Roof Inspections for Orlando Homeowners

Residential Roofing

Most of the calls we get for a home roof inspection are not from people who think their roof is failing. They are buying or selling a house and the deal needs a roof answer. Their insurer wants to know the roof’s age and condition before renewing. A storm came through and they want to know whether anything happened. Or they are about to file a claim and want an independent read first. Each of those needs a slightly different report, and we ask which before we get on the ladder.

What every version has in common is the method: we walk the roof, we get into the attic where there is access, we photograph what we see with the location noted, and we write down what it means in plain language. What none of them include is a pitch. If the roof is fine, the report says the roof is fine. If it needs something, the report says what and roughly how urgent, and you can take that to anyone, including us. We keep the inspection separate from the sale on purpose.

When a homeowner needs one

• Buying a house: the general home inspector looked from the ground or the ladder; you want someone on the roof and in the attic before the inspection period closes
• Selling a house: a documented condition report answers the buyer’s roof question before it becomes a renegotiation
• Insurance renewal or a new policy: the carrier is asking for roof age, covering type and condition, and a photographed report answers it
• After a storm: to find out whether the wind did anything, while it is still attributable to the event
• Before a claim: an independent view of what is storm damage and what is wear, before an adjuster arrives
• Before a warranty transfer, or a re-roof decision on an aging roof

Tell us which of these it is when you book. A pre-purchase report and a post-storm report look at the same roof but need to answer different questions, and the format follows the purpose.

What we look at on the roof

The covering first: shingle granule loss, cupping and cracking, sealant bond at the tab edges; tile that is cracked, slipped or missing and mortar at hips and ridges; metal fasteners, seams and finish. Then the details where roofs actually fail: every pipe boot, the flashing at chimneys, skylights and walls, the valleys, the drip edge at eaves and rakes, and the condition of the ridge vent. We note the roof pitch, the number of layers where visible, and the approximate age by product and wear.

Each finding is photographed with its location so the report reads as a map of the roof rather than a pile of pictures. Findings are sorted: needs attention now, watch and re-check, and fine. Where the roof is unsafe to walk, steep tile or wet metal, we say what was examined from the ladder and what was not, rather than reporting on parts of the roof nobody saw.

What we look at in the attic

The attic often says more than the roof surface. From below we can see the deck: water stains and their age, rusted nail tips that mark a chronic drip, delaminated or soft plywood, and daylight where there should be none. We check the insulation for matted or wet areas and look at ventilation, whether soffit intake is blocked by insulation, whether exhaust vents are actually connected, and whether the attic is running the kind of heat that shortens shingle life.

We also look for the things that get blamed on the roof and are not: a sweating air handler or duct, a condensate line dripping onto the ceiling, a bathroom fan venting into the insulation. A homeowner about to pay for a roof repair to fix a duct problem deserves to know, and the attic is where that gets sorted out. Attic access is the one thing we ask you to arrange before the visit.

The report you get

A PDF with dated, captioned photographs organized by location, a written summary in plain language, and a findings list sorted by urgency. Where something needs work, the report describes the repair rather than only naming the problem, so a second contractor can quote from it. Where the roof is near the end of its life, it says so and gives our reasoning: what we saw, how the covering is wearing, and what usually happens next in this climate. Where the roof is sound, the report says that and stops.

If you asked for it for a specific purpose, the format follows: a pre-purchase report leads with condition and remaining-life reasoning; a post-storm report separates event damage from wear and dates the photos; an insurance-renewal report leads with covering, age and the attachment details a carrier cares about. Ask for a repair quote separately if you want one; it is a different document.

Wind mitigation, 4-point inspections and what this is not

Florida carriers often ask for two specific documents. A wind mitigation inspection records the features that reduce wind loss, such as roof covering, deck attachment, roof-to-wall connection and secondary water barrier, on a state form that earns premium credits. A 4-point inspection covers the roof alongside the electrical, plumbing and air conditioning systems on an older home. Both are forms with defined formats, frequently completed by a licensed home inspector; if that is what your carrier is asking for, tell us up front and we will say whether our inspection can produce it or whether you need a separate inspector, so you do not pay for the wrong report.

What our inspection is not is a sales visit. If a repair is warranted the report says so and you can call (407) 871-6159 for a quote, or take the report to someone else. See storm damage for the claim side, and maintenance if you want it repeated on a schedule.

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