Ground Checks and Roof Walks Are Not the Same Inspection

A roof inspection in St. Louis is two jobs done in one visit. Part of it happens from the yard, where the inspector reads the gutters, the downspouts, the siding, and the lines of the roof against the sky. The rest happens up a ladder and on the shingles, where the inspector can press on the mat, lift tabs, and look at flashing up close. Homeowners often hear a yard walk described as a full inspection, and it is not. This page sorts what each view can settle and what it cannot, so you know which questions to put to whoever comes to your door.

What the yard view can settle

From the ground the inspector sees the overall shape of the roof, whether a ridge dips, whether a slope bows between rafters, and whether shingles are missing or curling at the edges. A ground view also catches the outside evidence that a roof has been taking water or hail. Dented gutter sections, cracked vent caps, and splashed siding below an eave are all easier to photograph from the lawn.

Freeze and thaw cycles show up from below too. A downspout that has pulled away from the wall after a January thaw, or a gutter line that sags between hangers, tells you the water is being handled poorly at the edge even before anyone climbs. Icicles hanging in a straight row along the eave in February can point to ice backing up under the shingles, and that is worth asking about even if the roof looks intact from the street.

The yard view has limits. Shingles on the far slope may be hidden by a parapet or a neighbor's tree. Binoculars help with the upper courses, but they cannot tell you whether the nail heads have backed out or whether the sealant strip has bonded. A ground-level photo of a missing tab can be the first sign of wind damage, but it cannot tell you whether the underlayment under that spot is wet. The inspector should say in writing which slopes were seen only from the ground.

What needs a walk on the roof

Some things are only visible at arm's length. The inspector lifts tabs to check the sealant and the nail placement. They count the nails at a sample of courses and check whether they were driven flush or overdriven into the mat. They look at valleys, pipe boots, the step flashing where a slope meets a wall, and the sealing around the chimney. On a three-tab roof they check whether the granules are worn enough that the mat shows at the exposure line. On laminated shingles they look for cupping and blistering in the middle of the field, which a ground view often misses.

Ask how many spots were lifted and where. A walk that opened one tab on each slope is different from one that checked a dozen across the roof. The count should be on the report, and the photos should show the lifted tab and the nail heads beneath it.

Foot traffic matters here too. Walking on shingles in cold weather can crack the surface, and walking on a wet roof can lift granules and spread moss spores. Inspectors usually wait for a dry day for these reasons, which is why a walk can be pushed back by a week of rain even when the forecast looks fine for the yard.

What it costs

Some contractors include a yard look in an estimate visit at no charge, and others bill a separate fee for a documented walk. A full roof walk with written findings and photos is the part that takes time, and its price depends on the company, the size of the roof, and whether the inspection is a stand-alone document or part of a repair estimate. Call Keys Roofing at (314) 220-2333 and ask how the walk is billed before anyone comes out. Get the answer in writing with the date. Whether the visit is credited toward a later job is a separate question, and it belongs in the same written answer.

A ground view costs you almost nothing except time, and it can be useful as a first pass. Use it to decide whether a roof walk is worth scheduling, and to flag what you want the walk to check. Do not let a yard-only look stand in for a roof inspection if the house has known hail history or a leak that has come back.

What to ask

• Which slopes were seen from the ground, and which were walked?
• How many tabs or shingles were lifted, and on which slopes?
• Were nail heads counted, and were any overdriven?
• Are the valleys, pipe boots, and wall flashing photographed up close?
• Was the roof dry when it was walked, and if not, what was deferred?
• Does the report say what could not be seen?

Put these questions to any inspector before the visit, and compare the answers. An inspector who can explain the difference between a ground view and a roof walk is one who has written both kinds of report. An inspector who calls the yard look a full inspection has told you something about the report you will receive.

Missouri law also draws a line that matters on the same visit. Under RSMo 407.725 a roofing contractor may not represent or negotiate a homeowner's insurance claim, and may not discuss paying, waiving, or covering a deductible. A contractor can document the damage, provide a written scope with photos and measurements, and attend as the contractor while you deal with your own insurer.