Maintenance & Lifespan

What a Professional Roof Inspection Report Should Include

The Peaks & Valleys field teamWritten by the crews and inspectors on the roofs

Checklist2 min readLast reviewed August 2, 2026How we research

The short answer

A professional roof inspection report should include dated photos of every roof plane and detail, an honest condition grade by component (shingles, flashing, penetrations, ventilation, gutters), the attic's condition, an estimated remaining lifespan, specific findings with locations, and clear recommendations — including 'you have years left' when that's the truth. If it's just a quote, it wasn't an inspection.

Part of our guide to The PNW Roof Maintenance Calendar: What to Do, When, and What It Buys You.

“I had my roof inspected” can mean a thorough, documented assessment — or a salesperson glancing from the driveway on the way to a replacement quote. The difference is the report. Here’s exactly what a professional roof inspection should hand you, so you can tell the real thing from a sales visit in disguise.

What a real report contains

Dated photographs of everything. Every roof plane, plus close-ups of the details — flashing, valleys, penetrations, edges, and any problem areas. Photos are the backbone; they let you see the roof you can’t safely get to, and they become your baseline over time.

A component-by-component condition grade. Not one vague verdict, but an honest read on each system:

Field shingles — granule loss, curling, cracking, missing tabs
Flashing — chimney, wall, valley, and step flashing condition
Penetrations — pipe boots (the #1 silent leak), vents, skylights
Ventilation — intake and exhaust, adequacy
Gutters and edges — drainage, drip edge, fascia

The attic side. Half of what kills a PNW roof shows on the underside — moisture, poor ventilation, decking rot, bath fans dumping into the attic. A report that ignores the attic is missing the most predictive part.

An estimated remaining lifespan. A real, honest timeline — how many years the roof likely has left — so you can plan a replacement on your schedule instead of reacting to a leak.

Specific findings with locations. “Cracked pipe boot on the north slope,” not “the roof is in rough shape.” Located, photographed findings you (or an adjuster, or a buyer) can act on.

Clear recommendations — including ‘do nothing yet.’ The tell of an honest inspection: it’s willing to conclude you have years left and need no work now. Plenty of ours end exactly there.

The red flags of a fake inspection

No photo report — nothing documented, nothing you keep
Never looked in the attic — surface-only
Every inspection ends in a full replacement quote — regardless of the roof
Pressure to sign during or right after the visit

If the “inspection” is really just a quote with a walk-around attached, it wasn’t an inspection.

Why the report is worth keeping

A real report is useful well beyond the moment: it’s a baseline for future comparison, evidence for an insurance claim, and documentation for buying or selling a home. It’s yours to keep whether or not you hire the company that made it.

Want a real one? Book a free inspection — walked, photographed, component-graded, with an honest remaining-life estimate you keep. Or start with the Roof Health Score for a preliminary read from your own answers.

Questions homeowners actually ask

What should a roof inspection include?

A thorough inspection covers the roof surface (every plane, walked when safe), all the details where roofs fail (flashing, valleys, penetrations, edges), the attic side (ventilation, moisture, decking), and the gutters. It should produce dated photos, a component-by-component condition grade, an estimated remaining lifespan, and specific, located findings — not just a single price.

How do I know if a roof inspection is legitimate or just a sales pitch?

A legitimate inspection hands you documentation you keep — photos and findings — and is willing to conclude 'your roof is fine, you have years left.' A sales visit in disguise skips the report, avoids the attic, and arrives at 'you need a new roof' regardless of what's up there. If there's no photo report and every inspection ends in a replacement quote, be skeptical.

Should a roof inspection include the attic?

Yes. Half of what kills a PNW roof — moisture, poor ventilation, decking rot, bath fans venting into the attic — shows on the underside, not the surface. An inspection that never looks in the attic is missing the part that most often predicts problems. The attic condition belongs in the report.

Do I get to keep the inspection report?

You should. A real report — photos, grades, findings, and remaining-life estimate — is yours to keep, whether or not you hire the company. It's useful for planning, for insurance, and for a home sale. Ours are free and yours to keep, and plenty of them conclude that no work is needed yet.