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Roof Condition Rating Scale
Use a consistent rating in every report so the homeowner can compare your assessment against any other bid.
| Rating | What You See |
|---|---|
| 1 - Good | No damage, granules intact, flashing sound |
| 2 - Fair | Isolated damage, minor granule loss, aging boots |
| 3 - Marginal | Widespread curling, multiple leaks, valley rust |
| 4 - Poor | Active leaks, soft decking, failed flashing |
| 5 - Failed | Structural sag, rotted deck, interior damage |
Common Roof Repair Costs (2026)
Typical installed costs for the defects this checklist turns up. Prices vary by region, pitch, and access.
| Repair Item | Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Shingle patch repair | $5 - $15/sq ft |
| Plumbing vent boot replacement | $150 - $400 each |
| Chimney flashing repair | $500 - $1,800 |
| Ridge vent installation | $4 - $15/linear ft |
| Skylight replacement | $1,500 - $4,500 each |
| Soffit and fascia replacement | $6 - $20/linear ft |
| Gutter repair | $4 - $12/linear ft |
| Decking sheet replacement | $70 - $130 per sheet |
| Attic insulation top-up | $1 - $3/sq ft |
| Full roof replacement | $5,000 - $45,000 |
12,800+ estimates calculated this month
Last updated: 2026-07-10
What a Real Roof Inspection Looks Like
I have spent 20+ years in the Pacific Northwest, where moisture and rot are the number one enemy on every job. A roof inspection here is not a walk around the shingles. It is a hunt for water. The shingle field is usually the last place the roof actually fails, and it is the first place most people look.
This checklist covers 45 items across 7 categories, in the order the work actually flows: safety and setup, roof surface, flashing and penetrations, drainage, attic and ventilation, structure and decking, then documentation. It ends with the estimate on purpose. An inspection that does not turn into a clear, priced scope is just a nice walk on somebody's roof.
Need to turn the findings into a bid? Try EstimationPro free to build a detailed roofing estimate in minutes. EstimationPro handles the estimate, sends a professional proposal, and follows up with the homeowner automatically so you win more of the bids you already send.
Where Roofs Actually Leak
Homeowners think a leak means bad shingles. It almost never does. Here is what I find, ranked by how often it is the real culprit:
- Plumbing vent boots. The rubber collar around the pipe cracks and splits around year 10 to 15, a decade before the shingles are done. It is a $30 part. I have watched homeowners get quoted a full replacement when they needed four boots and an afternoon.
- Step flashing at wall intersections. Every shingle course gets its own piece of step flashing, woven in. When somebody runs one long bent piece of metal up the wall instead, it leaks. Guaranteed. You just do not know what year.
- Chimney counter flashing. Counter flashing belongs in a saw-kerf cut into the mortar joint. Surface-mounted metal held on with a bead of sealant fails in about five years. Look at the top edge. If you see caulk instead of metal let into the brick, that is your leak.
- Valleys. Valleys carry the water of two roof planes. Debris packs in, dams the flow, and pushes water sideways under the shingles. Rusted-through open metal valley is a slow leak you will not see inside until the deck is soft.
- Ice dams and eave detail. Missing drip edge and no ice barrier at the eave. Water wicks back under the shingle edge and rots the fascia and the first few inches of decking. This is a ventilation and insulation problem wearing a roofing costume.
The Attic Is Half the Inspection
Most inspections stop at the ladder. That is a mistake. The underside of the decking is where the roof tells the truth. Turn your flashlight off and stand still for a minute. Any daylight is a hole. Dark rings around the nails mean water has been coming through. Black staining across the whole sheathing is not a leak at all, it is condensation from an attic that cannot breathe.
In the PNW I find blocked soffit vents in roughly half the attics I open. Blown-in insulation covers the intake, the ridge vent has nothing to pull from, and warm wet air from the house condenses on the cold deck all winter. Replace the shingles without fixing that and you have sold the homeowner a very expensive delay. The Attic Ventilation Calculator sizes the intake and exhaust correctly before you write the scope.
Roof Inspection Frequency by Condition (2026)
| Situation | Inspect | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Roof under 10 years old | Every 2 years | Catch defective batches and installation errors while the warranty is live |
| Roof 10 to 20 years old | Annually | Vent boots and flashing start failing in this window |
| Roof over 20 years old | Twice a year | Plan the replacement before an emergency plans it for you |
| Heavy tree cover or moss | Twice a year | Organic growth and debris dam the valleys and hold water on the shingles |
| After hail or high wind | Immediately | Most insurers require the claim within 1 year of the damage date |
| Before buying the home | Immediately | A $10,000 replacement is a negotiating item before closing, not after |
Always Bid a Decking Allowance
You cannot see the deck until the shingles come off. That is not a guess, it is a fact of the job, and it is where re-roof bids go to die. Hidden work will get you. I have opened up roofs that walked solid and found a dozen sheets of delaminated OSB under the moss on the north slope.
