Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Roof survey in Ratley, Oxfordshire
A roof condition survey for homes and buildings for Ratley, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photos.
- Torn or sagging underlay
- Leaning or weathered chimney stacks
- Gutters that overflow in heavy rain
What we do, step by step
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. After that, we check everything we can see safely, from ground level, from windows, in the loft space and by drone where applicable. The survey usually takes about one to two hours for an ordinary house roof, and longer if there are extensions, dormers or several chimneys. Rural addresses near Ratley can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- 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 check the roof from every safe viewpoint outside.
- We then look in the loft for damp, staining and the condition of the underlay.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Booking a survey
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or send us an email to find out.
Related advice
How a roof survey works in Ratley
People book a roof survey for all sorts of reasons. Some have seen a mark on a ceiling or bits of tile in the garden, others want a check before selling or after years without one. The approach is the same in each case: we inspect carefully and explain what we see in writing. Visits run on weekdays and at weekends, so it’s easy to find a day that suits. Common reasons to book are water stains on rafters and ceiling joists and loose ridge or hip tiles, on ridges, hips and valleys, lead flashings and natural slate.
Somewhere as small as Ratley, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. We report on everything that’s safely in view, and thatch is a specialist material. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs often need the most attention.
The report is written in plain words, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photo where possible, and recommendations are put in order of urgency where relevant.
- Location
- Ratley (OX15)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Also near Ratley
More services for Ratley
What affects the cost of roof surveys
Our packages start from £150, inc. VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The shape of the roof and its details
- Height and safe access
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
A Basic Survey starts from £150, inc. VAT. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400. You will know the price for your roof before booking.
Getting in touch
If you can, have these to hand when you contact us:
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- What’s prompted the survey
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Where the property is, with the postcode
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
What we cannot see
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- An exact number of years the roof has left
- The condition of the rest of the building (that’s a RICS home survey)
- A structural engineer’s report
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in Ratley
- Lead flashings
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Ridges, hips and valleys
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Flat roofs
Roof by roof
Lead flashings and valleys
Lead flashings seal chimneys, walls and abutments. Lifted, split or slipped lead is recorded.
Chimney stacks
Damp on a chimney breast inside often starts with the stack outside. We look for the likely route in.
Ratley questions
Do you cover smaller places like Ratley?
Yes, Ratley is covered. We survey roofs across London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Ratley?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Ratley as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Is a roof survey the same as a structural survey?
No. We report on the roof’s condition, and Standard and Premium include structural checks. It does not include structural calculations, which need an engineer.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. If you need a full building survey, you’ll need a RICS survey as well.
How long will you be at the property?
The visit normally takes an hour or two at most homes; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. We will confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
How do I arrange a roof survey in Ratley?
To book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know the address and what you’d like to know. We will confirm the price and agree a day with you.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. We’ll rearrange with you if the weather is not right.
Ratley homes and their roofs
West Oxfordshire’s older buildings often carry Cotswold stone slates, and a few villages in the county keep their thatch. Older houses in the South East often 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 an older house close to Church of St Peter Ad Vincula: its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Ratley is about 6 miles north-west of Banbury, in Oxfordshire. If you’re in Ratley, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Ratley. For surveys nearby, see our Oxford page.
Roof surveys in OX15 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. We cover properties on High Street, Townhill and Chapel Lane and the roads around them. Nearby, we also carry out roof surveys in Edgehill (1 mile west), Sun Rising (2 miles south-west) and Hornton (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Banbury (6 miles south-east), Chipping Norton (13 miles south), Neithrop (6 miles south-east), Grimsbury (7 miles south-east), Ruscote (6 miles south-east) and Bloxham (8 miles south).
Near you in Ratley
We work in homes and buildings around The Rose And Crown Public House. Nearby you’ll also find W. O. Bentley Memorial Foundation (3.3 miles south-east) and King John's Castle (3.9 miles north-west). Open spaces near Ratley include Edge Hill.
Signs you need a roof survey in Ratley
Every roof takes years of rain, wind, sun and frost. Strong gusts work at anything that isn’t firmly fixed, and rain finds any gap it can. Small faults that start this way grow over time.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Debris building up in roof valleys
- Slipped, cracked or missing slates and tiles
- Leaning or weathered chimney stacks
- Gutters that overflow in heavy rain
With Upton House about 1.3 miles south-west, the area around Ratley has a long history. Older roofs nearby often mix original materials with later repairs, and the survey shows where each one is.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- What happens after the report arrives
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- What they won’t be able to tell you
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf, and the report can go to both. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work.