As an experienced roofer, you can immediately tell if a roof needs to be replaced. However, the average homeowner usually isn’t as educated on roof wear and tear. That’s where roof inspection reports come in handy.
Roof inspection reports help contractors document roof damage for customers. They provide a detailed record of the roof’s current state in an easy-to-understand way for homeowners.
In this blog post, we’ll walk you through how to write a roof inspection report for your customers.
What Is a Roof Inspection Report?
A roof inspection report is a written overview of a contractor’s findings during an inspection of a homeowner’s roof. It’s a helpful document that roofers use to provide customers with specific details about their roof.
Roof inspections are critical and can help identify damage and potential issues early on. They also provide a record of needed repairs for the roof. Roof inspection reports are an effective way to provide documentation for homeowners to reference.
What Does a Roof Inspection Report Look Like?
A comprehensive roof inspection report should include several vital components. Here’s what every roof inspection report should include:
- Overview Details: Include the homeowner’s key contact information, such as their name, address, phone number, or email address. Note the inspection date and include the roof inspector's contact information.
- Introduction: Explain the purpose of the inspection and an overview of what homeowners will find in the report.
- Inspection: Document your observations and findings from your visual inspection of the roof. Include what you noticed about the shingles, gutters, flashing, and other critical parts of their roofing system.
- Photos: Photos are essential to roof inspection reports. Include pictures of any roof damage or other areas of concern. Photos provide visual evidence of your findings. They also help homeowners understand any issues you report for their roofs.
- Problems: Write a detailed description of any problems you discover during your inspection. Be specific about where each issue is and how severe the problem is.
- Recommendations: Your recommendations are one of the most important parts of your report. It’s not helpful to point out issues and offer no solutions.
Outline your professional opinion and recommendation for repairs, replacements, or improvements you think the roof needs. Include an estimated timeline for each recommendation. Note if any recommendations are more urgent than others.
- Conclusion: Summarize your findings and reiterate your primary recommendations. Provide your contact information for follow-up questions and include relevant next steps the homeowner should take.
In the age of computers, we recommend creating your roof inspection reports digitally. Depending on the homeowner’s preference, you can provide them with digital and hard copies of the report.
How to Write a Roof Inspection Report
Now that you know the key sections to include in your roof inspection report, it’s time to learn how to write one. Don’t worry—you don’t need to be a professional writer to knock out a killer roof inspection report. Follow these tips to write high-quality roof inspection reports.
Keep It Clear
Remember, you’re writing this report for a homeowner. You should assume they’re not as well-versed in roofing as you are. Avoid using industry jargon and stick with simple language, or at least share this roofing terminology guide with them.
Your goal is to ensure the homeowner understands their roof's condition. The last thing you want is to leave homeowners confused after reading your report.
Include Context
It’s important to provide context for each of your findings. If you notice the roof’s shingles are in desperate need of repair or replacement, don’t simply write: “Shingles need to be replaced.”
Instead, explain why the shingles need to be replaced. Discuss the potential consequences of leaving the issue unresolved.
Be Honest and Transparent
Keep your assessment honest and truthful. If the roof is in good condition, note that in your report. If you find issues on the roof, be straightforward about how they should be repaired.
Roof Inspection Reports Are a Valuable Tool
A roof inspection report is a valuable tool for homeowners. They’re also an essential part of your services as a roofer. By providing clear, detailed, and honest reports, you can help homeowners make informed decisions about their roof maintenance and repairs.
Document your findings clearly and professionally in your roof inspection report. The goal is to communicate your findings effectively and build customer trust.
With these tips, you’ll create a helpful report that your customers will appreciate. Making detailed and professional roof inspection reports is just one part of running a successful roofing business.
If homeowners hire your company for roof repairs based on your inspection report, you’ll need to create a roofing quote. SumoQuote’s software makes roofing proposals easier and more efficient.
Our software allows you to streamline the proposal process and create high-quality customer quotes. Book a demo with SumoQuote to learn how our software can boost your roofing company's productivity today!
