Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Harwell Roof Survey
A roof condition survey for homes and buildings across Harwell, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Get in touch for a price.
- Worn or blocked valleys
- Ridge tiles that have lifted or moved
- Ponding, splits or blisters on flat roofs
What a roof survey looks like in Harwell
Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look. Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it’s listed or in a conservation area. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas.
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Church of St Matthew, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look. If you let a flat or house near Didcot Parkway station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Harwell is about 2 miles west of Didcot, in Oxfordshire. From houses to flats and shops in Harwell, the roof can be surveyed on a weekday or at the weekend. Harwell is one of the places in Oxfordshire we cover for roof surveys. Oxford is in our area too.
All of OX11 is within our area for roof surveys. That includes homes and businesses on High Street, Loder Road and The Styles and the roads around them. Neighbouring places we cover for roof surveys include West Hagbourne (2 miles south-east), Coscote (2 miles east), Upton (2 miles south-east), Chilton (2 miles south) and East Hagbourne (2 miles east). Further out, we also cover Oxford (11 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (5 miles north), Witney (15 miles north-west), Wantage (6 miles west), Grove (6 miles west) and Faringdon (13 miles west).
Around Harwell
In Harwell, that means homes and buildings near The Crispin pub, UTC Oxfordshire and UTC Oxfordshire, among other places. The closest station to Harwell is Didcot Parkway station, roughly 2.3 miles east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Atlas Computer Laboratory (2 miles south-west) and Abingdon Community Hospital (4.8 miles north). Not far away are Churn Hill and Mowbray Fields.
Roof surveys for homes and businesses in Harwell
Most houses have more than one roof to look at. Flat roofs over extensions, garages and dormers are common in felt, EPDM rubber, GRP or asphalt. They’re included alongside the main roof, looking for ponding, splits, blisters and worn upstands. Flat roofs often need attention long before the main roof, so they deserve a careful look. Felt often lasts around 15 to 20 years, while EPDM rubber can last 30 to 50. We survey ridges, hips and valleys, clay and concrete tiles and flat roofs, and people most frequently book us about loose chimney pots and loose ridge or hip tiles.
Trees around homes in smaller places like Harwell drop leaves, twigs and moss onto roofs and into gutters. Once gutters and outlets block, water spills over and soaks the walls. A report spots that kind of slow problem before it becomes damp inside. Plants growing from a gutter or moss on the tiles are signs worth noting from ground level.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Photos show what each point refers to, and recommendations are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
- Where
- Harwell (OX11)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Signs you need a roof survey in Harwell
Every roof takes years of rain, wind, sun and frost. Wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces, while rain gets into every gap. Small faults that start this way grow over time.
People normally book a survey after spotting something like this:
- Loose chimney pots
- Torn or sagging underlay
- Slipped, cracked or missing slates and tiles
- Worn lead at chimneys and abutments
For site and facilities teams at buildings like Harwell Primary School, large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- What experience they bring
What a roof survey doesn’t cover
Every survey has limits, and we’d rather be clear about that before booking. Keep these in mind:
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- The condition of the rest of the building (that’s a RICS home survey)
- An exact number of years the roof has left
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer before you book. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Harwell
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Ridges, hips and valleys
- Flat roofs
- Lead flashings
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
FAQs for Harwell
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Didcot Parkway station?
Yes. We survey roofs for landlords, letting agents and managing agents as well as owners. Just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Is Harwell within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. Our report notes any materials that might, and recommends a specialist asbestos surveyor looks at them.
How long does the visit take?
The visit normally takes an hour or two at most homes, and longer for a large or complex roof. We’ll confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Do you look in the loft space?
Where it is relevant to the survey and there is safe access, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps.
How much is a survey?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for the job before booking, and it depends on the roof’s size, access and the package you choose. To get a price, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Does someone need to be in?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
Nearby places to Harwell
More services for Harwell
Useful tips for Harwell property owners
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Our tips:
- Mention any damp patches when booking
- Keep a record of damp patches and dates
- Make sure we can open the loft hatch
- Include dormers, porches and garages when you book
If you need work done, the report gives roofers a clear brief. They’ll see each defect and its location, so their quotes cover the same ground.
Look at your roof from the ground after strong winds. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles or pieces in the garden are signs something has moved. Getting small faults fixed quickly keeps water out.
Different roofs, different checks
Clay plain and peg tiles
Handmade and machine-made clay tiles are long-lasting. Slipped, cracked and missing tiles are recorded, and for spalling where the surface has flaked.
Lead flashings and valleys
Lead-lined valleys and gutters are common on older homes. Worn or split lead lets water straight in.
What we do, step by step
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a written report with photographs. On timing, most surveys take an hour or two for a house, and longer for a large or complex roof. A visit to a smaller place like Harwell is no different on the day: we look from ground level, from windows, from the loft and from the roof where it is safe. It helps to show us anything you’ve already noticed.
- You get in touch with the address and anything you’ve noticed.
- We agree a date, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The roof is inspected from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it is safe.
- Every part of the roof is checked and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Let us know about parking before the day
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Getting a price
You can call us seven days a week. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Read more
What you can safely check yourself
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.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.