Roof inspection
A roof inspection is a written record, not an opinion
The useful output of an inspection is a dated set of photographs and a plain description of condition. Not a number, and not a verdict delivered from the driveway.
What gets looked at
- Every slope
- Including the ones that do not face the street. Wind damage concentrates on the exposed elevation, which is frequently the back of the house.
- Every penetration
- Pipe boots, vents, skylights, satellite mounts and anything else that goes through the roof surface. These are where residential leaks come from.
- Every wall junction and chimney
- Step flashing, counterflashing, crickets, and whether any of it has been replaced with sealant.
- Valleys
- Debris, nail placement, and whether the cut is too tight to the center line.
- Edges
- Drip edge, starter course adhesion, rake detailing, and fascia condition where the gutter hangs.
- Soft metals
- Gutters, vent caps and aprons. On a hail call these are the corroborating evidence.
- Ventilation
- Exhaust at the ridge, intake at the soffits, and whether the two are actually connected or the insulation has blocked the eaves.
- The attic
- Deck condition from below, staining, daylight, moisture and insulation depth, where there is safe access.
When it is worth doing
- After a storm that shows up in the record near your ZIP code, particularly a wind event, because wind damage is the kind you cannot see from the ground.
- Before buying a house. A general home inspection reports on a roof; it does not usually get on one. On a house with a complicated roof that is a meaningful gap.
- Before selling. A dated inspection report with photographs answers the buyer's question before it becomes a negotiation.
- At around fifteen years on an asphalt roof, so that the remaining life is a plan rather than a surprise.
- Whenever somebody knocks on the door and says your roof is damaged. An independent look costs nothing and settles it.
What you should get back
Photographs, slope by slope
Wide shots for context and close shots of anything specific. Enough that somebody who was not there can follow it.
A plain description of condition
What was found, where, and what it means. In words you can repeat to somebody else.
Urgent separated from eventual
A cracked boot needs doing now. A roof with six years left is a planning matter. Those should not arrive as one recommendation.
A dated record you keep
The report is yours. Its value grows if a storm comes through later and somebody asks when the damage happened.
An inspection that ends in a contract on the same visit is a sales call. An inspection that ends with photographs and a written condition report is an inspection.
Want a dated record of what is actually up there?
Request a free inspectionHow long does an inspection take?
For a typical house, most of an hour on and around the roof, plus attic access where it is available. A cut-up roof with several dormers and multiple planes takes longer.
Do you use drones?
Photography from above is useful on roofs that are unsafe to walk — steep slate, brittle tile, or anything with a compromised deck. On a walkable asphalt roof, being on it beats looking at it, because unsealed shingles and soft decking are found by hand.
Will you tell me I need a new roof?
Only if that is what the roof says. Plenty of inspections end with "this has years left, fix the boot".
Can I get a copy of the photographs?
Yes. The report and the photographs are yours to keep and to show to anybody else, including another contractor or your insurer.
All work is performed by licensed and insured local roofing professionals.