What does a roof condition note usually say?
It says what was seen on the covering, the flashing, the drainage and the attic, what was not reached, and what was repaired or is open. It makes no promise about the future.
A good note is specific. It names the slopes or areas checked, the state of the covering on each, the flashing at each penetration, the drainage and any repairs made. It says whether the attic was accessible and whether the decking was dry where it could be seen. It also says what could not be reached, such as a flat section behind a parapet, which matters to a buyer.
A note that says the roof is in good condition, with no detail, gives a buyer nothing to check. The detail is what makes the note useful, and it is what the buyer's inspector will compare against their own findings.
- The covering, flashing and drainage, each with its state
- The attic and the decking, with the access stated
- The areas not reached, named clearly
Should the seller repair the roof before listing?
That is the seller's decision. The note helps by showing what is open, what it would cost to put right and which repairs are small and which are not.
Some sellers repair before listing and others leave the roof as it is and let the buyer decide. Both are possible, and the note is useful either way. It shows the buyer what is open, and it shows the seller what a repair would involve, so the decision is made on the evidence.
A repair made just before a sale should be recorded with its date and its scope. A buyer who finds a fresh patch with no record will ask more questions, and the record answers them.
- Decide between repair before listing and disclosure of the open item
- Record any repair with its date and scope
- Keep the receipt or the written scope with the note
What can the note not do?
It cannot show what is under a finish, promise the roof's life or decide how a buyer or an insurer will treat it. Those are decisions for the people involved.
A roofer inspects what is visible and reachable on the day. A leak that has not yet happened, a joint that will fail under a future storm or a deck that is wet under a finish cannot always be seen. The note says so, and the buyer's inspector may ask for more.
The note does not decide the sale, the price or the insurance. A lender, a buyer and an insurer each make their own decision from the facts, and the note is one of those facts. It is not a warranty, and the roofer does not warrant the work performed.
- Visible and reachable areas only
- No promise of future performance
- Decisions on price and insurance are for the parties
What should a seller do before the roofer arrives?
Clear the attic access, gather any repair receipts and warranties, and tell the roofer about any leak that was reported before.
A sale inspection goes faster and says more when the seller prepares. Clear the attic access and the route to the ladder, so the roofer and any buyer's inspector can reach it. Gather any repair receipts, warranties and previous inspection notes, and keep them ready to show, because a repair with a record is easier to accept than one without.
Tell the roofer about any leak a previous owner or a tenant reported. The roofer can then look at that spot first, and the note can say what was found there.
- Clear the attic access and the ladder route
- Gather receipts, warranties and previous notes
- Tell the roofer about any leak reported before
