The short answer
What does a roof inspection cover and what do I get back?
It covers the shingles, flashings, valleys, vents, pipe boots, gutters and the attic, plus a check inside for stains. You get photos and a written report showing what we found, what needs attention now, what can wait, and what each item would take to fix. The inspection itself costs nothing.
Answers
What do you actually look at during a roof inspection in Tulsa?
We look at the shingles, the flashings, the valleys, the vents, the pipe boots, the gutters and the attic. We check the decking for soft spots and the ceilings inside for stains. The point is to find what is wearing out before it becomes a leak.
On a Tulsa roof the pipe boots and the chimney flashing are where we find the most wear. Shingle edges at the rake and the ridge take the wind. We also look at how the roof meets the wall, because that joint is where a lot of slow leaks start.
Do you get up on the roof or inspect from the ground?
We walk the roof when it is safe to do so. Ground level and a ladder at the edge give a partial picture, but granule loss, soft decking and cracked pipe boots only show up close. If the pitch or the weather makes walking unsafe, we say so plainly.
Steep roofs, wet shingles and very old roofs get treated with care. We are not going to put a person on a surface that will not hold. In those cases we inspect from the ladder, from the attic and with photos, and we tell you what we could not see.
How long does a roof inspection take in Broken Arrow?
A normal house takes a short visit, not a whole afternoon. Most inspections are done in one trip. The report and the conversation about what we found take longer than the walk itself, and that conversation is the part that matters to you.
Larger roofs, steep pitches and houses with several levels or outbuildings take longer. If you have an active leak we spend the time tracing it rather than walking the whole roof. We tell you at the start roughly how long we expect to be there.
Will you show me photos of what you find?
Yes. Photos are the whole point. A homeowner should not have to take a roofer's word for a cracked pipe boot or a lifted shingle. We photograph what we find and go through it with you so you are looking at the same thing we looked at.
Photos also matter for insurance. When an adjuster reviews a claim, clear pictures of the damage support what the report says. We keep the images with the inspection record so they are available later if the claim is questioned or a supplement is needed.
What is a roof inspection report and do I get a copy?
It is a written record of what we found and what we recommend, with photos attached. You get a copy. It should tell you the condition of the roof, what needs attention now, what can wait, and what it would take to fix each item on it.
Ask for the report even when you are not ready to buy anything. It is yours. If you get a second opinion later, having our written findings lets the next contractor respond to specifics instead of starting over. Free inspections come with that report.
Should I be home during the roof inspection?
It helps, but it is not required. Being there means you can point out the stain on the ceiling or the spot where the gutter overflows, and you hear the findings while they are fresh. If you cannot be there, we photograph everything and call you after.
If you are home, expect us to ask about any leaks you have seen and when they started. That history points us at the right area. If you are not home, leave a note about the problem spots and a number to reach you. We work around your schedule.
What do roofers find most often on Tulsa roofs?
Worn pipe boots, failed sealant at the flashings, granule loss on the south and west slopes, and lifted or missing shingles after wind. On older homes we also find decking that has softened around a long slow leak. Most of it is fixable if it is caught early.
Oklahoma sun takes a toll on anything rubber or plastic on a roof. The boots around plumbing vents crack before the shingles do. Sealant at a chimney or a skylight dries out and pulls away. Those are small repairs that turn into ceiling stains if they sit all summer.
Can an inspection find a leak that is not showing inside yet?
Often, yes. Water usually travels before it comes through a ceiling, so the roof can be wet for a while with nothing visible inside the house. Cracked boots, open flashing and lifted shingles show up on the roof long before the stain shows up downstairs.
That is the reason to inspect after a storm even when the ceiling looks fine. By the time a stain appears the water has usually been working its way along the deck for a while. Finding it earlier means a repair instead of a section of new decking.
Do you check the attic and the gutters during an inspection?
