Roof Inspection: What Actually Gets Checked (and What It Costs)
By Roofing Price Tool Editors · Updated · 5 min read
What a real roof inspection includes, what it costs, when you need one (selling, buying, after a storm), and the signs your inspector is just a sales pitch.
Three times you actually need an inspection
For reference, InterNACHI publishes the standard scope of what a real roof inspection covers.
- Buying a home. A general home inspection samples the roof from the ground or eaves - it's not a real roof inspection. Pay for a separate one if the roof is over 10 years old or you can see issues from the curb.
- Selling a home. An inspection-and-repair report given to buyers heads off renegotiation surprises and is one of the cheapest deal-savers on the market.
- After a storm. Hail, high wind, fallen tree branches - anything that could have hit the roof but didn't dramatically obviously hit it. Damage you can't see can still void warranties or trigger insurance.
Free vs paid
Free inspections from roofing contractors are real and worth getting - but recognize what they are: lead generation. The contractor's incentive is to find work. If the report says "you need a new roof" without specific evidence, get a second opinion.
Paid inspections from independent inspectors (no contracting business attached) cost $150 - $500 and come with no sales pressure. For high-stakes situations (buying a home, settling an estate, suspected insurance fraud), pay for independence.
The 10-point checklist a real inspection covers
- Shingle condition - granule loss, curling, missing tabs
- Flashing - chimney, sidewall, valley, step
- Vent boots and pipe collars
- Skylights and seals
- Ridge and ridge cap
- Valleys (open or closed metal)
- Gutters, downspouts, drip edge
- Soffit and fascia condition
- Attic interior - daylight, stains, ventilation balance
- Decking and rafters (visible from attic) for sag, moisture, rot
A real inspection produces 20 - 50 photos. If you receive 3 photos and a one-paragraph report, that wasn't an inspection.
Drone and satellite inspections
Drones are great for inaccessible or unsafe roofs - steep pitches, high stories, fragile slate or tile. They produce excellent documentation but can't feel for soft spots or pull a shingle to check the seal strip. Best used as part of an inspection, not the whole thing.
Satellite measurement services (the technology behind a lot of online estimators) give accurate dimensions and pitch but can't diagnose condition. They're a measurement tool, not an inspection tool.
Free-inspection red flags
- "You've got hail damage" without showing you a photo of it
- "We can start tomorrow" before the assessment is even done
- Wants to file the insurance claim for you
- Out-of-state license plate or new local business after a storm
- Refuses to leave a written copy of the inspection findings
What it should cost
- Contractor inspection (free): $0
- Home inspector (roof-only add-on): $100 - $250
- Independent roof inspector: $150 - $500
- Drone inspection: $150 - $400 standalone
- Insurance adjuster inspection: $0 (paid by your premium)
If the inspection says replace
Don't take the first quote. Get the inspection report in writing with photos, then collect 2 - 3 separate estimates. Compare against a calculator range for your roof's size and material before you commit to anyone.
Sources: InterNACHI roof inspection SOP · ASHI