Saw a stain on the ceiling or a few shingles in the yard? That doesn't always mean you need a new roof.
Often the problem is a vent seal, a piece of flashing, or a chimney issue a mason should handle. The only way to know is a real inspection, from the attic up. Ours is free, takes about 45 minutes to an hour for most homes, and you keep the written report with photos whether you hire us or not. If a repair will do, we'll quote the repair.
Here is what every one of our inspections includes, step by step.
What a thorough inspection actually includes
- An attic walk-through first. Leaks almost always show up on the inside before they show on the outside. We look for staining on the sheathing, insulation that is dark or compressed, nails that have rusted, and daylight at the eaves.
- On the roof, when it's safe. Drones are a useful tool, but we walk the roof and inspect the flashing around every penetration.
- Every penetration checked on its own. Plumbing vents, bathroom and kitchen exhausts, chimney flashing, skylight curbs, and step flashing where the roof meets a wall. Most leaks start at a penetration, not out in the field of the shingles.
- A written report with photos. You should get a report you can keep, with photographs of what we saw.
- An honest category: repair, partial replacement, or full replacement. Not every roof needs to be replaced.
How long it takes and what you walk away with
A straightforward residential inspection takes about 45 minutes to an hour. We start in the attic, then go up on the roof whenever it is safe to do so. A drone is something we use for documentation, not a substitute for being up there.
When we are done you get a written scope of work and a documented price, with photos of what we found. Not a number scribbled on a card, and no pressure to decide on the spot.
What we commit to
- A full walk of your roof when it is safe to do so, plus an attic inspection.
- A photo-documented written report and a plain-English recommendation.
- If you don't need a new roof, we will tell you. We would rather lose a sale today than put a $20,000 roof on a home that only needed a $400 fix.
- If you have a quote in hand that feels wrong, we will give you a second opinion for free.
