How much does a roof inspection cost?

The cost varies depending on the size, slope, and material of your roof, as well as the specific type of inspection. Most roof inspectors charge a flat fee but some are price it by square footage of the roof.

For many homeowners, a thorough inspection of your roof is a requirement for insurance, refinancing or selling a home, or spotting damage that needs to be repaired. A roof inspection can also be part of your regular roof maintenance, because a periodic professional inspection can find issues before they turn into major problems—like that leak that hasn't made its way into your living room yet.

Before you hire a roof inspector to check in on the state of your roofing and ceilings, get an estimate on your roofing inspection costs with this guide.

A roof inspection is when a trained roofing professional looks for signs of wear and tear on the roof and searches for problems that may need repair now or in the near future. The inspection looks at:

• The overall appearance of the roof, both exterior and interior
• Areas of damaged or missing flashing (the material used over roof joints to prevent water damage and seepage)
• Ceilings inside the house, looking for cracks or leaks
• Fascias, gutters, drains, downspouts, skylights, chimneys, and vents
• Shingles, looking for curled, broken, or missing ones
• Areas where water could collect, like roof valleys

The roof inspector can do this visually, without pulling off any pieces of your roof.

A professional roof inspection takes between 45 minutes and four hours, depending on the size of the roof, what's being checked and the complexity of the job. After the inspection, you'll typically get a report within a week that tells you what they checked, what they found, and what their recommended next steps are—like repairs or changes you need to make.

The cost of a roof inspection will depend the type of inspection the contractor performs, the size and materials of your roof, and how accessible it is.

Type of inspection

There are three different types of roof inspections: physical, drone, and infrared. Each one comes at a different price point.

Physical roof inspections: $75-$200

Physical inspections are the most common type and they cost an average of $75 to $200 nationwide.

A certified contractor climbs a ladder and examines your roof and all that's attached to it (chimney, gutters, etc.) in person. A Thumbtack pro in Winter Springs, Florida, charges a flat $150 for a roof inspection on a one-story home and $200 for two-story homes.

Drone roof inspections: $150-$400

A roof inspector will use a drones when the homeowner's roof is difficult to access—like it's very high or steep. Nationwide, they cost an average of $150 to $400.

The inspector flies a drone equipped with a camera over the roof, capturing close-up footage of all surfaces for the expert to analyze. A Thumbtack pro in Atlanta charges $400 for a drone roof inspection.

Infrared roof inspections: $400-$600

Infrared, or thermal roof inspection, use a drone equipped with a camera that can captures thermal images of your roofing. Nationwide, the average prices for a homeowner are $400 to $600.

An infrared inspection can spot leaks or weaknesses in a roof by seeing spots where warmer (or cooler) indoor air is leaking out of the house. If the indoor air is getting out, it means there's a weakness in that area. This is the most expensive type of inspection due to the technology involved.

If you don't live in Florida or Georgia, you can get estimates for all types of roof inspections from pros in your area on Thumbtack.

Size of the roof

Most roof inspectors add a surcharge for an especially large roof, while others will charge by the square foot of roof area.

Type of roofing material

You may pay more for expertise on an uncommon roofing material like wood shingles or barrel tile. For example, a roof inspection costs almost four times as much for a slate tile roof than it does for an asphalt roof.

Roof accessibility

If your roof is very high or very steep, you may pay an additional charge for a visual inspection, or have to upgrade to a pricier drone inspection.

Climate

The climate of your area can also impact the cost to inspect your roof. In the hurricane or tornado belts, you'll need to hire an inspector knowledgeable in spotting blow-offs and shingles that have been lifted by the wind. In a humid area, you need to hire someone with expertise in spotting water damage.

Attic inspection

Not all roof inspections include a check of the attic. If you want an inspector to climb in and look for leaks, water damage, or cracks, expect to pay an additional $125 to $200, on national average. 

Roof certification

Roofing inspectors can order a roof certification letter from your roofing contractor as part of their inspection. It costs $75 to $200 on top of the roof inspection fee.

If you're selling or refinancing your house, you may need a roof certification letter, which describes the general condition of a roof and estimates its lifespan.

The inspection price covers the cost of finding damage, but it doesn't include the cost of making repairs. Here's what you'll pay to have a roofer handle these common roof repairs:

It's best to hire a third party roof inspection company who isn't going to do the repairs, so there's no financial incentive to find problems. Beware of getting free roofing inspections from roofing contractors who then offer to repair the damage they find.

A home inspector can do the job, but your best bet is a roof inspector—or a home inspector who is also certified as a roof inspector—who has been specially trained to look at different types of roofs and roof materials. This is because while a home inspector can tell you if your roof needs to be replaced, a roofing inspector can tell you if it needs preventative repairs and how many years it has left before you'll need to replace it.