How much does a roof inspection cost?

The cost of a roof inspection ranges from $150 to $500. This cost varies based on several factors, including the reason you need the inspection, the complexity of your roof, your location and the kind of roof inspection you need.

That said, free roof inspections do exist. Many roofing companies will do a free inspection if they think you’ll use their services to get a roof replacement.

If you want a more thorough inspection from a professional contractor or building inspector with no expectation of them performing any further work, expect to pay for the service.

Read on to learn more about the everything that goes into the cost of a roof inspection.

There are some obvious signs you’ll need a roof inspection, and some not so obvious. 

If you have water leaking into your home or you can see damage to the roof from the ground, you should contact a roofing company as soon as possible to learn whether you need roof repairs or replacement. 

If there’s no immediate need to repair known damage, you might need a roof inspection for a number of reasons including:

• After severe weather events - If you’ve had recent high winds and/or hail storms, it can be a good idea to call a roofer to perform a visual inspection of your roof. Your homeowner’s Insurance company may cover any damages you have, and both you and they have a vested interest in getting repairs done quickly to prevent any further damage to the home.

• Before buying or selling a home - A thorough roof inspection should be included as part of the home inspection process. The inspector should take a lot of photos and document the condition of your roofing materials and flashing, as well as the internal roof structure from inside the attic.

• When your insurance company asks for it - In our modern world, home insurance companies use various methods to assess the health and wellbeing of their covered assets (i.e. your home). This can include using AI to examine satellite photographs and determine if there is a need for a closer inspection based on anything they find. Insurance companies in these situations may request a certificate from a professional roofer that they have inspected the roof, found no issues, and will cover any maintenance necessary for a given period (usually 3 to 5 years) into the future.

• Yearly scheduled inspections - If you’re the kind of person who likes to be proactive, scheduling a yearly inspection can be a great way to stay on top of your roof’s needs. A yearly inspection will cost you money, but it will also be a way to build a relationship with a roofer, allowing you to evaluate how they do business before agreeing to pay the full cost of roof replacement.

As we mentioned above, free roof inspections exist, but they are generally performed by a roofer as part of an estimate. If you need a more thorough inspection for one of the reasons listed above, the following factors will determine the cost:

• Type of Inspection Needed

• Roof Size and Complexity

• Roof Height and Accessibility

• Geographic Location

• Contractor Experience and Certifications

Here’s a little more about each of those those factors:

Type of Inspection Needed

If you’re interested in replacing your roof, it’s a good idea to get multiple quotes from roofers in your area. As part of the estimating process, they’ll perform a basic visual inspection.

The best roofing companies will physically go onto your roof, and the amount of information a knowledgeable person can find from a simple stroll around up there might surprise you. During the physical inspection, a skilled roofer can tell the general age of the roof coating, identify problems with shingle granule loss, spot damaged or improperly installed flashing, point out rotting wood under your eaves, and even feel the strength of the decking under the roof.

Here’s a bit about more advanced inspection types: 

Structural assessments look at the underlying framework and support of your home’s roofing system, including rafters, decking, ventilation, drainage systems, flashing, and pipe boots. This type of report will include thorough documentation with photographs showing every part of your roof, and recommendations for shoring up any problems.

A moisture survey is usually performed for a flat roof to identify any issues with water ingress before they become big problems. Survey workers will provide a report that shows a map of your roof that shows any moisture-damaged areas, along with a detailed written assessment of your roof's condition, and recommendations for how to address any deficiencies.

Roof certification inspections are thorough structural assessments performed by a roofing company, after which the company offers a guarantee that they will repair any issues that occur with the roof over a given time period (usually three to five years). This kind of inspection is sometimes required by your insurance company or a mortgage or refinance lender to protect their interest in the home.

Roof Size and Complexity

Although it is uncommon for roof inspection companies to charge by the square foot, the size and complexity of your roof may cause them to raise the flat fee they charge.

Examples of difficult-to-assess roofs include complex hip roofs with many valleys and difficult access to the attic spaces under the roof. This can add to the cost of a structural assessment.

Roof Height and Accessibility

Similar to roof complexity, height is another factor that can increase cost. It’s only logical that the roof of a single-story ranch home is easier to evaluate than the roof of a large three-story home with steep roof faces.

Geographic Location

The reason roof inspection costs different depending on where you are has everything to do with differences in the cost of labor. Roof inspection doesn’t generally include any hardware costs, so it’s all down to the cost of the worker doing the assessment. 

Contractor Experience and Certifications

The factor has everything to do with the quality of work you can expect from the contractor. Hiring a certified professional building inspector to perform a structural analysis will cost more than having a journeyman roofer walk your roof. If you need a buttoned-up, professional job, expect to pay a bit more.

At minimum, every roofing inspection should cover the exterior portion of your roof, and look at the condition of the roofing materials, flashing, vents, eaves, and overhangs. A report from this kind of inspection can be as simple as a verbal rundown with the roofer, but if you’re paying for the inspection, you should expect at least a number of photographs documenting all the important places, with special attention to any problem areas.

A structural assessment or roof certification inspection should also include a detailed look at the interior of the roofing system from inside the attic, including the rafters/trusses, decking, and any issues with ventilation or moisture. These more stringent inspections should come with thorough documentation of all parts of the roofing system.

As mentioned above, a roof inspection is often free when it’s a simple inspection done by a roofing contractor who is providing a bid for roof replacement services. But there are other times when you’ll be able to take advantage of a free roof inspection.

If you’re in the process of getting solar panels installed, many city and county permitting offices around the country require a structural inspection of your rafters/trusses and decking to make sure they can handle the added weight of the solar installation. Once you’ve agreed to move ahead with a solar installer, they’ll send a member of their team to carefully document the measurements necessary for the building permit.

You can also get a free roof inspection as part of an insurance claim for damages to the roof. This is a great time to get a roofer to do a free estimate. If you file a claim for roof repairs because of a covered event, your insurance company will likely also send a claims adjuster out. It’s like two inspections for the price of none!