Selling a home often comes with a long checklist, and a roof inspection is one step that can have a major impact on your sale. While most sellers don’t proactively get a roof inspection before listing, it often becomes part of the process after the buyer’s home inspector flags potential issues.
Knowing what these inspections involve, how much they cost, and what to expect can help you navigate negotiations smoothly. Here, we’ll go over some of the most important details you need to know about the cost of a roof inspection before you sell your home.
Let’s get into it.
What Does a Roof Inspection Entail?
When a roofer is called in during a home sale, it’s usually because the buyer’s home inspector has identified concerns in their report. These may include missing shingles, damaged flashing, signs of leaks, or other potential issues. The roofer reviews the inspection report, assesses the areas in question, and provides feedback on whether they’re valid concerns.
From there, one of two things can happen:
- The roofer might determine the “issues” aren’t actually problematic and document that for the seller.
- The roofer confirms repairs are needed and provides an estimate, which often leads to either a repair before closing or a credit at closing.
It’s rare for a seller to request a roof inspection before listing unless they want to be proactive, as most sellers prefer to see if the home inspector flags anything first. You can learn more about the common roofing problems buyers’ inspectors flag here.
Why Sellers Might Consider a Roof Inspection
While not always the first step in the sales process, there are strategic benefits to ordering a roof inspection earlier:
- Build Buyer Confidence: Demonstrates transparency and boosts credibility with buyers.
- Avoid Surprises During Escrow: Helps identify potential issues before they become negotiation hurdles.
- Speed Up the Sale: Reduce back-and-forth over repair requests.
- Meet Disclosure Requirements: Especially useful in states with stricter real estate laws.
- Maximize Your Return on Investment: Small repairs found early can prevent larger price reductions later.
How Much Does a Roof Inspection Cost?
Roof inspection costs vary depending on the provider, region, and scope of the inspection.
- Typical Range: $0–$125 for a standard “inspection follow-up” to a home inspector’s report.
- Why It’s Often Not Free: Some roofers used to offer free inspections as a networking tool, but many now charge to offset travel, labor, and material costs.
- Premium Costs: If the inspection includes additional labor, such as sealing exposed nails during the visit, the fee may be higher.
Factors like roof size, pitch, and complexity don’t typically affect price in this scenario, since the roofer is there to address specific points from the inspection report, not to perform a full roofing assessment with special equipment like drones or infrared cameras.
What Sellers Should Expect From a Roof Inspection Report
A roofer’s inspection report, especially one triggered by a home inspector’s findings, will often include:
- Overall condition and estimated age of roofing materials
- Any active leaks or weak points
- Flashing and chimney condition
- Gutter functionality
- Estimated remaining life expectancy of the roof
- Photos and repair recommendations
- Notes responding to the home inspector’s flagged concerns
The level of detail varies, but these points cover the essentials most buyers, sellers, and agents need to make decisions.
Who Pays for the Roof Inspection During a Home Sale?
It depends on timing and circumstance:
- Seller Pays Before Listing: Gives more control over pricing and repair decisions, but is less common.
- Buyer Pays After Offer: Most common scenario, where the buyer’s home inspector finds issues and the buyer hires a roofer for follow-up.
- Negotiated Credits or Repairs: Sometimes the seller pays for the inspection and repairs, or gives a credit to the buyer for post-closing work.
- Funds Allocated at Closing: Rare, but possible: the attorney cuts a check directly to the roofer after closing to complete the work.
What Happens If the Roof “Fails” Inspection?
Technically, roofs don’t “pass” or “fail” a sale inspection—the findings are recommendations. A roof in poor shape doesn’t automatically prevent the sale, but it can create negotiation challenges. Common outcomes include:
- Seller repairs the roof before closing
- Seller offers a credit or concession toward repairs
- Buyer accepts the roof as-is in exchange for a reduced price
- In rare cases, the sale falls through. This is usually only if the buyer’s insurance company refuses to cover the home due to the roof’s age or condition
For minor issues, quick repairs are often the easiest path. For major problems, sellers may need to weigh whether to fix the roof before listing or negotiate a credit during escrow. You can learn more about whether a roof repair or replacement is right for you here.
Getting a Roof Inspection Before Selling Your Home
Most roof inspections tied to a home sale aren’t full-scale evaluations. They’re targeted follow-ups to a home inspector’s findings.
While the cost for a roof inspection is typically modest, the impact on your negotiation can be significant. Whether you choose to get ahead of potential issues or wait for the buyer’s report, knowing the process and your options will help you protect your sale price and keep the deal moving forward.
If you’re selling your home and you’ve been told you need a roof inspection, we’re happy to provide you with honest feedback on the condition of your roof. Additionally, we may be able to help assist you in transferring your roof warranty. We’re happy to help you sell your home!
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