Ready to Request a Florida Roof Inspection?

What did the letter, the agent or the renewal notice actually ask you for?

Maybe you have it open on the table right now, or in a photo on your phone, with a phrase you are not sure about and a date that is getting closer. Most of the homeowners I speak to start exactly there.

This page is where that stops being a worry and becomes a task. You leave your name, number and the address, you send it, and I read it. Then I call you back. That is the whole process, and you set the pace of it.

You do not need the right words. If all you know is that someone asked for a roof thing, say that. I will help you work out which report it is, whether it fits your house and what to do next. Nothing on this page books a visit by itself, takes a payment or commits you to anything.

What happens after you send the form?

The form goes to me. I read it as soon as I can between visits, and I call the number you gave. If I am on a roof when it arrives, I ring when I come down, so keep your phone close and your number correct.

On the call I ask a few simple questions. What were you asked for, and by whom? When is the deadline? How old is the house, and what is the roof made of? Have there been leaks or repairs? Is anyone living there, or is it empty? Your answers tell me which report fits and how to plan the visit.

After that, I tell you what I suggest, explain the price by phone for your address and your situation, and agree a day if you want to go ahead. If you do not want to go ahead, you say so, and that is the end of it. There is no pressure and no follow-up chase.

What should you put in the request?

A few lines are enough. The more specific you are, the faster the call goes.

• Your name and the best mobile number to reach you.
• The address of the house, meaning the place where the visit would happen.
• What you were asked for, in the words used, such as 4-point, wind mitigation, roof certification or Citizens roof report.
• Any deadline, and who set it.
• The age of the house and the roof, if you know them.
• Anything you have noticed, such as a stain, a leak or storm debris.

If you cannot answer some of those, leave them out. I will ask on the call. You can see which reports I write on the roof inspection, wind mitigation, 4-point inspection and Citizens roof report pages.

Why is there no price on this website?

Because the right price depends on the house, and I would rather give you a number that is true than one that looks good. The size of the roof, how many slopes it has, whether the attic can be reached, which report you need, whether you need two at once and how far I have to travel all change the answer.

A price published on a page would either be too low to hold or too padded to be fair. So I explain it by phone, for your address, in plain words, and I tell you what is included before you decide. If something unexpected turns up, I tell you before it changes anything.

If you are comparing options, that is reasonable. Ask each person what the report covers, what is assumed and what happens if conditions are different from expected. Those answers matter more than the total.

What is the callback actually like?

Short and practical. I introduce myself, confirm what I read in your request and ask my questions. I do not read from a script and I do not try to sell you something you did not ask about.

If you have a question, ask it. People often wonder whether they need the report at all, whether two reports can be done in one visit, or what to do about an active leak in the meantime. I answer honestly, including when the answer is that you do not need anything yet.

If you are not sure what you were asked for, read the letter to me over the phone. I have heard most of the phrases, and I can usually tell you quickly what document is meant.

Missed my call? Here is what to expect.

If I call and you cannot answer, I leave a short message and try again at another time. If you call me and I am on a roof or in an attic, leave your name and number, and I return the call as soon as I can.

If it is urgent, say so in your message. A roof that is leaking right now moves to the top of the list. Say what you see, where, and whether water is coming through a ceiling. That helps me advise you on what to do before anyone arrives.

If the number on your form was wrong, send the form again or call me. I cannot reach you if I do not have your correct number.

Which kinds of work can you ask about?

The four main reports are listed below, with the typical situation for each.

If you are weighing a repair or a new roof, the roof repair and replacement page explains how I help owners think it through.

Where do I take requests from?

From homes across Florida. The Panhandle, the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, central Florida, the Keys and the interior all fall within what I cover. Distance affects scheduling, not whether I will answer you.

When you send your address, I can tell you honestly whether a visit fits your timeline. If your deadline is close and I am working far away, I will say so, and we can talk about the realistic options. I would rather you hear that on day one than on day nine.

If you are not sure whether the address qualifies as part of my area, ask. The answer is almost always yes, and when it is not, you hear it quickly.

Should you send photos?

Photos help, and you do not need them. If you have a few, mention them in the form and I will tell you how to send them on the callback. Useful ones include the front of the house from the street, a ceiling stain, any visible damage on the roof and an electrical panel or water heater label if you were asked for a 4-point.

Take them in daylight, hold the phone steady and include something for scale. Do not climb up to take them. A fall costs far more than any photograph is worth. Ground-level shots from several sides are plenty.

How can you get ready for the callback?

Not much is needed. A short checklist helps.

1. Have the letter, email or form that started this in front of you.
2. Know the deadline and who set it.
3. Find any permits, receipts or warranties for the roof, air conditioner, water heater or rewiring.
4. Think about when you can give access, and whether someone needs to be home.
5. Write down questions. People often forget them the moment the phone rings.

