The first step of any good roof replacement, or repair, is getting your roof inspected.
Inspections are super important to help you know exactly what problems you’re dealing with, and what the right next steps are for you to get them fixed.
When you call up a roofing company, they will have one of their roofing specialists or estimators come out to take a look at your home, see what kind of damage the roof has sustained, and give their opinion on what should be done to fix the issue at hand.
But what exactly does that entail? And more importantly, how much will it cost you?
Roof inspections cover a wide range of issues, and if you’re asking for an inspection for a roof replacement, there’s a good chance it won’t cost you anything at all. If you want an inspection just to get a good feel for your roof’s condition, or get a roof repair however, it will likely cost you between $100-$200, depending on how difficult it is to access all of the areas of your roof.
In this blog, we’ll be breaking down:
Let’s Get Started!
If you’re looking into the costs for a roof inspection, you might be having some trouble finding a solid number from most companies. This is largely because most roofing companies have a range of prices they may charge for the inspection, depending on how large or steep your roof is, and what service you’re looking for.
Many companies offer free inspections for customers who are looking to get a roof replacement, which is our policy here at On Tops Roofing. If someone is looking for a repair, or just to get a better idea of the condition of your roof, companies will likely charge somewhere in the $100 to $200 range to cover the labor costs associated with the inspection. For reference, here in the Raleigh, NC area, our roof inspection services cost $125 in the cases where a homeowner wants an inspection for a repair, or to evaluate their roof’s condition.
Another note: if you’re a realtor, or are working with one, very often roofing contractors won’t charge you their typical inspection fee, especially if they think the roof they’re inspecting will turn into a roof replacement job in the future.
Depending on your contractor, the cost of your roof inspection could be a flat rate, regardless of the roof’s condition and pitch, or they may charge a little extra if your roof is particularly difficult to get on due to a steep slope.
Similarly if you’re looking for a repair, the company may charge you a fee for the inspection itself, before you pay for the actual cost of the repair if you decide to go through with it. Like we mentioned earlier, if you’re up front about looking for a roof replacement, a lot of roofing companies will waive their roof inspection fee, and the inspection will be more focused toward providing an accurate price estimate for the replacement, than finding and diagnosing any problems with your roof.
However, always confirm with your roofing contractor what their policy is, as every company is different, and you don’t want to be caught off guard by any surprise fees and charges.
In the same vein, you should also have a good idea of what exactly your roofing contractor will be looking at during the inspection. Your roofing specialist should check your shingles for damage, your flashing for wear and tear, your roof penetrations for damage and leaks, and your gutters and valleys for debris buildup.
Shingles are your roof’s first and strongest line of defense against rainwater, sunlight, and other harsh elements. Without their protection, water can damage the interior layers of your roof and home. Your contractor should look for curled, damaged, or blistering shingles, excessive loss of shingle granules, and any overdriven nails, or nails that are backing out.
Roof Flashing is the thin pieces of metal that are installed over sensitive areas of your roof, in order to reinforce those places from water damage.
During the inspection, the contractor should be looking for missing caulk around the flashing edge, cracked or warped metal, and flashing that might have been torn off during a storm.
A roof penetration is anything that comes through your roof decking. This includes skylights, pipes, chimneys, and more. When your contractor does their inspection, they’ll check all penetrations to ensure they’re leak-free.
Pipe boots are placed around every pipe coming through your roof to help seal them against water coming through. In the past, most pipe boots were made of rubber, which have proven to crack and break apart with plentiful sun exposure over time.
Leaves, pine needles, twigs, and other debris that get stuck in certain areas of the roof may seem insignificant, but they can cause a lot more problems than you might expect.
These kinds of debris can collect a lot of water underneath them, which will erode your shingles’ granules, and work its way into your roof decking. Additionally, if they clog up your gutters, the water can back up onto your roof, or spill down into your yard, which can affect your home’s foundation.
Now that you’ve learned some more about how much roof inspections cost, and what is checked for doing them, you may be wondering how often you should actually have your roof inspected by a professional.
Well, good news for you, we’ve done a blog on exactly that! Give that a look at this link!
On Tops Roofing has been providing Roof Inspection, repair and replacement services to the Research Triangle area of North Carolina since 1991. Whatever your roofing project will require, give as a call, we’re happy to help!