Roof Inspection Services Ontario | Professional Roof Assessment

Professional Roof Inspection Services Across Ontario

A roof inspection costs $200 to $600. But catching a small leak early can save you $15,000 in water damage repairs. That's why professional roof inspections are one of the smartest investments Ontario homeowners make.

You get more than someone looking at your roof from the driveway. A real inspection means an inspector climbs up there, walks every section, and checks things you can't see from the ground. They test shingles for brittleness, examine flashing around chimneys and vents, check your attic for water stains, and document everything with photos. Our network connects you with licensed inspection professionals across Ontario who know what to look for in our climate.

Maybe you're buying a house and need to know if that roof has 3 years left or 13. Or you noticed a ceiling stain after the last storm and want to know how bad it is. Perhaps you're selling and don't want surprises during the buyers inspection. Whatever brings you here, a professional inspection gives you facts instead of guesswork.

When You Need a Roof Inspection

Some situations scream for a professional to check your roof. Others are just smart timing.

Pre-Purchase Home Inspection

You're about to drop $600,000 on a house in Ontario. Spending $400 to know if you need a $20,000 roof next year just makes sense. The inspector will estimate how many years that roof has left, spot any current problems, check if previous repairs were done right, and tell you what fixes might cost. Most buyers roll this into their full home inspection for $400 to $600 total.

The report gives you real negotiating power. You can ask the seller to fix problems before closing, knock money off the price, or at least budget for what's coming. Better to find out now than six months after you move in when the spring thaw reveals a leak.

After Severe Weather Events

Ontario throws everything at your roof. Hail in summer, ice storms in winter, windstorms that peel shingles off like Post-it notes. After any major storm, get an inspection even if everything looks fine from the ground. Hail damage won't show up as obvious holes. It bruises the shingles and shortens their life by years.

Insurance companies want documentation within 30 to 90 days of the storm. But don't rush into repairs with the first contractor who knocks on your door. Get the inspection, then collect multiple quotes. Your insurance coverage depends on having professional documentation of what the storm actually did.

Insurance Claim Documentation

Speaking of insurance, a professional inspection report with photos and detailed damage assessment is basically ammunition for your claim. The adjuster can't argue with documented evidence from a licensed inspector. You get written proof of what needs fixing, cost estimates that match market rates, and someone who can explain the technical details if your claim gets disputed.

Before Listing Home for Sale

Get out ahead of problems. If you inspect before listing, you can fix issues on your timeline instead of scrambling during negotiations when a buyers inspector finds them. You price the house accurately. You hand potential buyers a recent inspection report that builds confidence. And you don't lose a sale because someone backs out over roof concerns you could have handled earlier.

Annual Preventive Maintenance

Here's the thing about waiting until you see problems. By then, you might be looking at $8,000 in repairs instead of a $300 fix. Get your roof checked every year or two, especially if it's over 15 years old. Those inspections catch the small stuff while it's still small.

A $400 inspection that finds loose flashing you can repair for $200 just saved you from interior water damage next spring. Plus many manufacturer warranties require regular professional inspections. Miss those and your warranty coverage might disappear when you need it.

When Specific Problems Suspected

Call for an inspection when you spot warning signs:

• Water stains on ceilings or walls
• Shingles in your yard after a storm
• Shingle granules piling up in gutters
• Any part of your roofline that looks like it sags
• Moss taking over sections of the roof
• Your heating bills jumped for no clear reason
• Sounds of animals in the attic

Warranty Validation

Check your roof warranty fine print. Many require inspections every few years to stay valid. The inspection documents that you maintained the roof properly and catches any manufacturing defects while they're still covered. Skip these inspections and you might void thousands of dollars in warranty protection.

Before Major Roof Projects

Planning to add solar panels, install a skylight, or mount HVAC equipment on your roof. Get an inspection first. You need to know if the roof structure can handle the extra weight and if any repairs should happen before you start drilling holes. Finding out your roof deck is rotting halfway through a solar panel installation is an expensive surprise nobody wants.

What Professional Roof Inspectors Check

A thorough inspection covers more than 25 different areas. Here's what inspectors look at and why it matters.

Exterior Roof Surface

The inspector walks your entire roof checking each shingle. They're looking for cracks, curling edges, missing pieces, and granule loss that exposes the asphalt underneath. They check if shingles are installed straight with proper spacing and estimate how many years are left based on their condition. Dark streaks might be algae, which holds moisture and shortens shingle life. Blisters or bubbles mean moisture got trapped during installation.

Roof Structure and Deck

Any dips or sagging spots signal structural problems underneath. From your attic, the inspector examines the underside of your roof deck for rot, water damage, and whether everything is fastened properly. They check trusses and rafters for cracks or sagging and verify the framing provides adequate support everywhere it needs to.

