A roof inspection that ends in “it needs replacing” converts badly. One that ends with eight captioned photographs, a specific list of what is failing, and a priced option converts well — same roof, same conclusion, completely different conversation.
Start from the ground
Walk the perimeter first. Sagging rooflines, granules in the gutters and downspout splash-out, damaged fascia and soffit, overhanging limbs, and the age and condition of the gutters. Photograph each elevation wide before you go up — context shots you cannot recreate later.
Inside, before you climb
The attic tells you more than the shingles do. Daylight through the deck, staining on the sheathing, wet or compressed insulation, rusted nail tips, mould at the sheathing seams, and whether the bathroom fans actually vent outside or into the attic — a surprisingly common finding and an easy sell.
Check the ventilation balance while you are there: intake at the soffit, exhaust at the ridge.
On the roof, in this order
- Field shingles. Granule loss, curling, cupping, cracking, blistering. Note which slopes — south and west usually fail first.
- Storm damage. Hail bruising (soft to the touch, granules gone, mat exposed), wind creasing, missing tabs. Mark a test square and photograph it with the chalk.
- Valleys. Where leaks start. Open or closed, metal condition, debris.
- Flashing — step, counter, chimney, sidewall. The second most common leak source after valleys, and routinely the real cause when a customer blames the shingles.
- Penetrations. Pipe boots are the classic: the rubber splits at around ten to fifteen years and the roof is otherwise fine.
- Ridge and hip. Cap condition, ridge vent seating.
- Eaves and rakes. Drip edge present or absent, decking feel underfoot.
- Skylights and chimneys. Crickets, saddles, cap condition.
Photograph as evidence, not as a record
Wide shot for location, close shot for the defect, something for scale. Caption each one with the elevation and what it shows. Ten captioned photographs beat two hundred uncaptioned ones — for the customer, for an adjuster, and for you in six months.
Report like a professional, not a salesperson
Separate the findings into three buckets: needs attention now, will need attention within a couple of years, and fine. Homeowners trust a roofer who tells them which parts are good, and that trust is what makes the “needs attention now” section believable.
Quote before you leave
The gap between inspection and quote is where roofing jobs die. The homeowner was worried while you were on the ladder; by the time an emailed proposal arrives three days later, they have moved on.
Report and quote from the driveway
Toolbelt’s Photo Report Builder turns the captioned photos into a branded PDF on your phone — never uploaded anywhere — and a sentence turns the findings into a priced, e-signable quote with good/better/best options. Three free estimates, no card.
See also supplements after a storm, photo documentation, and Toolbelt for roofing.