Roof inspection in Overland Park

When you need one

Buying a house. The home inspector looked at the roof from a ladder, maybe from the yard, and wrote "appears serviceable, recommend evaluation by a roofing contractor." That's the job of a proper roof inspection. Overland Park buyers looking at a 1990s Blue Valley two-story can face a $15,000 difference between a roof with eight years left and one with two. Check your contract's inspection period and book early.

Selling a house. A report dated before listing takes the roof off the negotiating table, or tells you what to fix so it doesn't come up.

Insurance. Some insurers ask for a roof inspection on older roofs. Some insurers change terms for older roofs — ask your agent what your policy says and what they need to see.

After a storm. If hail or wind came through and you aren't sure whether it's worth a claim, an inspection shows the damage slope by slope before you call your insurer. See the hail damage page for how a claim works.

A roof you just don't trust. Stains that come and go, a previous owner who "had it fixed," a roof you've never seen up close. Knowing is cheaper than wondering.

What a good inspection checks

On the roof:

• Shingle condition slope by slope: granule loss, cracking, curling, hail bruising, blistering
• Seal strip — whether the shingles are still bonded down, which is what keeps them on in a 60 mph gust
• Every pipe boot, vent, and flashing at chimneys, walls and skylights
• Valleys, ridge, hip caps and the drip edge
• Decking softness underfoot, and any sag in the plane
• Gutters and downspouts — pitch, attachment, granule buildup

In the attic:

• Water staining on the underside of the deck and along rafters
• Daylight at penetrations
• Ventilation: intake at the soffits, exhaust at the ridge or box vents, and whether bath fans dump into the attic (common on 1970s ranches)
• Insulation depth and any mold or frost evidence from winter condensation

A good written report includes photos, an estimated remaining life, a repair list with prices, and — if it's relevant — a description of any storm damage you may want to show your insurer.

Getting ready for the visit

A little preparation makes the hour count:

• Clear the way to the attic hatch, and move anything stored on the boards under it.
• Write down where you've seen stains and roughly when — after rain, after snow melt, or only in wind.
• Find what you know about the roof's age. The City of Overland Park's permit records can show the last permitted re-roof.
• Gather receipts from past repairs, so the inspector can check that work too.
• Say why you want the report. A buyer, an insurance agent and a homeowner with a stain each need a slightly different emphasis.

How the inspection changes by house age

1960s–70s ranches north of I-435. The eaves, for ice backup under the first courses. The chimney flashing, which is often old caulked aluminum. Bath fans that end in the attic. Plank decking, which hides rot differently from OSB.

1980s–90s two-stories. Valleys worn thin, kick-out flashing where a garage roof meets a wall, skylight flashing, and any older wood shake replaced only in part.

2000s homes in Blue Valley. Pipe boots near the end of their rubber, builder-grade shingles losing granules on the south and west, and seal strips that have let go. These roofs often look fine from the street and less fine up close.

Reading the report

The remaining-life figure is a range, not a promise; a careful inspector gives a few years either way and explains why. The repair list should be priced item by item so you can decide what to do now and what can wait. Any storm-damage notes describe what was seen, slope by slope. They are not a claim decision; the insurer's adjuster makes that. Photos should be labeled by slope or location, so a buyer or agent can follow them without the inspector in the room. If something in the report isn't clear, ask before you rely on it.

After the report

Act on the priced repair list in order of risk: anything letting water in now, then anything that will open up over a winter, then the cosmetic items. If the report describes storm damage, photograph the same spots from the ground yourself and call your insurer or agent; the report helps, but the insurer's adjuster decides what the policy pays. If you're buying, share the report with your agent so any repair or credit is written into the contract rather than agreed on a handshake. File the report with your house papers, because the next inspection is easier to read against the last one.

Questions to ask the inspector

• Did you walk every slope, or were some photographed from a ladder?
• What would you fix first, and what can wait a year?
• Is anything here that a buyer's lender or my insurer is likely to ask about?
• How did you estimate the remaining life?
• If you'd quote the repairs, is that price separate from the report?

Walked, not flown

A drone gets an overview photo and lets an inspector look at a slope that's too steep or wet to walk safely. It can't lift a shingle to check the seal strip, can't feel a soft deck, can't find a hail bruise by touch, and can't see the attic. A drone flyover is a photo, not an inspection, and an insurer or buyer will treat it that way.

What it costs

Repair and replacement estimates from local roofers are usually free; a formal written inspection report typically runs $150–$300. Ask whether the fee is credited if you hire that roofer. Compare that to the repair prices and the replacement prices it helps you avoid or plan for.

Old roofs, and being honest about them

A 22-year-old roof in Oak Park or Nall Hills that a buyer hopes will pass sometimes does — a well-ventilated roof on a shaded lot can last longer than most here. Often it doesn't, and the report should say so. A good inspector won't write a roof up as failing to sell a replacement, or write it up as fine to close a deal. Our post on signs a roof is near the end of its life lists what an inspector looks for, so you can read the report and see the same things.