Who Is the Florida Roof Inspector Coming to Your Home?

Who is actually going to climb up and look at your roof?

It is a fair question, and one that gets less attention than it deserves. A report is only as good as the person who wrote it, and you will be handing it to an agent, a lender or a buyer on the strength of that person's word.

My name is Timothy Parks. I carry out roof inspections, wind mitigation inspections, 4-point inspections and roof reports for Citizens policyholders in homes across Florida. When you call the number on this site, you reach me. When a report arrives, it is the result of my visit, my photographs and my notes.

This page explains how I approach the work, what I will say plainly and what I will not say at all. It lists my Florida credentials as issued, and nothing about them beyond that. When those details are ready, they will appear here in full. Until then, ask me anything directly and you will get a straight answer.

If you would rather skip the story and ask a question, the contact page is the place.

What do I believe makes a good inspection report?

Read enough inspection reports and one thing becomes clear: the reports that help people are the ones that are specific. A sentence like "roof shows wear" says almost nothing. A sentence like "granule loss is visible on the south slope near the ridge, with bare mat exposed in three areas shown in photos 6 to 8" gives the reader something to hold.

So I write to be specific. I name the slope, the feature and the place. I attach a photograph to every finding that matters. I separate what I saw from what I think it might mean, so you can see where observation ends and judgment begins.

I also believe a report should be written for the owner first. Agents, lenders and buyers read it too, but the person who lives in the house is the one who needs to understand it. If you cannot follow the report, it has failed, however accurate it might be.

How do I work from the first call to the finished report?

The route is the same for every report type, with differences in what happens on site.

1. You send a request. The contact page asks for a name, mobile number, address and a few lines about the house and what you were asked for.
2. I call you back. I ask what the report is for, what the deadline is and what you already know about the house.
3. We agree on a day. I tell you honestly whether the date fits, rather than promising what I cannot deliver.
4. I visit and look. I photograph, take notes and, if you are there, tell you what I saw before I leave.
5. I write the report. It follows from the notes and photos, in plain language.
6. You get the report and can ask questions. If anything is unclear, I explain it.

At no point does the form you send commit you to anything, and at no point do I try to turn the report into a sales call for work you do not need.

What kinds of reports do I write?

Four main kinds, each with its own page. They overlap, but they are not interchangeable.

The roof inspection is a close look at the roof covering, edges, flashing and drainage. The wind mitigation report records the construction features that resist wind. The 4-point inspection covers the roof, electrical, plumbing and heating and cooling. The roof report for Citizens policies documents the roof's covering, age and condition for homeowners dealing with that insurer.

When the roof raises questions about repair or replacement, the roof repair and replacement page explains how I help owners think it through. The home page shows how all of this fits together.

What will I always say plainly?

A few commitments shape how I speak and write.

• I tell you what I saw, including when it is good news.
• I tell you what I could not see, and why.
• I tell you when something looks urgent, on the spot.
• I tell you when a problem is small, so you are not worried unnecessarily.
• I tell you when I am unsure, and what would settle it.
• I tell you honestly whether a visit fits your timeline.

None of that is clever. It is just what I would want from someone looking at my own house.

What will I not say?

There are things I leave out on purpose, and they matter as much as what I include.

I do not predict how many years a roof has left. Nobody can do that honestly, and numbers invite false confidence. I do not promise that a report will be accepted by an insurer, change a policy or affect what anyone charges, because those decisions belong to the insurer. I do not pretend that every roof needs replacing, or that none does. I do not publish prices on this site, because the honest figure depends on the property.

I also do not state anything about licenses, insurance or credentials that I have not verified for publication. That might sound unusual on an "about" page, but I would rather leave a space than fill it with something I cannot back up. If you want to know something specific, ask me, and I will answer directly.

Why do I explain things the way I do?

Because I have watched people nod through explanations they did not follow. When the person across the table is too polite to say "I do not understand," they leave with a wrong idea and a decision to make. I do not want you leaving with that.

So I use ordinary words. A flashing is the metal that keeps water out where a roof meets a wall. A roof-to-wall connection is whatever ties the rafters to the top of the wall. A penetration is a pipe or vent that goes through the roof. I explain each when it comes up, and I am happy to explain it again.

If I use a term you do not know, interrupt. It is not a rude question. It is the question that makes the report useful.

How do I think about Florida?

Florida is not one climate or one building tradition. The Panhandle, the Gulf coast, the Atlantic coast, the Keys and the inland counties all have their own mix of wind, salt, heat, humidity and soil. Older neighborhoods have homes built under rules that no longer apply. Newer ones have been built under rules that changed several times.

So when I walk up to a house, I try to set aside assumptions. Where is it? How close to water? What year was it built, and what has been added since? What is the roof made of, and what has it been through? Those questions shape what I look for and how closely.

I serve homes statewide. If your address is far from where I am working that week, I tell you so and offer a realistic day. I would rather be honest about the calendar than leave you waiting.

How do I handle a house with a problem?

Most homes have something worth noting, and a few have something serious. In either case I try to keep the conversation proportionate.

If the finding is small, I say it is small, explain what to do about it and move on. If it is bigger, I explain why, show the photograph and describe the choices. If it is urgent, I say so while I am still at the house, because a roof leaking into a ceiling does not wait for a report.