Yes, when there is access. The attic tells us about the decking from underneath, which is where soft spots, staining and condensation show first. The gutters tell us whether water is leaving the roof or backing up under the shingle edge and into the fascia.
In the attic we look for daylight, water staining, rusted nails and crushed insulation. Outside we look for granule piles in the gutter and for gutters pulling away from the fascia board. Both are cheap signals that point at a bigger problem.
What does a soft spot in the decking mean?
It means the wood under the shingles has taken on water and started to break down. Soft decking does not hold a nail, so shingles over it work loose. It gets replaced during a repair or a replacement, and it is one reason a quote can change once the roof is open.
You cannot always feel a soft spot from on top. Sometimes it only shows when a shingle is lifted or when the crew walks the deck during tear off. That is why we tell homeowners that decking is priced after it is seen, not guessed at from the driveway.
Can you tell how old a roof is just by looking at it?
We can make a good estimate from the shingle type, the granule loss, the condition of the flashings and how the edges have weathered. It is an estimate, not a birth certificate. If the previous owner left paperwork, that beats anything we can read off the shingles.
Three-tab shingles and architectural shingles age differently, and the slope matters. A south facing slope in Tulsa will show its age before a shaded north slope on the same house. We tell you what we think and what we based it on so you can judge it yourself.
What is the difference between a repair inspection and a full replacement inspection?
A repair inspection is focused on one problem, like a stain on the ceiling or a missing shingle, and it answers whether that problem can be fixed on its own. A replacement inspection looks at the whole roof and the attic, and answers whether the roof is worth putting more money into.
Most calls start as a repair inspection. If we find that the problem area is one of several, we say so and suggest looking at the whole roof before you spend on patches. The inspection is free either way, and nobody gets pushed toward a replacement.
Will an inspection hurt my chances with insurance in Oklahoma?
No. An inspection is information for you, not a report to your insurer. We do not send findings to your carrier. If you decide to file a claim, the inspection is what lets us document the damage properly when the adjuster comes out to the house.
The one thing to be careful about is letting a stranger on the roof who photographs damage and forwards it without your permission. Ask any contractor who else will see the photos. Our inspection record belongs to you and goes where you say it goes.
Do I need an inspection before listing my house in Tulsa?
It is a good idea. Buyers ask about roof age and condition, and a written inspection with photos answers that question before it turns into a negotiation. It also tells you whether a repair is worth doing before the house goes on the market.
A buyer's inspector will look at the roof anyway. Knowing what they will find lets you fix a small item or price the house with the roof in mind. Oklahoma buyers ask about hail history, so a clear record of the roof's condition helps that conversation.
Can a roof pass an inspection and still leak later?
Yes. An inspection describes the condition on the day it is done. A roof can look sound and still have a nail backing out, a sealant that is about to fail or a flashing that only leaks in a hard driving rain. Nobody can promise a roof will not leak.
What an inspection does is find what is already failing and what is close to failing. That is why we point out the items that are not leaking yet but are wearing out. Fixing those early is cheaper than chasing water through a ceiling later.
Can you come out if I am not sure anything is even wrong?
Yes, and that is one of the best reasons to call. A roof can look fine from the driveway and still have something worth knowing about. A free documented inspection tells you what shape the roof is in, how old it looks, and whether anything needs attention now. You get the photos either way.
Homeowners in Broken Arrow and Bixby often call after a storm they heard about but did not see. We check the roof and the attic and hand you the pictures. If the roof is fine, we say so and you keep the record for later.
Will you tell me straight if I do not need a new roof?
Yes. If a repair will do, that is what we write down. Selling a roof someone does not need would be a poor way to run a local company. You get photos and a written finding, so you can see the reasoning rather than take our word for it. Ask us to be blunt and we will be.
We are asked this constantly in Broken Arrow and Owasso. Sometimes the answer is a repair in the $350 to $1,800 range and nothing more. Sometimes it is a replacement. The photos should make the difference clear to you.
How soon can you get out to my house in Broken Arrow?
