Thread: Length of time for a roof inspection

I have a question.How long does a thorough roof inspection take ? Here is a structure in which you will inspect.

40 square 2 layers.
8/12
1 story hip roof
15 roof slopes with 1/2" CDX for decking
8 year old architectural Shingles.
1-2'x6' chimney 3 sides touching roof deck.
Cricket behind the chimney.
4 areas of counter flashing attached in the mortar joint.20 years old
8 Open valley's
8 year old W-metal in the valley.
4- 2'x4' Skylights 8 years old/
12 pan vents-Aluminum
1 Attic Power Fan 8 years old.
7- pipe flashings


Obviously this is a "For Instance".,but how long would you generally be on this roof ?.,How long would it take you to do a thorough inspection of this roof ?

From where you are and according to your building codes and requirements for roof installations how long would it take you in your area to provide a thorough roof top inspection for the home above ??

I am not interested in anything price related.I am only interested in the time factor.

Similar Threads:

• Long time reader first time posting.
• Plenum length
• Signs of the time
• Time Zone
• Time stamp and spell check

10-15 minutes for roof, another 5-10 for attic. Of course it all depends on what you run into.

I typically do not walk an 8/12 roof, so it might take me longer to inspect than if I was walking a similar size, lower slope roof. Depends on how the access was, and how many times I needed to move my ladder.
I would probably be in an attic that size for 10 - 15 minutes, and going around the house with binoculars and ladder to different vantage points might be another 10 - 15.

I would not walk an 8/12 roof.

I would view it from the ground, use a ladder as needed and also view it from the underside in the attic; I would say 20-30min. But that is such a ballpark number, it is done when it is done.

8/12 is a bit rough but with all those valleys access should be possible.
If there are key problems visible from the ground that indicate major repair or replacement, 10 minutes from the ground taking pictures to substantiate recommendation.
If this is a technical inspection and the roof can be safely accessed, probably 2 hours at the least. Depends on how many times you have to go up and down, move the ladder etc. I keep a rope in the vehicle. On rare occasions I'll climb the roof, sling the rope around the chimney and use it to wander the roof. Most of the time not necessary though. If I can get to the ridge safe enough, I'll walk it back and forth, but I'm crazy.
Attic could be 5 minutes or a 1/2 hour.
What are you inspecting for, what's the client looking for, will someone be going over your report to pick it apart? Once you see X amount of critical factors the rest becomes nonsense.
If you are trying to justify replacement then the report has to have sufficient evidence showing labor and cost factors are too great to allow just for repair.
If this is to verify a contractor payout, I wouldn't do it once the roof is actually finished if you didn't actually see the plywood install.
Hope that helps.

You all seem to be in the 30 to 40 min range for the second layer of shingle.
What about inspecting the first layer, tearing off the 40 sq is a lot of work to do by yourself.

You walk an 8/12 at your peril. One mis-step or just bad luck, and you are on a ride hoping that the gutter will hold. I did plenty of roofing in my youth but these days I'll only step out on an 8/12 if I see something up the roof that is very suspicious and the surface of the shingles appears to be good. 40 square is a good size roof and factoring in moving the ladder around, might be 15 or so minutes. An 8 year old roof should be in decent condition. So, I would look closely at the south and west facing sides. Our hail storms come in from the SW, and the solar load is greatest there. Typically, the problems with condition of the shingles will be there. After that, it is moving the ladder around to see as much as I can.

If I have any suspicions about a steep roof, I'll call for "further evaluation by a licensed roofer" and move on.

What they said. For me, it's a home inspection, not specifically a Roof Inspection. So like most of the others, I inspect 8 in 12 from the ladder. If I can't see some areas, I say so in the report. Then check those areas from below in the attic. Lots of pictures, which I can look at later.
It sounds like a reroof, so the flashings will get extra attention. 20 minutes, barring obvious screwups that need more attention.

I will not (nor am required to – personal safety) walk an 8/12 roof. 5-10 min. at an edge from a ladder to ascertain type, est. age, number of layers, edge flashing; 10 - 15 min. from the ground with binoculars for the rest.

Report says, “Inspection Limitation – Roof Height & Design.” Comments on the specific areas (chimney, vents, etc) include “… as inspected from the ground only, not all areas visible or inspected.”

