Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Roof survey in Cowley, Oxfordshire
Know where you stand with the roof before you decide what to do next. Roof surveys in Cowley.
- Worn lead at chimneys and abutments
- Leaking gutter joints and downpipes
- Condensation or damp timbers in the loft
Roof surveys for homes and businesses in Cowley
People book a roof survey for all sorts of reasons. Some have spotted a stain or a slipped slate, others want a check before selling or after years without one. Whatever the reason, the survey works the same way: we inspect carefully and explain what we see in writing. Visits run on any day of the week, so it’s easy to find a day that suits. Common reasons to book are debris building up in roof valleys and blocked, sagging or leaking gutters, on flat roofs, chimney stacks and lead flashings.
Trees around homes in smaller places like Cowley drop leaves, twigs and moss onto roofs and into gutters. Blocked gutters overflow and soak the walls below, and moss holds water against tiles. It’s the kind of slow problem a roof report picks up early. Moss on the roof and weeds in the gutter are both easy to spot from the ground.
You receive the findings by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Where
- Cowley (OX4, OX3)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
DIY checks: what’s safe
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.
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Local roofs in Cowley
If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. The wider area around Cowley has a long history of building, with Holywell Manor about 2.1 miles north-west. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
If you let a flat or house near Oxford station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let. If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for example near Templars Square, knowing the roof’s condition lets you budget for work rather than pay for emergencies.
Cowley is about 1 mile south-east of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. From houses to flats and shops in Cowley, we can survey the roof. Our area takes in places right across Oxfordshire, large and small.
All of OX4 and OX3 is within our area for roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Whether your property is on Barns Road, Marsh Road and Clive Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. If you are just outside Cowley, we cover Iffley (1 mile west), Blackbird Leys (1 mile south), Donnington (1 mile north-west), Littlemore (1 mile south-west) and Oxford (1 mile north-west). We also work in nearby towns like Didcot (9 miles south), Bicester (12 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (5 miles south-west), Witney (12 miles west), Thame (10 miles east) and Wantage (13 miles south-west).
Local landmarks in Cowley
Around Cowley, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Nelson pub, South Park and Emmanuel Christian School. Also close by are Greyfriars Catholic School (0.6 miles north-west) and Alexander Library of Ornithology (1.9 miles north-west). The nearest railway station is Oxford station, roughly 2.7 miles north-west. A little further out are Templars Square (less than half a mile south-west) and British Tattoo History Museum (0.7 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Headington Hill and CS Lewis Nature Reserve.
Nearby places to Cowley
More services for Cowley
The survey, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from every safe vantage point, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. It normally takes between one and two hours for a house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. A visit to Cowley is planned like any other: the time, the access and where to park are agreed in advance. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. Let us know about any garages, outbuildings or extensions you want included.
- We help you choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey.
- We arrive at the agreed time and talk through any concerns.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Extra checks are carried out where your package includes them.
- You get a written report with photos and clear recommendations.
Before the survey
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Let us know about parking near the property
Booking a survey
Getting a price is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or email us, let us know about the property and we will recommend the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Related advice
Questions from Cowley
Is Cowley within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Oxford station?
Of course. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Do you go up on the roof?
Only when it’s safe. We also use views from the ground, windows and the roof space.
When will the report arrive?
That depends on which survey you choose: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. It is emailed to you.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so we need permission from the freeholder or managing agent. We inspect only the parts we’re allowed to reach.
What does a roof survey cost?
Roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. Our three packages are Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, inc. VAT.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. For the rest of the building, a RICS home survey is a separate job.
Useful tips for Cowley property owners
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Include dormers, porches and garages as you book
- Look for debris in the garden after high winds
- Have details of recent roof work to hand
- Check we can open the loft hatch
File the report with your other home documents. It gives you something to compare against later, and it can help when you sell.
Have gutters and valleys cleared regularly, ideally after the leaves have fallen. Leave the clearing to a professional. Most overflow damage starts with a blocked gutter.
How we price roof surveys
When we price a survey, we consider:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- How big the roof is
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
Prices start from £150, including VAT, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400. You’ll know the price for your survey before booking.
What to let us know when you contact us
These details help when you get in touch:
- Anything about access we should know
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- When you need the report by
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
How the survey changes by roof type
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings and valleys are where many leaks start. They get particular attention in every survey.
Natural slate
Slate is common on older homes in London and South East England. Widespread slipping usually points to corroded nails, which we describe in the report.
Do you need a roof survey in Cowley?
A blocked gutter does more harm than it looks. Once leaves and moss block a gutter, water spills down the brickwork. Valley and parapet gutters can overflow inside the building.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Slipped, cracked or missing slates and tiles
- Debris building up in roof valleys
- Torn or sagging underlay
- Worn lead at chimneys and abutments
Take an older house close to Church of St Luke: its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Their insurance cover
- Whether the price includes VAT
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID