Ottawa Roof Inspections
Ottawa Roofing Pros inspects residential roofs across Ottawa for homeowners, buyers, sellers and anyone whose insurer is asking questions. A roofer walks the roof, checks every flashing and penetration, goes into the attic and documents what we find in a written photo report.
A home inspector looks at the whole house; we look only at the roof, because roofing is all we do. More than 17 years and 1,500+ roofing jobs give us a clear sense of how long a roof really has left and what a fix should cost.
Below is what the inspection covers, when to book one, our drone and infrared options, what the report contains and what it costs.
Our roof inspection is a hands-on check of the roof covering, every flashing and penetration, the eavestroughs and the attic, finished with a written photo report. On a typical house it takes 45 to 90 minutes on site.
Here is what we check, and what we look for:
If we find a problem, the report explains it and the fix, and our roof repair service can quote it. If the roof is near the end of its life, we say so plainly and estimate the years left. This service is part of our wider residential roofing work.
Book an inspection when money or a decision depends on the roof's condition: a home sale, a storm, an insurer's question, or the change of seasons. Many problems we find are cheap to fix early and expensive once water has reached the attic.
Each reason below shapes what we focus on and how we write the report.
A general home inspector usually views the roof from a ladder, the ground or a camera pole. We walk it where safe, check the attic, and give a remaining-life estimate with a repair or replacement range you can use in negotiations.
Sellers use the report to fix small items first or to price the house honestly. Buyers on a conditional offer should call us early, since condition periods in Ottawa are often short.
Inspect after any storm with strong winds or hail, even if nothing looks wrong from the ground. Wind lifts and creases shingles and breaks their seal, which leads to leaks months later.
Ottawa has seen severe events, including the September 2018 tornado that tore through Arlington Woods and Craig Henry in Nepean, and the May 2022 derecho. We document damage with dated photos, which helps if you open an insurance claim for roof damage.
A fall inspection catches loose flashing, cracked vent boots and blocked eavestroughs before snow and ice dams test them. A spring check after the melt finds ice dam damage, wet sheathing at the eaves and granules washed into downspouts.
If ice dams are a yearly problem, see our guide to Ottawa ice dams for the root causes. For active ice buildup, our ice dam and snow removal crews can steam it off safely.
Insurers increasingly ask for roof age and condition at renewal, and some limit coverage on older shingle roofs. A written report with photos, roof age estimate and condition notes gives your broker something concrete.
We can't promise how an insurer will respond. We can make sure their decision is based on the roof's real condition rather than a guess from its age.
Most problems we find on Ottawa roofs are small, cheap to fix and invisible from the ground. The pattern repeats across neighbourhoods and housing eras, and these are the findings that come up most often.
| Finding | How it shows up | What usually fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Cracked plumbing vent boots | Stain on a ceiling below a bathroom, wet sheathing around the stack in the attic | New boot or flashing, a minor repair |
| Missing kick-out flashing | Rot or staining on the wall below where a roof meets a two-storey wall | New kick-out and step flashing, sometimes siding and sheathing repair |
| Bathroom fans venting into the attic | Frost on nail tips and dark stains on the sheathing above the fan | Duct the fan outdoors through a roof or wall cap |
| Blocked soffit intake | Hot, humid attic, curled or blistered shingles on the upper slopes | Baffles at the eaves, sometimes new vented soffit |
| Worn chimney flashing | Leaks only in wind-driven rain, cracked caulking where the metal meets brick | Counter flashing cut into the mortar joints |
| Ice dam damage at the eaves | Swollen sheathing and stained fascia near the gutters, water in exterior walls | Eave repair now, insulation and ventilation to stop the cause |
| Lifted or creased shingles | A visible line across tabs that have flapped in high wind | Replace and hand-seal the affected shingles |
Many of these sit on roofs that still have years of life left. A fix in the $350 to $1,200 range now often buys five to ten more years before a full replacement.