Also the underside of the sheathing, any visible penetrations, are looked at as part of the attic inspection, time depends upon the other attic factors. Report says, “Inspection Limitation – Not all areas visible.”

I am doing a visual inspection of the readily accessible components of the home. Components of a 8/12 roof not visible from the ground are not “readily accessible.”

6 & 12 slope was my limit for walking a roof. Not worth the risk when you can do it with ladder at key points, binoculars, second story windows & balconies................ Length of time varies according to the age of both roof and inspector.

My question to you Mr Roofmaster (and I am sure others would like to know), why do you ask?

Home inspectors are generalists. You, apparently, are the specialist.
I would expect you to spend a lot more time on the roof than a home inspector.

Originally Posted by Phil Houck

My question to you Mr Roofmaster (and I am sure others would like to know), why do you ask?

Home inspectors are generalists. You, apparently, are the specialist.
I would expect you to spend a lot more time on the roof than a home inspector.

I was just curious.For a roof inspection from a mortgage company,realtor or homeowner I generally charge around $550-$700 for 40 square with pitch like an 8/12.I usually spend an hour inspecting.

It was only a curiosity.

I have worked with inspectors after they have issued an inspection report when someone is selling or buying a home.I find the inspection evaluation inspectors issue pretty interesting.

I would not walk an 8/12 pitch,using ladder at eaves, other tools ,etc,I would spend 10 to 15 minutes,plus report writing time,if one spends that amount of time on each issue,the average time for a normal ,average inspection should be approx. 3 hours.
Just my humble opinion.

Originally Posted by Roofmaster 417

I was just curious.For a roof inspection from a mortgage company,realtor or homeowner I generally charge around $550-$700 for 40 square with pitch like an 8/12.I usually spend an hour inspecting.

It was only a curiosity.

I have worked with inspectors after they have issued an inspection report when someone is selling or buying a home.I find the inspection evaluation inspectors issue pretty interesting.

Roofmaster.. For that fee are you certifing the roof for the mtg. companies and realtors, or just inspecting it?

40 square, 2 layers. They are asking for an inspection so there must be reasons for asking for this inspection such as known concerns already.

For 500 to 700 to inspect a roof that takes you an hour to inspect? Good luck. I can guarantee you that you would be inspect zero roofs down here for that money.

If you inspect all week at one a day for that money you dont have to do a roofing job or have help

8/12 with many valleys can be inspected from the roof. Getting to it safely as in proper ties and so on, you are setting up more than inspecting.

As far as interesting? Being the read of the report?

Interesting how? You don't like? Very good? Poor? Only you know what you are talking about?

Inspection today and one pic tells the story. Maybe a 6/12 or more. 10 minutes. Needs a new roof! Part of my 330 dollar whole house inspection. 550 to 700. It could have been a larger home for 500 or more and then throw a roofers inspection fee of another 550 to 700 on top of what I trake pictures of and write in my report. Sounds pretty sill to me.

One more question. Who is actually putting the 550 to 700 out for these inspections? ANd why? If you have that kind of foolish market up there good luck to you. Just for a roof inspection. Insurance companies would never pay that much and then have to replace a roof and have another several hundred dollar loss. Realtors sure are not putting out the money. The seller of a home is not putting that money out to see if their own roof needs replacing only to add the price to a replacement. A buyer, well, its not their home yet so they would seriously be far and few between for putting that amount of money out along with a home inspection and all the other fees involved in buying a home today.

[quote=Roofmaster 417;193207]I was just curious.For a roof inspection from a mortgage company,realtor or homeowner I generally charge around $550-$700 for 40 square with pitch like an 8/12.I usually spend an hour inspecting.

Holy cow!!! Sign me up for that gig. Here, a roof inspection or cert will never be more than $100.

$700 bucks you better provide schematics drawings, power point presentation, and molecular diagnoses of the life left in the shingles to the month. Man that is as bad as the home inspectors that claim a few thousand inspections a year.

Originally Posted by Mike Schulz

$700 bucks you better provide schematics drawings, power point presentation, and molecular diagnoses of the life left in the shingles to the month. Man that is as bad as the home inspectors that claim a few thousand inspections a year.

What. You dont do a few thousand a year :-)

errr....ummmm...yeah...yeah I do, in between recessions