Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Storm damage roof report in Blackthorn, Oxfordshire
Storm damage roof reports for homes and businesses in Blackthorn. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Water coming in after the storm
- Damaged gutters and fascias
- Gaps where slates or tiles have gone
What a storm damage roof report looks like in Blackthorn
Older buildings in west Oxfordshire often have Cotswold stone slate roofs, and some Oxfordshire villages still have thatch. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. The covering and its details give the first clues when tracing where water is coming from. The wider area around Blackthorn has a long history of building, with Boarstall Tower about 3.3 miles south. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Five Acres Primary School, tracing a leak on a big roof starts with where the water appears and works back. If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for instance near Bicester Village, finding where water is getting in quickly keeps disruption down. Landlords with a home close to Bicester Village station may find that finding the cause of a leak fast keeps a tenant’s home dry and the work focused.
Blackthorn is about 3 miles south-east of Bicester, in Oxfordshire. Blackthorn is part of the area we cover across London and South East England. Our area takes in places right across Oxfordshire. You can also see our page for Oxford.
Storm damage roof reports in OX25 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. We cover properties on Station Road, Lower Road and Thame Road. We also cover Piddington (2 miles south-east), Ludgershall (3 miles south-east), Grendon Underwood (4 miles east), Edgcott (4 miles north-east) and Brill (4 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (10 miles south-west), Bicester (3 miles north-west), Thame (10 miles south-east), Kidlington (9 miles south-west), Chinnor (14 miles south-east) and Headington Quarry (9 miles south-west).
Around Blackthorn
The closest station to Blackthorn is Bicester Village station, about 2.6 miles north-west of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Bicester Community Hospital (3.1 miles north-west) and Bicester Village (2.8 miles north-west). Not far away are Upper Ray Meadows and Graven Hill.
About our storm damage roof report in Blackthorn
What counts as a storm depends on your policy, though many use gusts of about 55 mph. Check your own policy wording. We don’t decide whether a storm met that test. Our part is recording the damage to your roof and its likely cause. The report includes photographs of each area of damage, and you decide what to send. Insurers decide claims on their own policy wording. We’re often asked to look into roofs hit by falling trees and ridge tiles that have come loose, across chimney stacks, flashings and flat roofs.
Many homes in small places like Blackthorn face open ground, where storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hardest. Once water gets into older walls, it takes a long time to dry, which makes finding the cause quickly worthwhile. A record with photographs is useful if you need to show the damage to anyone else.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Location
- Blackthorn (OX25)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
DIY checks: what’s safe
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
Places near Blackthorn
Also in Blackthorn
For landlords and managing agents
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work around your tenants.
Blackthorn: your questions answered
Is my home in Blackthorn listed or in a conservation area?
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 Blackthorn?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Blackthorn as anywhere else.
Do you use drones?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
Can I challenge a declined storm claim?
Raise it with your insurer first. The Financial Ombudsman Service may look at it if that does not resolve it. The Ombudsman looks at whether there were storm conditions, whether the damage fits a storm and whether the storm was the main cause.
Is wear and tear covered by insurance?
Most policies do not cover wear and tear. Our report records storm damage and any older wear we see, so you know what the roof shows. Your insurer decides how its policy applies.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing are not part of what we do. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them, and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
How long is the visit?
Expect it to take about one to two hours for most houses, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. The written report follows by email.
Tips that help
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Don’t go onto the roof to take pictures
- Note the date and time you first saw the damage
- Hold on to fallen pieces of the roof where you can
- Read your policy wording on storm damage
If you are unhappy with how your insurer handles the claim, you can complain to them first. If that does not resolve it, the Financial Ombudsman Service may be able to help.
Ask a tree specialist about branches over the roof. They can damage the roof in high winds.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Your policy may say how quickly you need to report damage. Check the wording and tell your insurer as soon as you can. Our report can then add a clear record. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Blackthorn, driving rain gets into any weakness, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
All our prices include VAT. Prices start from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the exact price before you book.
Why us?
- Package prices that include VAT
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- 98% of customers satisfied
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
What happens on the day
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. The inspection then takes an hour or two at a house, and longer if the damage is spread across a large roof. Somewhere like Blackthorn needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect everything that’s safely in view, inside and out.
- First we go through when the storm hit and what you’ve noticed.
- The roof is inspected from safe positions.
- Each area of damage is photographed and described.
- We note the likely cause and any signs of older wear.
- We send you the report by email for your insurer.
Preparing for the visit
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Getting a price
To book a survey, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
When you need someone else
It’s a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- What’s beneath slates, tiles or membranes
- A decision on your insurance claim
- Acting for you with the insurer
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
What we check
- Flashings
- Slate and tile slopes
- Gutters and fascias
- Ridges and hips
- Flat roofs
- Chimney stacks