Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Roof Survey in Shiplake
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you decide what to do next. We carry out roof surveys in Shiplake.
- Lifted, split or missing lead flashings
- Cracked mortar along the ridge
- Torn or sagging underlay
Roof surveys for homes and businesses in Shiplake
Most houses have more than one roof to look at. Rear extensions, dormers, porches and garages often have flat roofs in felt, EPDM rubber, GRP or asphalt. They’re included alongside the main roof, including signs of standing water, splits and tired upstands. Flat roofs frequently need attention long before the main roof. A felt roof often lasts around 15 to 20 years, and GRP up to about 30. If you’re worried about cracked mortar along the ridge and worn or blocked valleys, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Village roofs frequently face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are frequently where weather gets in first.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Place
- Shiplake (RG9)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How we price roof surveys
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- How big the roof is
Prices start from £150, including VAT, for a Basic Survey. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400, both with VAT included. We confirm the price for your survey before you book.
What we need to know
Before you get in touch, it helps to have:
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- The property’s address and postcode
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Places near Shiplake
More services for Shiplake
Your questions about roof surveys in Shiplake
How do I find out if my home in Shiplake is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Can a landlord with a rental near Wargrave station book a roof survey?
Yes, landlords and letting agents book with us as well as owners. You can ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a few details, including who will give access on the day.
Does the weather affect the survey?
A survey can normally go ahead in light rain, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Strong wind or a downpour can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so if conditions are not right we will arrange another day with you.
Can you inspect a terraced or semi-detached roof?
Yes. We survey the parts of the roof you have access to. Where a defect looks to be on the neighbour’s side, the report says so.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Asbestos was banned in UK construction in 1999, so older buildings may have it. Our report notes any materials that might, and a specialist asbestos surveyor should check them.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Only where it is safe to do so. Much of the survey is done from ground level, upper windows and the loft space. On Premium, a drone is used where applicable.
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, with recommendations ranked by urgency.
Local roofs in Shiplake
If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. Greys Court, about 4.1 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Shiplake. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Anyone responsible for a site like Shiplake Church of England School will know that its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. Landlords with a home close to Wargrave station may find that a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Shiplake is about 3 miles north of Woodley, in Oxfordshire. We visit Shiplake as part of our work across Oxfordshire, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Across Oxfordshire, we cover Shiplake.
Every address in RG9 is covered for roof surveys. Other places close to Shiplake include Charvil (2 miles south), Twyford (2 miles south-east), Ruscombe (2 miles south-east), Hare Hatch (2 miles east) and The Holt (3 miles east). We also work in nearby towns such as Benson (12 miles north-west), Chinnor (14 miles north), Tilehurst (7 miles south-west), Wallingford (12 miles north-west), Little Heath (7 miles west) and Oakley (14 miles north).
Local landmarks in Shiplake
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Plough pub, Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School and Loddon Nature Reserve. The nearest railway station is Wargrave station, roughly 0.9 miles east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Royal Berkshire Hospital (4.2 miles south-west) and Frazer Nash Archives (2.1 miles north). For a walk, there is South Lake and Sonning Hill.
How the survey works
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: 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 usually takes between one and two hours for an ordinary house roof, and longer if there are extensions, dormers or several chimneys. For a village or hamlet like Shiplake, the journey is planned beforehand: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there’s safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- We help you choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey.
- On the day, we start by hearing what you’ve noticed.
- Coverings, ridges, hips, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Moisture detection, a structural check, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- The report is emailed with findings and recommendations.
Before the survey
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
Arrange a survey
To book a survey, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Advice
Practical tips
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Our tips:
- Gather any paperwork for past roof work
- Mention any damp patches when booking
- Look for debris in the garden after high winds
- Do not climb onto the roof yourself
We email the report to you, with photographs of what we found. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Each finding is set out in plain English, with recommendations.
Every so often, look in the loft space with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Watch for stains, damp timbers and daylight through the roof. Take photos of anything that changes.
Signs you need a roof survey in Shiplake
Blocked gutters cause a surprising amount of damage. Once leaves and moss block a gutter, water spills down the brickwork. Hidden gutters behind parapets and in valleys can send water indoors, especially near trees.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Gutters that overflow in heavy rain
- Gaps in the roof where coverings have gone
- Lifted, split or missing lead flashings
- Loose ridge or hip tiles
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Peter and St Paul, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- What experience they bring
- What happens after the report arrives
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
What we can’t see
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- How the roof will behave in every kind of weather
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- A structural engineer’s report
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will recommend the right survey before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Ridges, hips and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roofs
- Lead flashings
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Natural slate
Leave it or get it looked at?
Without a survey, you are guessing at what the roof needs. You might pay for work that does not fix the real problem, or miss the fault that matters. A survey tells you what actually needs attention. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. That is one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package you pick makes a difference too. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
What you get with us
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available