Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Roof survey in Osney, Oxfordshire
A roof condition survey for homes and buildings for Osney, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photos.
- Valley linings that have cracked or split
- Flashings that have come away from the wall
- Condensation or damp timbers in the loft
Roof surveys for homes and businesses in Osney
Three packages cover most roofs: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, including VAT. Basic is a visual inspection with photos and written recommendations. Standard and Premium go further, with moisture detection and a structural check, and on Premium, thermal imaging and a drone where applicable. Each one comes with a written report. We are often asked to look into ridge tiles that have lifted or moved and loose chimney pots, across flat roofs, chimney stacks and lead flashings.
Trees around homes in smaller places like Osney drop leaves, twigs and moss onto roofs and into gutters. Blocked gutters overflow and soak the walls below, and moss holds water against tiles. A report spots that kind of slow problem before it becomes damp inside. Moss on the roof and weeds in the gutter are both easy to spot from the ground.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Place
- Osney (OX1, OX2)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Roof surveys around Osney
The wider area around Osney has a long history of building, with Holywell Manor about 1.2 miles east. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. West Oxfordshire’s older buildings often carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their thatch. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as West Oxford Community Primary School, large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. For businesses in and around places such as Westgate Shopping Centre, knowing the roof’s condition lets you budget for work rather than pay for emergencies.
Osney is about 2 miles west of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. Whether the building in Osney is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, we can survey the roof on a weekday or at the weekend. We cover towns and villages across Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages.
Here we cover the OX1 and OX2 postcode area for roof surveys. We cover properties on New Road, Helen Road and Osney Lane. Nearby, we also carry out roof surveys in St John Street area (1 mile north-east), St. Ebbes (1 mile east), Jericho (1 mile north-east), Grandpont (1 mile south-east) and North Hinksey (1 mile west). Further out, we also cover Didcot (10 miles south), Bicester (12 miles north-east), Abingdon-on-Thames (5 miles south), Witney (10 miles west), Carterton (14 miles west) and Thame (13 miles east).
Near you in Osney
In Osney, that means homes and buildings near Raleigh Park, Matthew Arnold School and The Holly Bush pub and the streets around them. Other local landmarks include City of Oxford College (under half a mile south-east) and Angus Library and Archive (0.6 miles north-east). There’s a railway station in Osney itself: Oxford station. Other landmarks nearby include Oxford University Press Museum (0.6 miles north-east) and Westgate Shopping Centre (0.6 miles east). The countryside around Osney includes Harcourt Hill and Hook Meadow and The Trap Grounds.
What we’re asked to look at in Osney
Slates and tiles often outlast the fixings that hold them. ‘Nail fatigue’ is common on slate roofs: the nails rust and the slates slide. On tiled roofs, the battens or pegs may be what’s gone.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Ponding, splits or blisters on flat roofs
- Leaning or weathered chimney stacks
- Ridge tiles that have lifted or moved
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or broken
If you live in an older home near St Frideswide's Church, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Questions to ask before booking
- What insurance they carry
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- Which limits apply to the survey
DIY checks: what’s safe
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: 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.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
How the survey works
It’s useful to start with what’s prompted the survey: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. That way we can focus on what matters to you. The visit normally takes an hour or two at a typical home, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Parking around Osney is normally easier than in a town centre, but mention lanes, gates or long drives. On bungalows and lower roofs, much can be seen from the ground, with the loft showing the underside, while taller roofs may need other vantage points or the drone where applicable.
- You let us know the address, the type of roof and what’s worrying you.
- A visit is booked for a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We look at the roof from each safe vantage point outside.
- We then look in the loft for damp, staining and the condition of the underlay.
- You receive the report with photos and recommendations, prioritised by urgency.
Before the survey
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
How to book
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from ground level or a window, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To get started, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
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Your questions about roof surveys in Osney
I let a flat near Oxford station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that’s a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
How do I find out if my home in Osney is listed?
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.
Do you cover Osney for roof surveys?
Yes. We cover Osney and the rest of Oxfordshire. For a price, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it helps and it’s safe, yes. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
Do you look in the roof space?
If it’s needed and safe to reach, yes. Inside, we look for damp, staining, gaps and sagging, as far as the space allows.
Can you survey a roof I share with a neighbour?
Yes, we inspect your part of the roof. Next door’s roof is only inspected as far as we can see it. Shared stacks and upstands are looked at from your property.
Does someone need to be in?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that in advance, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings and valleys are where many leaks start. They get particular attention in every survey.
Natural slate
From the loft, we look at the underside of a slate roof. There may be old felt underlay, or none at all on very old roofs, and we note its condition.
Also in Osney
Honest limits
Before booking, it is worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- A full building survey of the property
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- Whether the roof structure meets design loads
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- The roof space
- Flat roofs
- Ridges, hips and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Natural slate
For landlords and managing agents
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.