If you are looking to sell your home, or to move into one, a roofing inspection is an absolute must. Home sellers are legally obligated to tell you the condition of the home’s roof, and you as a buyer should carefully inspect that roof before signing a contract. If this is your first roof inspection, read on to learn what to expect.
The Purpose of an Inspection
An inspection by licensed roofers in VA Beach gives the homeowner a certificate stating the roof’s condition; sellers use it to fulfill their obligations, and buyers take it as reassurance. A roof inspector can also give you a good idea as to how much longer the roof will last, and they can also give you a list of recommended repairs along with a cost estimate.
Potential Problems
The roofing inspector does their job by climbing up onto your roof and looking for problem areas. As they gauge the condition of your roof, they’ll be on the lookout for shingles which aren’t correctly attached, and they’ll also take a look at the roof’s caps, ridges, drains, drip edges, gutters and downspouts to ensure proper function. If there are any problems, the inspector can tell you exactly what, where and how severe they are.
Things to Know
When buying a house, you should find out what kind of material makes up its roof. The most common roofing materials are wooden shakes, concrete and clay tiles, steel, gravel, tar, compound shingles and slate. Once you find out what your roof is made of, you can do your own research to find out how durable the materials are; wood shake roofs need more frequent repair, while slate roofs can last hundreds of years. roofers will be able to recommend the best kind of roof for your climate, but you should keep in mind that they may charge more if your roof is pitched (steeply slanted).
Once your inspection is done, the contractor will give you a report detailing your roof’s condition. If repairs are necessary, the inspector will only issue a certificate after those repairs are made.
