Roof inspection in Schaumburg

What a roof inspection Schaumburg homeowners should expect

We walk every slope we can safely stand on. We lift shingles at the edges to see if they are still flexible. We check every penetration — pipe boots, exhaust caps, skylights, chimney flashing — and every valley. We look at the gutters for granules and the drip edge for rust. Then we go into the attic and look at the underside of the deck for stains, daylight, condensation, mold and the insulation depth, and we check whether the soffit vents are actually open. Steep or icy roofs get inspected from a ladder and the attic, with a drone only where we cannot walk.

You get a written report the same day: photos of each slope and each problem, an estimate of remaining life, and a recommendation in three categories — repair now, plan for replacement in a stated number of years, or nothing needed. If we recommend work, the price is on a separate estimate so the report stands on its own.

When people book one

Buying a house. The general home inspector looks at the roof from the ground or a ladder and writes "appears serviceable." That is not enough on a 1968 Weathersfield ranch with two layers. A roof inspection before the attorney review period ends gives you a number to negotiate with — a $14,000 replacement credit is common on Schaumburg sales when the roof turns out to be at the end.

Selling. A report showing five years of life left, or a repair done and documented, takes the roof off the table in negotiation.

After a storm. Hail damage is invisible from the ground and does not leak for months. An inspection within a few weeks of a hailstorm tells you whether to file a claim before the deadline passes. See storm damage.

The roof is 15–20 years old. The 3-tab shingles put on across Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates in the early 2000s are at the end now. An inspection tells you whether you have two winters left or five, so replacement is planned rather than forced in January.

Insurance renewal. Some Illinois insurers now ask for a roof condition report or photos on roofs over 15–20 years old before renewing. The report we write covers what they ask for.

What we look for on Schaumburg roofs specifically

• Layers. Lifting the drip edge shows how many roofs are up there. Two is the legal limit and changes the replacement price by a couple of thousand dollars.
• Ice dam history. Stained decking above the exterior wall line in the attic, rusty nails at the eave, and shingles at the edge that have been lifted and resealed.
• Ventilation. Painted-shut soffit vents, insulation stuffed into the eaves, a ridge with no vent. A hot attic ages shingles a third faster and causes the ice dams.
• Flat sections. On split-levels, whether the low-slope section has a membrane or shingles, and whether the transition is flashed.
• Chimney. Mortared-in flashing, no cricket, spalling brick.
• Hail and wind. Bruising, granule loss in the gutters, creased tabs, lifted seal strips.

Free estimate or paid inspection

If you already know something is wrong and want it fixed, call for a repair estimate — that is free, and it includes the roof and attic look. A standalone inspection with a written report, for a sale or a claim or an insurer, is a paid service, typically $150–$350 depending on the house, and the fee comes off any work we do within the year. The roofing contractors questions post explains why a free roof inspection from a company that only does replacements tends to find a replacement.

After the report

We do not follow up with sales calls. If the report says the roof has five years, we will see you in five years. If it says replace, the estimate is good for 30 days and the cost page has the ranges to check it against. Roof estimate Schaumburg homeowners get from us is the same whether or not they had the inspection first. And if you want to learn what an inspection covers so you can check the next roofer's work, signs your roof is near the end is most of it.