Flashings and Seals

Flashing is thin metal that seals the gaps around chimneys, in valleys, where your roof meets walls, and around vent pipes. These spots cause more leaks than anything else on a roof. The inspector checks every flashing for rust, gaps, improper installation, and deteriorating sealant. Rubber boots around vent pipes crack over time and need replacement before they leak.

Drainage and Gutters

Water needs to leave your roof fast. Inspectors check if gutters sag, have the right slope to drain properly, and attach securely to your fascia board. They look inside for debris blockages and check that downspouts direct water away from your foundation. Stains below gutters tell them water overflows during heavy rain.

Ventilation System

Ontario attics get brutally hot in summer and trap moisture in winter. Proper ventilation needs intake vents at the soffits and exhaust vents at the peak. The inspector verifies you have both, that they're not blocked, and that the balance between intake and exhaust is right. Poor ventilation cooks your shingles from below and causes ice dams in winter.

Attic Interior

Up in your attic, the inspector looks for water stains on the underside of the deck, mold growth, insulation that's wet or compressed, and any spots where daylight shows through. They check if condensation is forming and look for signs that animals found a way in. Your attic tells the real story of what's happening with your roof.

Interior Indicators

Back inside your house, ceiling stains show where water traveled down from roof leaks. Paint peeling off ceilings means moisture is coming through. Sagging spots in ceilings might mean water pooling above the drywall. Wall stains near the roofline trace water paths from the roof deck.

Additional Elements

The inspector also checks your chimney for crumbling mortar, looks at skylight seals and frames, examines how satellite dishes or antennas are mounted, and if you have solar panels, checks that the mounting system hasn't damaged your roof or compromised waterproofing.

Types of Roof Inspections

Not all inspections are the same. What you need depends on why you're getting one.

Visual Inspection (Standard)

This is what most people get. The inspector climbs up, walks your entire roof, examines everything visible, checks your attic from inside, takes photos of problems, and writes up a report with recommendations. Takes 45 to 75 minutes and costs $200 to $400. It's enough for routine checks, pre-purchase assessments, and figuring out if you need repairs.

Infrared/Thermal Imaging Inspection

Thermal cameras see what eyes can't. They detect temperature differences that reveal moisture trapped under your roofing, insulation gaps, and air leaks. The inspector can find wet spots without pulling up shingles or cutting holes. Best for flat roofs or when you're sure there's a leak but can't figure out where it's coming from. Runs $400 to $700.

Physical/Destructive Inspection

Sometimes the only way to know what's wrong is to remove shingles and look underneath. This happens with insurance disputes where the adjuster wants proof, or when a leak keeps happening but nobody can find the source. The inspector pulls up materials, takes core samples on flat roofs, and does invasive testing. You pay to repair what they open up after. Costs $500 to $1,200 or more depending on how much they need to investigate.

Drone Inspection

Steep roof that's dangerous to walk. Multi-story building. Hard to reach areas. Drones with high-resolution cameras can document everything without anyone risking a fall. The limitation is inspectors can't touch anything to test it, so drones work best for initial assessment or documentation, not detailed diagnosis. Costs $300 to $600.

Insurance Inspection

Insurance inspections focus on separating storm damage from wear and tear. The inspector documents recent damage with detailed photos, writes reports for your adjuster, provides repair cost estimates, and can testify if your claim gets disputed. Sometimes insurance covers the inspection cost. Otherwise expect $300 to $600.

Maintenance Inspection

If you have a roof maintenance contract, regular inspections are part of the deal. They're quicker, focused on catching small problems early, and often include gutter cleaning or minor seal repairs during the visit. Spring and fall checks cost $150 to $300, usually discounted when bundled with maintenance service.

The Professional Roof Inspection Process

Here's what happens from the time you call to when you get your report.

Initial Contact and Scheduling

You call and explain why you need the inspection. The company asks about your roof type, home size, and what concerns you have. They quote a price, schedule a time that works for you, and explain what they'll deliver. Inspections need dry weather, so the date might shift if it rains. Block out 60 to 90 minutes.

Exterior Ground-Level Assessment (10-15 minutes)

The inspector starts by walking around your house, looking at the roof from every angle. They check gutters and downspouts, spot obvious damage visible from the ground, and figure out how they'll safely access the roof. This initial walkthrough tells them what to focus on once they climb up.

Roof Surface Inspection (20-35 minutes)

Now they climb up with a ladder and walk every section of your roof. They examine shingles up close, take photos of problem areas, test shingles to see if they're brittle, check all the flashings around chimneys and vents, and inspect ridge caps, valleys, and edges. This is where they find most of the issues.

Attic Inspection (15-25 minutes)

Back inside, they head into your attic. They look at the underside of your roof deck for water stains, check if daylight is visible through gaps, examine insulation and ventilation, look for mold or moisture, and document any structural concerns. Your attic reveals problems that don't show from outside.

Interior Inspection (10-15 minutes)

They walk through your house checking ceilings and walls for water stains, peeling paint, or other signs that your roof leaked at some point. These interior clues help connect what they saw on the roof to actual damage inside your home.