So I write it into the bid. A stated number of sheets included, then a per-sheet unit price of roughly $70 to $130 for anything beyond that, signed before we start. The homeowner knows the number up front, and there is no fight on day two of a tear-off with their house open to the sky. That is the difference between a change order and an ambush. Price the rest of the job with the Roof Replacement Cost Calculator once you know what you are dealing with.
Ready to turn your inspection into a signed job? Try EstimationPro free to generate a professional roofing estimate with real 2026 pricing. It builds the estimate, sends the proposal, follows up with the homeowner on its own, then invoices when the work is done, so you can stay on the roof instead of at the kitchen table.
How to Use This Calculator
Start from the ground, not the ladder
Photograph all four elevations, sight the ridge line for sag, and note the pitch and access constraints before anyone climbs. Half the findings are visible from the driveway.
Work the roof surface, then every penetration
Expand each category and check off items as you go. Tap the detail arrow for code references, cost ranges, and field notes. Flashing and boots leak far more often than shingles do.
Go into the attic
Look at the underside of the decking for stains, daylight, and mold. Verify soffit intake is not buried under insulation and that bath fans vent outside. This step tells you more than the walk on top.
Rate the roof and turn findings into a priced estimate
Score the roof 1 to 5, separate repair scope from replacement scope, and set a written per-sheet decking allowance. Print the checklist or share it with the homeowner.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in a roof inspection?
A full roof inspection covers four areas: the roof surface (shingle condition, granule loss, moss, layer count), the penetrations and flashing (chimney, valleys, vent boots, skylights, step flashing), the drainage system (gutters, downspouts, drip edge, fascia), and the attic (decking underside, ventilation balance, insulation depth, moisture). A walk that skips the attic misses about half the story. This checklist covers 45 items across 7 categories, ending with the documentation you need to write the estimate.
How much does a roof inspection cost?
A standalone professional roof inspection runs $150 to $600 depending on the size of the roof and whether a drone or infrared scan is included. Most roofing contractors perform the inspection free as part of preparing a bid, then apply nothing toward the job. Certified inspections for a real estate transaction cost $200 to $400 and come with a written report. If you are a contractor, the inspection is your sales call. Do it thoroughly and it pays for itself.
How often should a roof be inspected?
Inspect once a year for most homes, and twice a year (spring and fall) in climates with heavy snow, ice, or tree cover. Always inspect after a major storm, hail event, or high-wind day. Most insurers require a claim to be filed within one year of the damage date, so an annual inspection is what keeps a hail claim from expiring quietly.
What are the most common roof inspection findings?
In order of how often I find them: cracked plumbing vent boots (the rubber collar fails around year 10 to 15, well before the shingles do), failed step flashing at wall intersections, moss and organic growth on north-facing slopes, blocked soffit vents buried under blown-in insulation, and exposed nail heads from a previous cheap repair. Four of those five are cheap fixes that prevent expensive damage.
How do contractors price a roof after an inspection?
Measure the roof in squares (1 square = 100 sq ft), then add a waste factor of 10% on a simple gable and 15% to 20% on a cut-up hip roof with multiple valleys. Price the tear-off separately from the install, since a second or third layer adds $1 to $2 per sq ft in labor and disposal. Add per-unit line items for each penetration, valley, and vent. Then set a written per-sheet decking allowance, because you cannot see the deck until the shingles come off. Our Roofing Calculator handles the squares and waste math, and the Roofing Estimate Template turns it into a signable bid.
Can you inspect a roof without walking on it?
Yes, and sometimes you should. A wet, mossy, frosted, or steep roof is not worth a fall. You can cover most of the surface inspection with binoculars from the ground, a drone, and a ladder inspection at the eave. What you cannot skip is the attic. The underside of the decking shows stains, daylight, mold, and ventilation problems that are invisible from on top. Some of the worst roofs I have found looked fine from the street.
How many layers of shingles can a roof have?
Most building codes allow a maximum of two layers of asphalt shingle. A third layer requires a full tear-off. Check the layer count at a rake edge or a vent penetration where the edge of the deck is visible. Layers matter for two reasons: the added dead load on the framing, and the fact that a tear-off adds $1 to $2 per sq ft of labor and disposal that a lot of quick bids forget to include.
Does moss on a roof mean it needs replacing?
Not by itself, but it is a warning. Moss holds water against the shingle and lifts the tabs as it grows underneath, wicking water sideways past the laps. Caught early, treatment plus zinc or copper strips at the ridge costs $300 to $800. Left for a decade, the shingles underneath have lost their granules and the deck may be soft. Never pressure wash a shingle roof. It strips the granules, voids the manufacturer warranty, and takes years off the roof in an afternoon.
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