A roofer's written look at decking, flashing, ventilation and remaining life, for buyers of older houses and owners weighing repair against replacement.
Fastest: call (833) 751-2102. Or send this and we call you back.
A roof inspection is a roofer's look at the shingles, flashing, decking, ventilation and gutters, ending in a written condition report. It helps you decide between repair and replacement, or whether an older house needs a new roof. Newton Roofing connects Newton and Middlesex County callers with an independent roofer who does it.
Most people ask for a roof inspection at one of three moments: just before buying an older house, after a storm or a leak, or when a quote for a new roof lands and they want to know whether it is really needed. Each is a different question. A buyer needs to know what the roof will cost in the next few years. A leaking homeowner needs to know where the water is coming from. Someone weighing a replacement needs to know if a repair would do.
Newton is a city of older houses. The published figures give a median construction year of 1942, with about 48.8 percent of homes built before 1940 and another 26.6 percent built from 1940 to 1969. Roofs on houses that age have often been replaced, patched and sometimes covered over, and the framing under them may be older than anyone alive in the house.
To book a look, call (833) 751-2102, tell the line what the roof is made of if you know and why you want it checked, and you will be put through to an independent roofer who serves your town. The roofer does the inspection and writes the report; Newton Roofing does not.
Do not climb onto a roof you suspect of being weak, wet, icy or steep to look at it yourself, and do not let a buyer or agent do so. A roofer has the equipment for that; a pair of binoculars from the ground and a flashlight in the attic, from a safe floor, are enough to describe what you see.
The roofer asks what you know: when the roof was last done, how many layers there are, where leaks have appeared and whether any storm damage was reported. Records and receipts help.
From the ground and, where it is reasonable to do so, from the roof, the roofer checks the surface, edges, flashing, valleys, vents, chimney, skylights and gutters. Photographs are taken as the roofer goes.
The underside of the deck shows what the top cannot: stains, rot, daylight, frost marks, blocked vents and the state of the insulation. This is where a lot of hidden damage is found.
The roofer compares what is seen with the roof material and the way it has aged, and gives a judgment about what could be repaired and what is near the end of its life. It is a judgment, not a guarantee.
A good report lists each area, what was found, photos and what the roofer would do about it. Ask what the report covers and whether the roofer will explain it to you or a buyer's agent.
Roofers price an inspection in different ways, and some fold it into a repair or replacement quote. No local price is published for it, so this page carries no dollar figures. Ask what a written report costs, and whether the cost is credited if you go ahead.
| Job | Typical range | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic exterior and attic look | Quoted by the roofer | Depends on roof size, pitch and access |
| Written report with photographs | Quoted by the roofer | Ask what the report includes before you book |
| Pre-purchase look on a tight timetable | Set by the roofer | Availability depends on when a roofer is free |
| Added testing such as a water test at a suspect joint | Quoted separately | Only where the source of a leak is still unclear |
These notes describe what a quote may involve. The roofer confirms the scope and a written price before any work starts.
Third-party guides give asphalt shingles 20 to 30 years, with 3-tab at 15 to 20 and architectural at 25 to 30, cedar 30 to 40 and slate 75 to 100 or more. These are published ranges, not promises. How a particular roof has aged depends on ventilation, installation and weather.
A roof inspection is where those ranges meet one specific house. A 25-year-old asphalt roof that was well ventilated and had good flashing may look very different from one the same age on a shaded slope with a hot attic. Ask the roofer what the report says about remaining life and what that opinion is based on.
See the how long a roof lasts in Massachusetts guide for the longer discussion.
A roofer spends time on the details: flashing at every wall and chimney, valleys, vents, the number of shingle layers, the condition of the decking from inside the attic and how the ventilation works. A home inspector covers the whole house and sees the roof in less depth.
The two reports complement each other. If a home inspector flags a roof, a roofer can say what the problem is and what fixing it involves. If a roofer's report and an inspector's disagree, ask both to explain what they saw.
Not by itself, but it informs the plan. A full roof replacement in Newton needs a building permit, while minor repairs are described as not needing one. The roofer's report shows which category your job is in, but the Building Department decides for your address.
A building permit for roof work is normally pulled by the holder of a Construction Supervisor Licence issued by the Board of Building Regulations and Standards, and Massachusetts issues no roofing licence. The permit guide walks through those rules.
Published summaries say Massachusetts allows no more than two layers of asphalt shingles, and that a third needs a full tear-off. Confirm the rule against 780 CMR with your Building Department. A report that counts the layers tells you whether a new roof will have to come all the way down.
The layer count affects the price and the schedule, because a tear-off also exposes the decking, and old boards may need to be replaced. That is one reason older roofs are better examined before a quote is signed. A roofer cannot always count layers from the ground, but they show at the eaves and rakes.
Done between an accepted offer and the closing, ideally with an inspection period in the contract. The goal is to learn what the roof needs in the near term so you can negotiate or budget. A general home inspector sees the roof briefly, so a roofer's look is more detailed.
Focused on one problem, such as a stain, a missing patch of shingles or a storm. The roofer traces the source and tells you whether a repair is enough. If an insurance claim is in play, the roofer's report is a record, but it does not decide any claim outcome.
Used when you already have a quote for a new roof and want a second opinion, or when the roof is aging and you want a plan. The report should state whether sections can be repaired, how many layers exist and what a tear-off would reveal.
In Needham the median home dates to 1965, with about 38 percent of housing from the 1940s through the 1960s and about 18 percent built before 1940, and a teardown wave has put large new houses on blocks of older Capes and ranches. A buyer there may see a mixed block: some roofs near the end of the 20 to 30 years usually quoted for asphalt, others new. A roof inspection tells you which kind you are buying.
In Billerica one source gives the median year built as 1970, so many houses are on a second roof that may be nearing its end. In Natick, about 29 percent of the housing was built from 1940 to 1969, and homes of that era are often on their second or third asphalt roof, so tear-off, deck inspection and ventilation are common topics. See the Natick page for the housing detail.
Lexington has a Historic Districts Commission for the Battle Green and Hancock-Clarke districts, and Cambridge's Historical Commission reviews roof work in protected areas. If your house is inside one, ask whether the inspection will cover how materials and colors might be reviewed before work.
Tell us what's happening and we'll tell you honestly whether it's a quick fix, and what roof inspection and condition report should cost.
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Targeted shingle, valley and flashing repairs on older Newton houses where a full replacement is not yet the answer.
Full tear-offs and re-roofs for Newton houses, with the building permit and the ice barrier handled as part of the scope.
Soffit and ridge venting, baffles and attic air leaks: the cure the state's ice dam guidance points to for roofs that melt snow from below.
Repairing the metal that seals wall-to-roof joints, dormers, valleys and pipe penetrations on older Newton-area houses.
Published guides do not agree.
Yes.
Massachusetts issues no roofing licence.
Most slate roofs are repaired rather than replaced, because the slate itself often outlasts the nails, flashing and valleys around it.
Published guides give asphalt shingles 20 to 30 years, cedar 30 to 40 and slate 75 to 100 or more.
A third-party guide reports that a Massachusetts home improvement contract over $1,000 must be in writing with the contractor's HIC number, that the deposit may not exceed one third, and that you can cancel within three days.
Anytime the roof is dry and reachable. Late fall, after the leaves are down, shows the eaves and gutters clearly, and spring shows what the winter did. A buyer's timetable matters more than the season, and a roofer can still check the attic and the exterior from the ground in winter.
It can give you a written description of what the roof needs, with photographs, which makes a request for a credit or repair more concrete. It does not guarantee the seller will agree. Read the contract's inspection period and ask your attorney or agent about timing.
No. A report records condition and cause as the roofer sees it. The insurer makes its own decision under your policy. A written record with photos and dates can help you describe what happened, but this site cannot say how any claim will turn out.
A roofer can usually tell at the eaves, rakes or from the attic if there is a layer showing at a vent or an edge. Published summaries say Massachusetts allows no more than two layers. If you are unsure, ask for the layer count to be written in the report.
Often yes, and some roofers include the inspection in a repair visit. Ask whether the report is the same no matter who does the job. A second opinion from a different roofer is reasonable before a large replacement, especially if the first quote is for a full tear-off.
It can be, for a roof that is old, has two layers or sits over an older house you plan to keep. Many problems show on the attic side long before a stain reaches a ceiling. A report also gives you a baseline to compare against next year's.