Process
What is a roof inspection?
A systematic look at the roof from above and below, with a written report — the cheapest thing you can buy for a roof, and the one most often skipped.
Updated September 12, 2026 · Every figure links to its source · Sources
DefinitionProcessAlso called: roof survey, roof condition assessment
Roof inspection — a documented examination of a roof — its covering, flashings, penetrations, edges and drainage from above, and its deck, framing and ventilation from the attic — to find defects, judge remaining life and recommend repair; the InterNACHI Standards of Practice set out what a home inspector's roof inspection must cover, and roofing contractors, insurers and consultants perform their own versions.
What is checked
The InterNACHI standard requires a home inspector to inspect the roof-covering materials, the gutters and downspouts, the vents, flashings, skylights, chimney and other roof penetrations, and the general structure of the roof from readily accessible panels, doors or stairs, and to describe the covering and report anything not inspected. A roofer's inspection goes further into the trade's particulars: the seal and granule condition of the shingles, nail pops, cracked pipe boots, rusted or reused flashing, the state of valleys and crickets, ponding on low-slope sections, soffit intake and ridge exhaust, and, in the attic, stains, daylight, mould on the sheathing and the depth of the insulation.
The method matters as much as the list. A roof is inspected from the roof where it is safe to walk, from a ladder at the eaves, from a drone or camera pole where it is not, and from the attic in every case; a report has photographs, and a repair estimate that follows from an inspection should refer to them. The directory's guide to finding a roof leak shows the diagnostic side of the same process.
When to have one, and why
Four moments justify an inspection: before buying a house (the home inspector's version, with a roofer's follow-up if anything is flagged); after a hailstorm, windstorm or hurricane, before the insurer's deadline for claims; when an insurer asks for one to write or renew a policy on an older roof, which is increasingly common; and on a schedule — every few years, and every year for a low-slope commercial roof — to catch the cheap repair before it becomes the expensive one. The directory's storm damage repair guide covers the post-storm case and the documentation an adjuster expects.
An inspection by a contractor who also wants the repair job is not worthless, but it is not independent. For a large decision — replace or repair, claim or not — a second inspection by a roofer with no stake, or by a roof consultant, is money well spent.
What it costs and who does it
Home inspectors include the roof in a whole-house inspection; roofing contractors inspect for a flat fee, sometimes waived against a repair; roof consultants and engineers charge by the hour for commercial roofs and litigation; insurers send their own adjusters. Drone surveys and infrared moisture scans are priced as extras. The directory's roof inspection cost guide explains how each kind is priced and what a report should contain.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers; the sections above carry the detail and the sources.
What is included in a roof inspection?
How often should a roof be inspected?
Is a free roof inspection worth having?
Next step
Find a roofer who does this
An inspection is the smallest job a roofer does and the best way to meet one. The directory lists roofing contractors by state and city.
Sources
- Standards of Practice for home inspections (roof section) — International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI)