When an inspection makes sense
Before buying a house, before selling one, after a storm, after the roof passes fifteen years, when a leak appears with no obvious cause, and before any interior remodel that could be undone by a roof problem. Military families relocating to or from the area use inspections on both ends of the move.
A general home inspector looks at the roof from a ladder or a drone for a few minutes. A roofing inspection walks it.
What is inspected
Shingles for age, granule loss, lifting, creasing and hail bruising. Flashing at chimneys, walls, skylights and pipes. Valleys, ridge caps and vents. Drip edge and gutters. Decking condition from the attic, including water stains, daylight and sagging. Attic ventilation and insulation, since both affect the roof from below.
Each component gets a photo and a one-line condition note. The report ends with a verdict: sound, repair needed with the list, or replacement recommended with the reasons.
For buyers
A pre-purchase roof report tells you what you are taking on and gives you a documented basis for negotiating repairs or a credit. It also tells you what the first year's maintenance will look like. Roofs on houses near the post turn over often, and not every previous owner kept records.
For sellers
A pre-listing inspection lets you fix the items a buyer's inspector will find, on your schedule rather than under contract pressure. Presenting the report with the listing signals that there is nothing hidden, which shortens negotiations.
Maintenance inspections
An annual look at a roof over ten years old catches cracked pipe boots, loose flashing and clogged gutters before they become leaks. It is a small task that, done consistently, adds years to a roof. We pair it with gutter cleaning where that makes sense.
What the report does not do
It does not guarantee the roof will never leak, and it is not a substitute for an insurance adjuster's assessment. It is a professional, photographed opinion on the condition of every part of the roof on the day it was inspected, and it is yours to use however you need.
Drones, ladders and boots
A drone gives a fast overview and is useful on very steep or fragile roofs, but it cannot feel a soft deck, lift a shingle tab to check the seal or read the condition of a pipe boot. We use the drone for the overview and walk the roof for the detail wherever it is safe to do so. The attic visit is never skipped, since the underside of the deck tells a story the surface hides.