For roofs that are too steep, too high or too fragile to walk, we offer a drone survey as an upgrade. It captures close-up images of every slope, ridge and chimney top, and the flights follow Transport Canada's drone rules, including the airspace limits that apply in parts of Ottawa.
Drones are especially useful on steep 2000s townhouse rows in Barrhaven, on 2.5-storey homes in older neighbourhoods, and after storms when walking a damaged roof isn't safe. They don't replace the attic check, which still happens in person.
Infrared scanning is an upgrade for flat roofs. Scanned in the evening after a sunny day, wet insulation holds heat longer than dry insulation and shows up as warm patches, which we then confirm with a moisture meter or core cut.
Every inspection ends with a written report that a buyer, insurer or contractor can act on without being on the roof with us. It is organized like this:
| Report section | What it records |
|---|---|
| Roof summary | Roof material, estimated age, number of layers, pitch and approximate area |
| Roof covering condition | Shingle or membrane condition by slope, with annotated photos |
| Flashings and penetrations | Chimney, wall, valley, vent and skylight details, each rated |
| Eavestroughs, soffit and fascia | Drainage, hangers, downspouts and intake ventilation |
| Attic | Ventilation balance, insulation depth, moisture, frost and mould findings |
| Remaining life estimate | Our estimate of years left, with the reasoning behind it |
| Recommendations | Items ranked as urgent, within 1 to 2 years, or monitor, with typical cost ranges |
Recommendations reference typical Ottawa price ranges, such as $350 to $1,200 for minor repairs. If replacement is on the horizon, our Ottawa roof replacement cost guide shows what to budget.
A roof assessment is free when you are considering repair or replacement work, and it comes with a written quote. That covers most homeowners who want to know whether their roof needs attention.
A standalone detailed report for a home purchase, sale or insurer takes more time to prepare, and we quote any fee clearly when you book. Drone and infrared upgrades are quoted the same way, so there are no surprises.
If the inspection leads to work, our 1-year written labour warranty applies to every repair or roof replacement we complete, alongside the manufacturer's material warranty.
Buyers, sellers and long-time owners all ask slightly different things about roof inspections. These answers cover timing, cost and what the report tells you.
Every two to three years for a roof under 15 years old, and every year after that. Add an inspection after any major storm and before buying or selling.
Flat roofs benefit from a yearly check at any age, because drains and seams fail quietly.
Most houses take 45 to 90 minutes on site, including the attic. Large, steep or complex roofs, or a drone survey, can take longer.
Only if we need to get into the attic or the house. The attic hatch is often in a closet, so we ask that it be cleared and accessible.
Many homeowners like to be there so we can show them photos and answer questions on the spot.
Partly. Snow hides shingles and flashings, but the attic, the eaves, ice dams and interior stains still tell us a lot.
For a winter sale, we inspect what is visible, note the limits in the report and can return after the melt. A drone helps with roofs that are unsafe to walk in winter.
We make it safe with a temporary seal or tarp where conditions allow, and note it in the report. The permanent repair is quoted separately, so you decide on it with the full picture.
If water is already coming through a ceiling, don't wait for a scheduled inspection. Our emergency roof repair service answers 24/7 for active leaks.
Not if the inspection is done honestly, and the report is how you check us. Every recommendation is tied to a photo you can see for yourself.
Many inspections end with a minor repair or a simple "check again in two years". A roofer who calls every 15-year-old roof finished loses the trust that brings repeat work.
Yes. A home inspector covers the whole house in a few hours and often refers roof concerns to a roofing contractor.
We spend the full visit on the roof, attic and drainage, and can tell you what a fix costs. In ventilation cases, our attic ventilation and insulation service addresses the cause, and our Kanata roofing team and crews across the city carry out the work.
Our crews dispatch from Centretown to every Ottawa community and anywhere within about 30 minutes of the city.
Free roofing estimate
Call or send the form with your address, roof type and the reason for the inspection, and we will book a time that suits your deadline. Most inspections take about an hour on site, with the written report to follow.