Buckinghamshire · London and the South East
Storm damage roof report in California, Buckinghamshire
A careful look at the roof at your property in California, and put it all in a written report with photos.
- Broken or displaced guttering
- New damp or leaks inside
- Damaged ridges and hips
How a storm damage roof report works in California
The Financial Ombudsman looks at three things when it considers a storm damage complaint: were there storm conditions on or around the date, is the damage consistent with a storm, and was the storm the main cause. We record what the roof shows about the damage and its likely cause. You or your insurer can check the weather for the date. Common reasons to book are damaged pots on the stack and holes or cracks caused by debris, on gutters and fascias, flat roofs and slate and tile slopes.
In older homes around places like California, the underlay may be old bitumen felt, or there may be none at all. Once the slates or tiles let water past, there’s little to stop it reaching the ceiling. Whether it’s long-term wear or recent damage makes a difference to what happens next. Wet battens and insulation in the loft are frequently the first clue.
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.
- Place
- California (HP21, HP20, HP19)
- Wider area
- Buckinghamshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What affects the price in California
Not every roof costs the same to survey, for these reasons:
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Roof area
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
Prices start from £150, with VAT included, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400. You will know the price for your survey before booking.
Helping us price your survey
When you call or email, these details help:
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- What made you get in touch
- Dates you are working to, like exchange
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from the ground or a window. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Signs you need a storm damage roof report in California
Insurers frequently want evidence of what has been damaged and why. An independent report gives you a clear record to send. The decision still rests with the insurer.
Common reasons to book include:
- Flashings pulled away from walls or stacks
- Damage from fallen branches or debris
- Gutters pulled loose in the wind
- Gaps where slates or tiles have gone
Landlords with a home close to Aylesbury station may find that tracing a leak quickly matters when a tenant is living with it.
Before you book anyone
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- What exactly goes into their report
- What the survey won’t cover
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
FAQs for California
Do you cover California?
We do. The survey and report are the same in California as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Will you come out to California?
Yes, California is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
What if the roof was already worn?
Wear and tear is usually excluded from home insurance. Our report records storm damage and any older wear we see, so it’s clear what we found. Your insurer decides how its policy applies.
Is this a RICS 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 will need a RICS survey as well.
What’s the best way to book?
It is easiest to phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. Tell us the address and a little about the roof, and we’ll point you to the right survey. We survey seven days a week.
My storm claim was turned down. What now?
Raise it with your insurer first. If it isn’t resolved, the Financial Ombudsman Service may be able to help. The Ombudsman looks at whether there were storm conditions, whether the damage fits a storm and whether the storm was the main cause.
Should I go up on the roof to take photos?
Stay off the roof. Photograph the damage from below or from a window. Note the date and time, and photograph any damage inside.
Storm damage roof reports in California: local notes
England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. If your 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, so check with the council. A number of Buckinghamshire villages keep thatched roofs on their older buildings. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Each of these roof types has its own typical places for water to get in.
Shop and office owners around Friars Square may find that finding where water is getting in quickly keeps disruption down. Take a building like Oak Green School: water through a big roof can travel a long way before it drips, so the search covers more than the obvious spot.
California is about 1 mile south of Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire. California is part of the area we cover as part of our work across London and South East England. California is one of the towns and villages in Buckinghamshire where we work for storm damage roof reports. We also survey roofs in Milton Keynes.
Surveys in HP21, HP20 and HP19 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. That includes homes and businesses on Lee Road, Penn Road and Eaton Road. California is on the A41 and A418, which makes it straightforward to reach. We also cover Aylesbury (1 mile north), Walton (1 mile east), Queens Park (1 mile east), Southcourt (1 mile south) and New Zealand (1 mile north). Within a short drive, we also cover High Wycombe (13 miles south), Chesham (11 miles south-east), Buckingham (15 miles north-west), Amersham (13 miles south-east), Princes Risborough (6 miles south) and Haddenham (6 miles south-west).
Near you in California
Typical jobs here are in homes near Pebble Brook School, Buckinghamshire UTC and King's Head Inn and the streets around them. There’s a railway station in California itself: Aylesbury station. A little further out are Friars Square (less than half a mile north-east) and Dinton Castle (3.4 miles west). The countryside around California includes Beacon Hill.
What we look for on each type of roof
Flat roof coverings
Branches and debris can damage flat roofs or block outlets. Any damage is recorded with photos.
Slate roofs
Broken slates and slates that have slid out of place are common after a storm. We photograph and describe each one.
What happens on the day
We work from the outside in: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the roof space where it can be reached. All told, expect about 1–2 hours for most homes, depending on how much of the roof was hit. With a bit of garden around a house, as there often is around California, the roof can be viewed from several angles. Let us know if any side is fenced off or hard to reach. Inside, the loft is checked where it can be reached safely.
- First you give us the date of the storm and what you’ve noticed, inside and out.
- We view the roof from wherever it can safely be seen, including the loft where there’s access.
- We photograph and record every area of damage we can see.
- We check whether the damage fits storm damage, older wear or both.
- We send you a written report with photos, ready to give to your insurer.
Before the survey
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Booking a survey
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll explain the options and the price.
Read more
Useful tips for California property owners
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Keep invoices for temporary repairs
- Arrange temporary cover with a roofer if rain is getting in
- Read your policy wording on storm damage
- Take photos of stains and damp inside
The report is emailed to you, and you decide what to send to your insurer. We don’t deal with the insurer on your behalf.
Keep records of roof work and surveys. They help show the roof was in good order before a storm.
Places near California
What else we do in California
For landlords and managing agents
Landlords, agents and building managers in California and across Buckinghamshire can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.