Usually within a day or two, and sooner after a storm when we are running extra crews. Call (918) 734-4444 and we will give you the first open slot. If water is coming into the house, say that on the call so it is treated as an emergency rather than a routine look.
Emergency tarping runs $400 to $1,200 and we do that before any inspection when water is active. Routine inspections are scheduled around the weather, since we do not send anyone up a wet roof. The inspection itself is free.
Do I need to move anything or clean up before you come?
No. We climb the roof from the outside and we can get into most attics without you moving anything. If the attic hatch is in a closet, clear a path to it and that is enough. Park the cars away from the driveway edge so we have room for the ladders and the truck.
We bring our own ladders and we put down protection where we walk. If you have a dog, let us know on the phone so nobody gets a surprise at the gate. Otherwise leave everything as it is and we will work around it.
Do you look inside the house or only on the roof?
Both, when it helps. The roof tells us about the outside, and the attic tells us what has already happened underneath. We look for wet decking, dark streaks on the framing, crushed insulation, and daylight where there should be none. If you have a ceiling stain, we look at that too.
On a Tulsa house we often find the cause in the attic before we find it on the roof. We also check the gutters and the downspouts where we can reach them, since a clogged gutter sends water back under the bottom edge of the shingles.
Does the inspection cover the flashing, vents, and attic ventilation?
Yes. Flashing at the chimney, the valleys, the wall junctions, and every penetration gets checked, along with the vents and the ridge. We also look at whether the attic is venting the way it should, since poor ventilation shortens the life of the decking and the shingles. All of it goes into the report.
Ventilation problems show up as a hot attic, condensation on the nails in winter, and shingles that cook from underneath. We flag it and explain the options. It is usually cheaper to sort out during a replacement than on its own.
Is a drone or camera inspection as good as a person on the roof?
A camera is a good first look and a poor final one. It shows the surface clearly, which helps with hail marks and wind damage, but it cannot lift a shingle, press on the decking, or feel whether the flashing is loose. For a roof that will carry a claim, someone needs to be on it.
We use photos and take plenty of them on every inspection. On steep or fragile roofs we are careful about where we stand and what we touch. The pictures are what you keep, and they are the part that helps if you ever file a claim.
Can you inspect my steep or very tall roof safely?
Usually yes, with the right setup. Very steep roofs and tall two story homes need ladders, anchors, or a closer look from the eaves and from the ground with a camera. Nobody should be walking a roof that cannot be walked safely. Tell us what the house looks like on the phone and we will bring what is needed.
Steep roofs are common on older Tulsa homes. A refusal to walk one is not a refusal to inspect it. We still check the visible surface, the flashing, and the attic, and we say plainly in the report what could not be reached.
How do you grade a roof condition after the inspection?
In plain words, not a score out of ten. We describe the shingles, the flashing, the decking, and the attic, and we say whether each one is fine, worn, or failing. Then we say what that means for the next few years. A grade nobody can read is no use to you.
You get photos of anything we flag, plus a written finding. If you are selling in Tulsa, that document is often more useful to a buyer than a verbal opinion. If you are staying, it tells you what to keep an eye on.
Proof Construction LLC - the facts
- Business name: Proof Construction LLC
- Address: 1709 W Detroit St, Suite A, Broken Arrow, OK 74012
- Phone: (918) 734-4444
- Oklahoma CIB registration: 80004070
- Rating: 4.9 out of 5 across more than 100 reviews
- Workmanship warranty: 3 years, in writing, on replacements
- Manufacturer credentials: Owens Corning Preferred Contractor, CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster
- Service area: Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Jenks, Glenpool, Owasso, Claremore, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Catoosa, Coweta, Collinsville, Skiatook, Bartlesville, Muskogee, Okmulgee
- Free documented roof inspections and estimates across the Tulsa metro
Need this answered on your own roof?
Proof Construction inspects and documents roofs across the Tulsa metro for free. No pressure, no obligation, and a written summary of what we find.