Roof inspection in Scottsdale

What we look at

The roof inspection Scottsdale tile roofs need is mostly about the layer you cannot see. Here is what a walked inspection covers:

Tile roofs. We lift tile at the eaves, in the field, at valleys and around penetrations and photograph the underlayment. Pliable, black felt or an intact membrane means years left. Gray, brittle felt that cracks when folded means the roof is on borrowed time, however good the tile looks. We count cracked and slipped tile, check that eave and rake tile are secured, look at the valley metal for rust and debris, check pipe jacks, headwall and sidewall flashing, and the mortar or foam at the ridge and hips.

Foam roofs. We walk the whole surface looking for soft spots, blisters, cracks at the parapet, ponding areas that stay wet after a rain, and the condition of the coating — thickness, chalking, pinholes. We check every scupper and overflow drain. A foam roof that needs a recoat is a maintenance item; a foam roof that is saturated is a replacement, and the difference is a few thousand dollars against twenty.

Shingle roofs. Granule loss, curling, cracking, exposed nails, sealed-down tabs, the condition of the ridge cap, and the flashing at every wall and pipe.

The attic. Where there is a hatch, we check the underside of the deck for staining, daylight at penetrations, ventilation, and insulation that has been wet. Roof ventilation Scottsdale attics need matters for the roof's life as much as for the power bill: an attic at 150°F cooks underlayment from below.

You get a written report with photos, a list of what needs doing now, what can wait, and a rough remaining-life estimate for the underlayment or coating.

When to get one

Buying a house. This is the big one. A 2004 tile roof in DC Ranch or a 1996 roof in Scottsdale Ranch is at the age where the underlayment is the most expensive thing in the house nobody has priced. Our report gives you a number — $8,000–$15,000 for a relay, or nothing for five years — to negotiate with. Roof repair when buying or selling covers how to use it.

Before monsoon season. May or June, so the valleys get cleared and the loose tile secured before the wind arrives.

After a storm. To separate storm damage from age before you decide whether to file. See storm damage.

Because a contractor said you need a new roof. A second opinion from someone who is not selling you a roof that day. If it does need replacing, we will say so — and if a relay or a repair will do, we will say that.

Insurance renewal. Some carriers now ask for a roof inspection or a roof age certification on tile roofs past 15–20 years before they renew. Our report is written to answer their questions.

Drone or walked?

We walk. A drone is useful for a steep clay-tile roof where walking would break tile, and we use one there, but a drone cannot lift a tile or press a thumb into foam, and those are the two things that tell you what the roof is worth. Anyone who inspects a Scottsdale tile roof only from the air or the ground is guessing.

What it costs

A standalone inspection with a written report is a flat fee, quoted when you call and credited back if we do a repair over $1,000 within 30 days. If you are calling about an active leak, the inspection is part of the repair visit and there is no separate charge. Any roof estimate Scottsdale homeowners request for a specific problem is free.

Where

Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, Cave Creek, Carefree and Rio Verde, plus the Scottsdale side of Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa. Pre-purchase inspections are scheduled around the inspection period in your contract; tell us the deadline when you call.