If you cannot gather any of it, call anyway. Honest gaps are fine.

Which questions are worth asking me?

Ask anything. Some of the most useful ones I hear are below.

• Which report is the right one for what I was asked?
• Can two reports be done in one visit?
• What will you need access to?
• How long will the visit take?
• When will I get the report?
• What do you not do or promise?

On that last one, I will tell you directly. I make no promises about what an insurer, lender or buyer will do with a report. I do not predict how long a roof will last. I do not publish prices on the site. And I do not state licenses or credentials that I have not verified for publication.

What if the weather is wrong on the day?

Florida afternoons are unpredictable. If a storm is approaching, I will not go onto a wet or lightning-exposed roof, and I will call to move the visit. Some parts of an inspection, such as the attic and the interior, can still proceed in the rain. Others need a dry roof.

If you see a change in the forecast, tell me. I would rather reschedule early than leave you waiting. If a deadline is tight, tell me that too, and we will work out the best option.

Asking for someone else? That is fine.

Many requests come from a relative, a property manager, an agent or someone helping a neighbor. That is no problem. Tell me whose house it is, who can give access and who should receive the report. I will talk to the right person at the right time.

If you are asking on behalf of someone who has not agreed yet, say so. I do not arrive at a property without a clear arrangement, and I will not enter an occupied home unless access has been agreed with the people who live there.

What will I not do on the phone?

I will not pressure you, invent urgency or tell you a roof will fail by a certain date. I will not tell you what an insurer will decide. I will not quote a price that I cannot back up once I know the property, and I will not ask for payment details over the phone.

I will not ask for anything the form did not ask for, such as bank or card numbers, government numbers or dates of birth. If anyone ever asks you for those in connection with this site, do not provide them, and tell me.

What does access mean, and who needs to arrange it?

Access is the single most common thing that slows a visit down, so it is worth a minute. For a roof inspection, I need to reach every side of the house and the ground beside each wall. For a wind mitigation report or a 4-point, I also need to get inside: the attic, the electrical panel, the water heater and the air handler.

Gates should be unlocked or a code provided. Dogs should be kept inside or tell me where they are. The attic hatch should be clear of boxes. The panel should not be hidden behind shelving. If you rent the home to someone, the tenant should know I am coming, and I will confirm a time with them if you wish.

If a door is locked and no one is home, I cannot go in, and the visit will be rescheduled. A quick text or call the day before avoids that. Tell me on the callback who will let me in, and I will confirm with that person.

What if your deadline is close?

Say so at the start. Deadlines drive many of the requests I get, and some are tight. A closing date, a renewal date or a date in a letter from an insurer all matter to the planning.

I will not promise a date I cannot keep. What I will do is tell you honestly whether the visit and the report can be done in time, and what the realistic choices are if they cannot. Sometimes the answer is to ask the agent or insurer for a short extension. Sometimes it is to move the visit forward by a day. Sometimes it is to tell you plainly that the timing is not workable, so you can look elsewhere without losing days.

The earlier you tell me, the more options there are. A deadline mentioned on the day before it falls leaves very few.

Can two reports be done on the same visit?

Very often, yes. A roof inspection and a wind mitigation report both put me on the roof and in the attic. A 4-point and a wind mitigation share a good deal of the same walk-through. A Citizens roof report and a wind mitigation report cover related ground.

Doing two in one visit saves you a second appointment and gives each report a consistent set of photographs. I write them as separate documents, because they answer different questions and different readers need different things.

If you were asked for more than one document, list them all when you write. If you only discover the second request after the first is booked, tell me anyway, and I will see whether it can be folded into the same trip.

What does the visit itself look like?

Once a day is agreed, I confirm it by phone or text. On the day I arrive at the agreed time, or call ahead if something has changed. I start outside and work around the house, photographing as I go. Then I go inside to the attic, panel and other items that the report type calls for.

I tell you what I saw before I leave if you are there. The written report follows, with photographs. If I found something urgent, I said so on site. If anything in the report is unclear, you can call and ask.

You will not be asked for payment on the form, and you will not be pressed into extra work. The report is an independent record, and you may take it anywhere you like.

How are your details handled?

The details you send are used to call you back about your request. They are not sold and they are not handed to other businesses for their marketing. The form includes a consent box, which you tick if you agree to be contacted by phone and text about your request. Ticking it does not oblige you to buy anything, and you can opt out at any time.

The full explanation is on the privacy page, in plain language. You can read more about me and how I work on the about page, or go back to the home page.

Before you press send

Check your phone number once more. It is the single most common reason a callback does not happen. Check the address. Add the deadline if there is one. Tell me about any active leak at the very top.

Then send it. I will read it and call. If you are still unsure, call instead. Either way, a real person answers, and that person is me.

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