A roof inspection is a great idea for any home or building owner. Whether your roof is metal, flat, or sloped with shingles, it’s vital to check on its performance once or twice a year. Depending upon the type of roof installed, regular inspections may even be a clause in your material warranty.
Why Do I Need a Roof Inspection?
Unlike many areas of your home, your roof is out of plain sight. We all know the saying, “out of sight, out of mind.” There are areas of your roof that you can see from the street, or with your own personal drone, but that isn’t enough. During a roof inspection, your professional roofer will look at the wear and tear of your roof, inspect shingles or plies if your roof is flat, and check all of the roof penetrations and flashings for damage.
Those lovely trees around houses are also a nuisance to your roof. Buildup of leaves and debris will clog drains and facilitate growth of mold and algae. If you live in an area with rainfall, high winds, hail, snow, or severe weather, your roof could be damaged without knowing it. A damaged roof is a huge invitation for water incursion. It’s like opening up a club in Las Vegas after a year-long lockdown. (Pandemic cabin fever anyone?)
“Perhaps the most vital time of year to have your roof inspected is the fall, before the cold of winter sets in. Timing is key. Frigid temperatures can compromise the success of new roof installations and such repairs as shingle replacement because new shingles can’t seal down properly when it’s too cold outside.” Bob Villa
How Much Should a Roof Inspection Cost?
A roof inspection can run anywhere from free to $350 or as high as a bundled maintenance contract for a commercial complex in the $1,200 – $2,000 range. It really does depend. Instead of asking how much a roof inspection should cost, ask yourself how much a roof inspection saves you!
Wouldn’t it be better to catch a leak before it happens? We think so.
“On average, a roof inspection costs $216. Most homeowners pay between $119 and $313 for an inspection, although that range can go as high as $600. Your budget might change for specific types of investigations like drones or infrared.”
Home Advisor
How Do You Inspect a Roof?
Roof inspections are visual in nature and based upon the experience level of your professional roof inspector. Typically, roof inspectors have more specialized knowledge than a home inspector and may be required for insurance claims and/or to sell or purchase a home. We don’t recommend hiring a handyman or allowing your retired Uncle Jack to climb up a ladder to “poke around a bit.”
Inspecting a roof typically doesn’t involve tearing off shingles or taking core samples. Though, if your commercial building has an unknown number of membrane plies, you may need core samples. If that happens, the inspector will also include the cost of repairing the roof. That would be unusual, however.
“Roofs should always be inspected prior to and after inclement weather warnings to decrease the impact of flying projectiles, blocked drains (especially during the fall season if there are a lot of trees around a building), or to protect valuable machinery prior to heavy winds or hail.”
State Office of Risk Management (TX)
Schedule Your Roof Inspection Today
You don’t want the personal liability that comes with hiring a handyman — especially from Craigslist. (Sorry, not sorry.) Professional roofing contractors are efficient, safe, and effective. We know the local area, and serve the community we all live in. Let’s get you on an inspection schedule.