Final Discussion (5-10 minutes)

Before leaving, the inspector tells you what they found. They point out urgent problems that need immediate attention, answer your questions, and explain when you'll get the written report. This is your chance to ask about anything that worries you.

Written Report Delivery (24-48 hours)

Within a day or two, you get a detailed report with an executive summary of overall condition, findings for every problem with severity ratings, 20 to 50 photos showing what they saw, repairs sorted by urgency, typical cost ranges for fixes, estimated years before you need a new roof, and maintenance steps to extend the life you have left.

Roof Inspection Costs in Ontario (2025)

What you pay depends on your home size, roof complexity, and what type of inspection you need.

What Affects the Price

Larger roofs take more time to walk and examine. Steep slopes are dangerous and slow down the process. Multi-story homes need special equipment and safety gear. Complex roofs with dormers, multiple levels, or turrets take longer to inspect thoroughly. If your roof is hard to access or the inspector needs detailed insurance documentation, expect to pay more. And yes, GTA prices run 10 to 20 percent higher than smaller Ontario communities.

Is Paid Inspection Worth It

Absolutely worth it when you're buying a home and protecting a $600,000 investment, when you need an honest assessment instead of a sales pitch from someone who wants the repair job, when filing an insurance claim that requires professional documentation, when your roof is over 15 years old and you want to catch problems early, or when something seems wrong but you don't know enough to diagnose it yourself.

Maybe skip the paid inspection if you've already decided to replace the entire roof no matter what, if you have a contractor you trust who offers a free inspection, or if your roof is brand new with zero concerns.

Common Problems Found During Inspections

Inspectors don't just find problems. They sort them by how scared you should be.

Critical Problems (Immediate Action Required)

Some things can't wait. If water is actively leaking into your house right now, you need help today. Same with structural sagging where your roof deck or trusses are failing. That can collapse. Large sections of missing shingles leave your home exposed to the next rainstorm, and when flashings fail completely, water pours straight into your walls.

Extensive rot is different from a small soft spot. We're talking about structural members that have degraded beyond anything a simple repair can fix. And if animals have chewed large openings in your roof or built nests in there, your roof integrity is seriously compromised. These problems get worse by the day, not by the year.

Urgent Problems (Address Within Months)

These won't cause disasters this week, but they will cause disasters. When shingle damage covers 20 percent or more of your roof, you're on borrowed time. Multiple areas losing granules means your UV protection is shot and those shingles will fail faster than you expect.

Flashing that shows deterioration hasn't started leaking yet, but the keyword is yet. Poor ventilation might not seem urgent until you realize it's cooking your shingles from underneath and trapping moisture that grows mold. And gutters that don't drain properly. Well, that water has to go somewhere. Usually into places you don't want it.

Recommended Problems (Address Within Year)

You can sleep at night with these, but don't forget about them. A few shingles curling here and there or some isolated cracks aren't emergencies. Moss and algae look ugly and do hold moisture that shortens shingle life, but we're talking about years not months. Sealants that are getting loose or deteriorating should be replaced before they fail completely, which they will.

Minor flashing wear is the start of what becomes major flashing failure if you ignore it long enough. And insufficient insulation affects your energy bills more than your roof lifespan, but it's worth fixing eventually.

Maintenance Items (Monitor/Address Eventually)

Some things are just part of owning a roof. Granules collecting in your gutters. That's asphalt shingles aging normally. Color fading is cosmetic and doesn't affect how well your roof keeps water out. Small piles of leaves and debris should get cleaned off periodically, but they're not keeping anyone up at night. Same with gutter cleaning. It's routine maintenance, not an emergency repair.

After the Roof Inspection

You have the report. Now what.

Review the Report Thoroughly

Start with the executive summary to get the big picture. Then go through all the photos so you see the problems yourself. Pay attention to what's marked urgent versus recommended. Check the estimated costs and how many years the inspector thinks your roof has left. Don't just skim it.

Ask Questions

Call the inspector if anything confuses you. If money is tight, ask which repairs matter most. Talk through whether repair or full replacement makes more sense for your situation. Get names of contractors they trust, not just random quotes from the internet.

Get Multiple Repair Quotes

Hand the inspection report to contractors when you ask for quotes. This keeps everyone bidding on the same work instead of making up their own scope. Collect three to five quotes for major repairs. Make sure what they're proposing matches what the inspector said needs fixing.

Address Urgent Issues Promptly

Anything marked critical or urgent needs attention now. Yes, it costs money. But waiting turns a $800 repair into $6,000 of interior water damage. Once leaks start, the damage spreads fast.

Plan for Future

If your roof has 5 to 10 years left, start putting money aside for replacement. Schedule the next inspection when the report recommends it. Do the maintenance steps they suggest. And keep that report somewhere safe for insurance purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions