Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Thermal Roof Survey in South Hinksey
A careful look at the roof at your property in South Hinksey, and put it all in a written report with photographs.
- Possible trapped moisture under a flat roof covering
- Water that travels before it shows
- Wet areas near outlets and upstands
Do you need a thermal roof survey in South Hinksey?
On big commercial and residential flat roofs, thermal imaging helps owners plan. It can suggest which areas may be wet and which seem dry, so moisture readings can be targeted.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Heat escaping through the roof
- Wet insulation beneath the membrane
- Damp around chimneys and parapets
- Cold spots on ceilings under the roof
Anyone responsible for a site like New Hinksey Church of England Primary School will know that a view from above covers a wide roof far faster than walking it.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
How a thermal roof survey works in South Hinksey
Our Premium Survey, from £400, brings together a full roof inspection and thermal imaging. You also get a drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and a report on the same day. There is an in-person consultation as well, plus a follow-up 12 months later. To book, just call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you’ve noticed. Larger commercial roofs are quoted for their size. We survey insulated roof spaces, loft conversions and pitched roof slopes, and common reasons people get in touch are ceilings that feel colder in places and leaks far from where the stain appears.
In a village or hamlet like South Hinksey, roofs can be steep, old and hard to see from the lane. Close-up drone photos and thermal images help show what cannot be reached safely. Weather and airspace are looked at before the visit, and the journey is planned beforehand. Older roofs with steep slopes and tall chimneys are where the extra view helps most.
Report times depend on the survey you book: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Where
- South Hinksey (OX1)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Flying and imaging in South Hinksey
The wider area around South Hinksey has a long history of building, with Holywell Manor about 1.8 miles north. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years. Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Where a roof is steep, tall or hard to see from the ground, drone photos and thermal images add detail.
If you run a hotel or guest house in or near South Hinksey, a roof problem can mean rooms out of use, so it pays to find faults before guests do. If you live in an older home near Church of St Lawrence, thin or patchy insulation under an old roof often shows up clearly on a thermal image.
South Hinksey is about 2 miles south-west of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. In South Hinksey, as across Oxfordshire, every roof gets the same careful survey. South Hinksey is one of the towns and villages in Oxfordshire we cover.
We survey roofs across the OX1 postcode area for thermal roof surveys and the streets around it. That includes homes and businesses on Barleycott Lane, St Lawrence Road and Church Close. If you are just outside South Hinksey, we cover Hinksey Hill (1 mile south), New Hinksey (1 mile north-east), Redbridge (1 mile east), Grandpont (1 mile north) and Chilswell (1 mile south-west). Further out, we also cover Didcot (8 miles south), Bicester (13 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (4 miles south), Witney (10 miles west), Carterton (14 miles west) and Thame (13 miles east).
Local landmarks in South Hinksey
Typical jobs here are in homes near Alexander Library of Ornithology, Greyfriars Catholic School and Oxford Media & Business School, among other places. Other local landmarks include Raleigh Park (1.3 miles north-west) and The General Elliot pub (under half a mile north). For rail, the closest station is Oxford station, about 1.5 miles north of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Oxford Castle and earlier settlement remains (1.4 miles north) and The Story Museum (1.3 miles north). Open spaces near South Hinksey include Lashford Lane Fen and Harcourt Hill.
Roof by roof
Felt and asphalt flat roofs
Water under felt or asphalt can stay hidden for years. Thermal imaging helps suggest where it is, given suitable conditions on the day.
Single-ply and EPDM roofs
Single-ply PVC, TPO and EPDM roofs are frequently laid over insulation boards. Wet boards can show as temperature differences on the images.
Common questions in South Hinksey
Will you come out to South Hinksey?
Yes, we do. We work right across London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Is my home in South Hinksey listed or in a conservation area?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Is thermal imaging good for finding leaks?
It is a useful tool for tracing leaks, but not the only one. The results depend on conditions on the day. Where it can’t be pinned down, the report suggests a next step, like electronic leak detection.
Can thermal imaging show missing insulation?
Thermal images can suggest where heat is escaping and where insulation may be missing. The survey isn’t an energy rating or a heat loss calculation, but the images show where improvements may help.
Do you use drones?
Where it helps and it’s safe, yes. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. We look at the roof, not the whole building, so it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
What do I do with the report?
The report comes by email, and what you do next is up to you: raise it with a seller, send it to an insurer, brief a roofer or share it with a managing agent.
Before and after the survey
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Remember the conditions on the day affect the results
- Tell us where and when you’ve seen damp or stains
- Do not climb onto the roof to look for leaks yourself
- Take photos of stains as they appear, so we can compare
Where a pattern cannot be confirmed, the report says what could help, such as electronic leak detection or opening up a small area.
Clear outlets and gutters regularly, so water doesn’t sit on the roof. The less water sits, the less can find its way beneath.
Towns and villages near South Hinksey
What else we do in South Hinksey
What a survey costs
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. The main factors are:
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- How big the roof is
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What to let us know when you contact us
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- When you need the report by
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form, let us know about the property and we will recommend the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Checking the roof from the ground
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. 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. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
The survey, step by step
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes about 1–2 hours for most homes, plus time to check any thermal findings with moisture readings. You’re welcome to ask questions while we’re there. For a village or hamlet like South Hinksey, the journey is planned in advance: 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 start with the roof, its history and any signs of damp or heat loss.
- The weather and surface conditions are recorded.
- A full inspection and thermal imaging are carried out together.
- Moisture readings are used to check what the camera shows.
- The Premium report reaches you the same day, and we go through it with you in person.
How to prepare
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Keep pets in another room
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
How to book
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We’ll confirm the price before you book.