 and GRP up to about 30. We check its condition and the signs of age.
Natural slate
Slate is one of the most durable roof coverings, but its nails often corrode first. Slipped, cracked and missing slates are all noted.
Cothill questions
Do you cover smaller places like Cothill?
Yes. Cothill is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We survey roofs across London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Cothill?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Can you look at a roof that’s joined to next door?
Yes, the part you own or can give access to. We can only look at neighbouring roofs as far as access allows. Shared stacks and upstands are looked at from your property.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, if the freeholder or managing agent agrees access. We look at the parts we are given access to, and the report makes that clear.
Can you tell me how long my roof will last?
We don’t give a number of years. We describe the condition of each part of the roof and how it is wearing, and we say what needs attention and how urgently.
Do you use drones?
Where it helps and the rules allow, yes. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. We look at the roof, not the whole building, so it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
Prices for roof surveys in Cothill
Prices always include VAT. What changes the price is:
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
All our prices include VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for the job before booking.
What to tell us when you contact us
If you can, have these to hand when you contact us:
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- The property’s address and postcode
- What’s prompted the survey
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or email us and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price before booking.
Tips from our surveys
Small things make a difference. Some pointers:
- Look for debris in the garden after high winds
- Mention any damp patches when booking
- Make sure we can open the loft hatch
- Ask about a flat roof on an extension or garage too
Premium comes with a follow-up after 12 months. It shows how the roof has fared over the year.
Don’t block the vents at the eaves. A stuffy loft collects condensation, and it can wet timbers and insulation. Keep insulation clear of eaves vents.
Do you need a roof survey in Cothill?
Chimneys stand exposed above the roof. Pointing erodes, flaunching cracks and pots work loose. Water that gets into a stack can show up as damp in the rooms below.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Valley linings that have cracked or split
- Lifted, split or missing lead flashings
- Loose ridge or hip tiles
- Gutters that overflow in heavy rain
For landlords with property near Radley station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- How soon the report will arrive
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Is VAT included in the price?
What we cannot see
Some things can’t be seen without opening up the roof, so a survey has limits:
- A promise that the roof will not leak in future
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- A full building survey of the property
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer before you book. The full list of what we check.
What we check
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Ridges, hips and valleys
- Flat roofs
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Clay and concrete tiles