The roof is your home’s fundamental first line of defense against the elements. To make sure it’s in good condition, you should have it regularly inspected to check for leaks, missing shingles and damaged flashing. But how much should you expect to pay? Here’s everything you need to know about roof inspection costs.
What Is a Roof Inspection?
As the name suggests, a roof inspection involves a careful investigation into the condition of a home’s roof. But although the process may sound simple, it’s actually very comprehensive when you hire a reputable roofing contractor with decades of experience identifying troublesome issues that often go overlooked.
At A-to-Z Roofing & Exteriors, for instance, every roof inspection we perform follows a thorough checklist. This extensive checklist has been developed after three decades of performing roofing services in and around the Denver metro area, and it serves as an informative guide for what our skilled technicians look for once they make their way up onto a roof.
At a minimum, the checklist includes:
Identifying any and all areas where even minor physical damage is present. To the ordinary untrained eye, many residential and commercial rooftops can look the same. The highly trained roofing technicians at A-to-Z Roofing & Exteriors can detect problem areas that other roofers are prone to miss.
Locating problematic accumulation of dirt and debris. While not all organic buildup on a roof is problematic; heavy accumulation can lead to significant problems over time.
Inspecting skylights, vents, chimneys, stovepipes and other roof-mounted appliances. Anywhere there is a wall, portal or protruding feature on the roof, the associated sealing, flashing and curbing can and will deteriorate over time.
Evaluating a roof’s expansion joints. On common commercial rooftops throughout Colorado, integrated structural joints are designed to allow for natural contraction and expansion of a structure throughout the year. If any of these joints show too much movement, you may need to take steps to rectify the issue.
Detecting chalking, discoloration or other lap joint problems. A roof’s lap joint system is meant to protect a structure in areas where roofing materials overlap. When these joints are compromised, roof leaks usually follow.
Testing substrate for stability and firmness. Any roof is only as good as the underlying support that’s invisible to the naked eye. Often, roofing substrate problems begin as soft spots that only get worse over time.
In addition to this helpful checklist, there are many special considerations given to sloped, flat and metal roofs in Colorado. For instance, many flat rooftops may develop leaks due to excessive ponding; and some metal roofs exhibit common problems such as oil canning, loose panels, corrosion and popped screw heads.
Roof Inspection Cost
On average, a typical homeowner can expect to pay from $150 to $350 for a professional roof inspection; although, depending on the provider and your region, the costs could get as high as $600, especially for specific types of investigations that include drones or infrared.
What About Roof Certifications?
If you are selling your home, you may want to get a roof certification to show to potential sellers. These investigations are intended to determine the roof’s remaining lifespan, so the buyer can make an intelligent purchasing decision. A roofing certification will usually cost from $75 to $200 in most instances.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to getting your roof inspected, the cost is just one of the considerations. Many roofing scams start with a free or low-cost inspection. Once you let a disreputable roofer onto your roof, however, they may lie about what they see or even tear shingles and create other damage on their own.
Far too many homeowners and businesses owners fail to do their due diligence and adequately vet their roofing contractors. Sadly, there are plenty of unscrupulous and inexperienced contractors that will charge a pretty penny for top-quality materials only to provide shoddy materials and, far too often, poor workmanship that doesn’t stand the test of time.
For a quarter of a century, A to Z Roofing has developed a well-earned reputation as one of Colorado’s premier roofing contractors. We’ve done this by using only the finest roofing materials and delivering quality workmanship and unrivaled customer service.
At A to Z Roofing, we specialize in superior residential, commercial and multi-family roofing and repair. Locally owned and operated, we’ve been working continuously in Colorado for nearly three decades, serving the roofing needs of businesses and homeowners throughout Colorado’s Front Range.