Roof inspectors examine and report on the condition and life expectancy of a building’s roof. Licensing and certification are often required, and training covers materials, building codes, and structural damage. Inspections are requested by owners, buyers, insurance companies, and lenders. Inspectors may also offer repairs and charge a fee for their services.
A roof inspector examines the roof of a commercial or residential building and fills out a report that details its condition and the projected life expectancy of the roof. Typically, a surveyor completes this report at the request of the owner or other party seeking to purchase the building. In other cases, a roof inspector may produce a report upon request from an insurance company or lender.
In many locations, inspectors are required to be licensed and the licensing or certification process sometimes includes the applicant attending a series of classes. Participants learn about shingles, sheet metal and other materials that are often used in the roofing industry. Many countries have laws that require contractors to install roofing materials in a certain way, and these rules are often part of the region’s building codes. During training classes, students are also taught to recognize different types of structural damage such as rot, mold and other problems that can threaten the structural integrity of a roof. At the end of the training session, students may be required to pass a licensing exam that includes both a written and a practical component.
During an inspection, a licensed professional views a property’s interior and exterior and completes a checklist that details each section of the roof and the types of damage and materials that inspectors are trained to look for. In situations involving negotiations over the sale price of a home, a prospective buyer may demand that the seller lower the asking price as a result of defects that emerge during inspection. On the other hand, a seller may request a report as a way to justify a home’s market value. Insurance companies and lenders often require homeowners to request an inspection report to ensure financed or insured properties do not have underlying issues that could cause a drop in the building’s market value.
In many cases, a roof inspector is an individual with previous experience working as a builder or contractor. Some inspectors offer to carry out necessary repairs, while others inspect homeowners for business partners. Typically, a roof inspector charges a fee for each home report and many of these individuals are self-employed. Some real estate companies, construction companies and lenders employ internal inspectors who conduct reports on behalf of these entities. While laws in some areas allow unlicensed inspectors to examine certain types of properties, employers typically only offer jobs to fully trained and certified professionals.
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