Facts, Opinions, and Everything In Between: Roofing Edition

Posted on: 31 May 2023

Home inspections are a critical part of any home-buying process. Unfortunately, many buyers rely on generalized home inspection services for this crucial procedure. While home inspection services can do a great job performing a general inspection, they may not have the skills to evaluate your home's more complex or expensive parts.

Since your roof is unquestionably one of the most expensive parts of your home to replace, understanding its condition before you buy is essential. If you aren't planning on having a roofing specialist inspect your new home before closing, check out these three ways this simple inspection can save you a ton of money.

1. Accurate Replacement Estimates

Some roofs are clearly in poor condition or old enough to require replacement. Determining that you need to replace your new home's roof may be relatively easy, but understanding how expensive it will be to replace is another issue. Numerous factors can affect replacement costs, from local market conditions to the unique design characteristics of your roof.

A general home inspector may be unable to provide you with an accurate estimate of your roof's replacement cost. Knowing how much it will cost to replace your roof can put you in a much stronger negotiating position. Instead of guessing how the roof's condition will affect the value of your new home, you can use an exact figure to negotiate a lower price or replacement with the seller.

2. More Detailed Information

Roofing problems can often be subtle. Even a relatively new roof might develop issues if the previous owners did not expend the time and effort necessary to maintain it. Unfortunately, these problems often require substantial experience to spot. Likewise, installation problems, such as over-driven roofing nails or incorrect vent types, can be hard to notice without a trained eye.

Even if the roof is in relatively good condition, a roofing specialist can provide you with detailed information about these issues and the problems they can potentially cause in the future. This information may not affect your willingness to buy the home, but it can help you budget for repairs or modifications.

3. Better Attic Ventilation Evaluation

Individuals without roofing experience often forget that attic venting is crucial to any home's roof. Improper attic ventilation can cause long-term problems, from ice dams to popped shingles. Evaluating a home's attic ventilation system can be challenging, however. Roofing experts know how to look for problems that can lead to high attic humidity, excessive roofing temperatures, etc.

While attic ventilation can be extremely easy to overlook, ventilation issues can have an incredibly outsized impact on your roof's cost of ownership. Although a general home inspection service may be able to find these issues, a roofing specialist will have a better chance of spotting subtle problems that can affect your roof in the years to come.

For more information, contact a roofing specialist near you.