Inspections
Roof inspection in Huntersville, NC
Tom walks every roof the same way, in the same order, whether it's a pre-purchase check, an insurance question, or you just want to know what's up there. You get the full write-up whether or not you hire us afterward.
The 12-Point Roof Inspection
Twelve checkpoints, walked in order every time: shingle condition and granule loss, ridge and hip lines, valleys, flashing at every penetration, chimney and cricket condition, pipe boots, skylight curbs, soffit and fascia, gutter attachment, and the attic side where access allows it. Each point gets a photograph, a status of Good, Watch, or Fix now, and a plain-English note explaining what that status means for your roof specifically.
This isn't a five-minute look from the driveway. It typically runs close to an hour on an average house, longer if the attic needs a full pass or the roof has multiple sections. You get the finished write-up as a document you keep, whether you decide to have us do the work, get a second opinion, or do nothing at all right now.
The inspection is also what backs up a replacement or repair proposal. Instead of a verbal opinion, you get twelve dated, photographed data points showing exactly why a given item needs attention now versus later.
The order matters as much as the list itself. Tom starts at the ridge and works down and out toward the eaves, because problems near the top of a roof, a failing ridge cap or a blocked ridge vent, often explain symptoms that show up lower down, like premature granule loss on the field of the roof from heat buildup underneath. Working top to bottom in the same sequence every time means nothing gets skipped because a homeowner mentioned one specific problem area and the rest of the roof never got a fair look.
Chimneys, skylights, and valleys get extra attention on this housing stock specifically, since builder-grade construction from the 1990s and 2000s boom around Huntersville and Cornelius commonly cut corners at exactly those spots: missing crickets, reused step flashing, valleys metal that was never properly woven into the shingle courses. A roof can look uniform and fine from the street while carrying three or four of these builder shortcuts that only show up on close inspection.
The write-up format stays the same whether the news is good or bad. A roof with mostly Good statuses and a couple of Watch items gets the same clear document as a roof with several Fix now findings, because the point of the inspection is an honest record, not a lead-in to a sales pitch.
01Ridge cap and ridge ventGoodCap is original and seated, no lifted tabs. Ridge vent is continuous but doing nothing without intake below it.
06ValleysGoodClosed-cut, clean, no exposed nails in the valley center.
10Attic: intake, exhaust and sheathingFix nowSoffit vents painted shut along the front elevation. No intake at all. Dark staining on the north sheathing, dry to the touch.
Reasons homeowners book an inspection
- Buying a house in Huntersville, Cornelius, or Davidson and wanting an honest read on the roof before closing
- A recent hail or wind event, even with no visible damage from the ground, especially along the lake where wind hits harder
- Selling a house and wanting documentation ready before it goes on the market
- A roof approaching the end of its typical life and wanting to know how much time is actually left
- An insurance adjuster question where dated, photographed documentation matters more than an opinion
- Simple curiosity after a neighbor on the same street just went through a replacement and found problems you didn't know to look for
- A homeowner association question about whether a specific repair is really necessary before an architectural committee submittal
How an inspection visit runs
- BookingYou tell us the reason, pre-purchase, insurance, storm follow-up, or routine check, and we schedule the walk around it.
- The walkTom goes point by point across all twelve checkpoints, photographing each one as he goes.
- Attic passWhere access allows, he checks decking from underneath for daylight, staining, or soft spots that don't show from above.
- The write-upEvery point gets a status and a note, delivered as a document you keep permanently.
- The conversationTom walks you through anything marked Watch or Fix now and what drives that call, with no pressure to act on it immediately.
Questions we get on the phone
What exactly is the 12-Point Roof Inspection?
It's a fixed sequence of twelve checkpoints Tom walks on every roof, from shingle condition and flashing to soffit, fascia, and the attic side where access allows it. Each point gets a photograph, a Good, Watch, or Fix now status, and a plain-English note, delivered to you as a document.
Do I have to hire you for repairs after the inspection?
No. The write-up is yours to keep regardless of what you decide, and plenty of people use it to get a second opinion or simply to know what they're dealing with before making any decision at all. There's no obligation attached to booking the walk, and we won't pressure you either way.
How long does the inspection take?
Roughly an hour on an average single-family roof, longer if the attic needs a full pass or the house has multiple roof sections or dormers. Tom doesn't rush the walk since the twelve points depend on actually looking closely at each one.
Can I get an inspection before buying a house?
Yes, this is one of the most common reasons people book it, especially on the older end of the 1990s and 2000s subdivision stock around Huntersville and Cornelius. You get the same twelve-point write-up, which is useful leverage in a purchase negotiation regardless of who ends up doing any repair work.
Have Tom walk the roof before anyone talks about money.
Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm. Saturday 8am to 2pm. Active leaks answered after hours.