I do not use findings to push work. The reports are independent records, and you may take them to any tradesperson you choose. If you want a second opinion on a proposal someone else gave you, I will look at it with you.

Why are photographs such a big part of how I work?

A written description asks the reader to trust me. A photograph lets the reader check. Where it is safe to take them, I take plenty, and I tie each one to a note saying where it was taken and what it shows.

Photographs also protect you. If a question arises later about the condition of the roof on the day of my visit, there is a record. If you replace something and want to compare, there is a before. If an agent or buyer asks what a stain looked like, you can show them.

I take wide shots to show where on the house something sits, mid-range shots to show the area and close shots to show the detail. I do not edit them to make things look better or worse. What the camera saw is what goes in the report.

What do I do when I see something outside the report?

Sometimes a visit turns up something that is not on the form. A stained ceiling in a hallway during a wind mitigation inspection. A water heater with a corroded base during a roof visit. Rot at a fascia board. A dead branch hanging over the roof.

In those cases I note it separately and tell you. It may not belong on the document you ordered, but it belongs in your knowledge. You can decide whether to look into it. I will not inflate it into a sales opportunity, and I will not stay silent just because it is outside the scope.

The line I follow is simple: if I would want to be told, I tell you.

What if my house is a rental, vacant or part of an association?

These situations are common in Florida, and each has its own practicalities.

• Rentals. Tell me who has the key, whether tenants know about the visit and what notice they need. I will not enter without a clear arrangement.
• Vacant homes. Tell me whether power and water are on, since some items cannot be checked without them. Tell me how I get in.
• Condominiums and townhomes. The roof may belong to the association. Tell me who manages it and whether roof access is allowed. I will say honestly what can be documented from the ground.
• Homes in a sale. Tell me the closing date and who needs the report, so I can plan around the schedule.

If you are managing a property for someone else, say so, and tell me who should receive the report.

What do I ask of you?

Not much. A few things make the visit smoother, and none are mandatory.

I ask that you tell me what the report is for, because the purpose decides what I look at most closely. I ask that you share what you know about the house, including leaks and repairs, even the ones you would rather not mention. Those details help me look in the right place. I ask that you let me know about pets, gates and access.

And I ask that you tell me if anything in my explanation is unclear. A report that you understand is worth more than one that sits unread in a folder.

How do I decide what goes in a report and what stays out?

Every visit produces far more observations than a report can hold. A roof has thousands of shingles, and I do not list each one. So I use a simple filter built around three questions.

First, does it affect whether water or wind gets in? Flashing, penetrations, edges and the covering itself all pass that test. Second, does it affect how long the part is likely to keep working? Wear patterns, fastener condition and signs of past repairs pass it. Third, would the reader be surprised to learn it later? A prior leak, an unpermitted addition or an attic that could not be entered all pass that one.

Things that fail all three, such as a small cosmetic mark that has no bearing on anything, usually stay out. I would rather the report stay readable than turn into a catalog. If you want a particular detail covered, say so when we talk, and I will include it.

This is also why I describe the limits of each visit. A reader deserves to know what was and was not examined, so that the silence in a report is never mistaken for a clean bill of health.

What if you disagree with something in the report?

It happens, and it is a good thing to say out loud. If you think I have misread a feature, called a roof section older than it is, or missed something you know about, tell me. I will look at the photos again, and if I was wrong, I will correct the report.

If I stand by what I wrote, I will explain why, using the pictures. You may disagree and still keep the report, or you may ask another person to look and compare. Either way, the discussion is a normal part of the work and never a nuisance.

A report that cannot survive a question is not much of a report. I would rather answer the question now than have it surface later at a closing table.

How can you reach me?

The best route is the contact page. Send your name, mobile number, address and a few lines. You can also call the number shown on the site. When I am on a roof, I may not pick up right away, but I return calls as soon as I come down.

I do not use a call center, and I do not hand your request to a stranger. The person who reads what you wrote is the person who calls you back.

You can read how I handle your details on the privacy page.

What should you expect on the day of the visit?

I arrive at the agreed time, or I call ahead if something has changed. I introduce myself, ask where you want me to start and tell you roughly how long I expect to be there. I put on shoe covers if you ask, I close gates behind me, and I leave the property the way I found it.

While I work, I will not hover over you or leave you in the dark. If you want to follow along and ask questions, I welcome it. If you would rather stay inside, that is fine too. Either way, I tell you what I found before I go, if you are there.

If I need to go into the attic, I tell you first. If I need to move something to see better, I ask. Your house is your house, and I treat it that way.

What is the next step?

If what you have read sounds like the way you want your house looked at, the next step is small. Pick the page that matches your situation, or go straight to the request form, tell me what is going on and I will call you back.

If you are not ready, that is fine. Keep this page. A day will come, usually around a renewal letter or a forecast, when you want a person to ask.

Which credentials do I hold?

These are the credentials I hold, listed as issued. They are Florida credentials, listed as facts about me and not as a statement about any other state.

• Florida Building Contractor, CBC059592
• Florida Roofing Contractor, CCC1327217
• Florida Home Inspector, HI4878

Ask me what any of them covers and I will tell you plainly.

Common questions