Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Roof Survey in Shippon
Roof surveys in Shippon from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys.
- Standing water on a flat roof
- Condensation or damp timbers in the loft
- Worn or blocked valleys
Shippon: your questions answered
How do I find out if my home in Shippon is listed?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Is Shippon within the area you cover?
Yes, Shippon is covered. We cover the whole of 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 professional indemnity insurance?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Can you survey a roof I share with a neighbour?
Yes, we can. We inspect what the owner gives us access to. If a problem seems to come from next door, we’ll say so.
Do you carry out asbestos surveys?
No. Asbestos was banned in UK construction in 1999, so older buildings may have it. We flag materials that could contain it, and a specialist asbestos surveyor should check them.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the roof space, someone has to give us access, while outside access can be discussed when you book.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
Roof survey in Shippon
There’s no single reason to have a roof surveyed. Some have spotted a stain or a slipped slate, while others just want to know where they stand. Whatever the reason, the survey works the same way: a careful look, then a clear written report. Visits run on any day of the week, so it is easy to find a day that suits. Common reasons to book are ponding, splits or blisters on flat roofs and lifted, split or missing lead flashings, on clay and concrete tiles, ridges, hips and valleys and natural slate.
Older buildings in small places like Shippon may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is often expected.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later.
- Where
- Shippon (OX13)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
It helps 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 roughly 1–2 hours for most houses, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Cottages and farmhouses around Shippon often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- We start with the property details and any concerns.
- 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.
- You receive the report with photos and recommendations, prioritised by urgency.
How to prepare
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Leave side gates unlocked
Getting a price
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will explain the options and the price.
Advice
Signs you need a roof survey in Shippon
Slates and tiles often outlast the fixings that hold them. On slate roofs, corroded nails let slates slip, which is known as ‘nail fatigue’. On tiled roofs, battens and pegs can rot, letting tiles move.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Standing water on a flat roof
- Lifted, split or missing lead flashings
- Cracked mortar along the ridge
- Loose chimney pots
Landlords with a home close to Radley station may find that a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- What experience they bring
- What exactly goes into their report
Roof surveys in Shippon: local notes
Older buildings in west Oxfordshire frequently have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Historic houses such as Appleton Manor, about 3.1 miles north-west, show how far back building around Shippon goes. Older homes in the area may have roofs that need matching materials when work is done. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Larkmead School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Shippon is about 1 mile west of Abingdon-on-Thames, in Oxfordshire. We survey roofs in Shippon and the surrounding area across London and South East England. Our Oxfordshire coverage includes Shippon. For surveys nearby, see our Oxford page.
All of OX13 is within our area for roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Whether your property is on Chestnut Tree Close, Willow Tree Close and Whitehouse Close or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Close by, we survey roofs in Cothill (1 mile north-west), Dry Sandford (2 miles north-west), Marcham (2 miles south-west), Sutton Wick (2 miles south) and Frilford Heath (2 miles west). Further out, we also cover Oxford (6 miles north-east), Didcot (6 miles south-east), Witney (11 miles north-west), Carterton (14 miles north-west), Thame (15 miles east) and Wantage (8 miles south-west).
Near you in Shippon
We work in homes and buildings around St Nicolas Church of England Primary School, Prince Of Wales pub and Albert Park, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Radley station, roughly 2.8 miles east. Nearby you will also find Abingdon Community Hospital (0.8 miles south) and FitzHarris Castle (1 mile south-east). For a walk, there is Cumnor Hill and Dry Sandford Pit.
What else we do in Shippon
What we can’t see
A survey is a proper look at the roof, but it cannot do everything. Its limits include:
- Walls, floors and services below the roof
- Confirmation of asbestos in soffits or cement sheets
- How the roof will behave in every kind of weather
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will suggest the right survey. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- Flat roofs
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Ridges, hips and valleys
- Lead flashings
- Natural slate
Roof by roof
Natural slate
Slate is one of the most durable roof coverings, but its nails frequently corrode first. We check for slipped, cracked and missing slates, and for clips that show past repairs.
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings close the joints where a roof meets a wall or chimney. Lifted, split or slipped lead is recorded.
Before and after the survey
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Some pointers:
- Do not climb onto the roof yourself
- Tell us about any leaks or stains you’ve seen
- Move stored items away from the loft hatch
- Have details of recent roof work to hand
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.
Plan a roof survey every few years, or sooner after severe weather. Routine surveys pick up wear before it leaks. Compare each report with the last.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us as you book and it will help the survey.