TILE ROOF INSPECTIONS

Nearly all new homes built today have concrete tile roofs installed, and a large number of roof replacements on older homes are now being upgraded to tile roofing material. Unfortunately, the majority of these tile roofs have installation defects, many have major defects requiring the removal of large sections of the roof and reinstalling the materials.

In fact over 90% of the homes we inspect have roofing installation defect's that average $1200 to $3400 to correct if you had to pay for these repairs out of your own pocket. It is not unusual on new installations that major sections or even the entire roof must be removed and reinstalled due to installer error.

Builders are hard pressed to keep up with the current housing demand and high quality roofing installers are in very short supply. Every tradesman was usually the lowest bidder; it is not uncommon that the decision to choose a particular roofer was based on being as little as $100 or less than the competitor's bid. Moisture intrusion from poorly installed roofing is one of the top issues in construction defect lawsuits, these uncaught defects can lead to eventual structural failure and mold conditions.

City and Municipal Building Inspectors do not inspect tile roof installations; in fact most do not even carry a ladder on the job site. Regrettably most Home Inspectors also do not inspect tile roofs and defer them. Or they may attempt to inspect them from the ground with binoculars or from a ladder, this is risky at best and some defects cannot be observed without the inspector actually walking on the roof.

Defects we commonly find are improper head lap (overlap) of tiles, hip/ridge and headwalls not weather blocked, missing anti-ponding strips or anti-ponding flashing at eave edge, improperly secured materials, improperly installed or missing flashings and poor general workmanship. Cracked and or damaged tiles will almost always be found and these should be replaced as per the manufacturer's recommendation with new material and not patched or repaired.

Our inspector's have been factory trained by the largest roofing tile manufacturer in the U.S. to insure that the Roofing Tile Institute's design criteria and installation standards have been followed. Simply put when it comes to inspecting tile roofs "we know what to look for".

Most often the reason for a low priced inspection fee is that the Inspector will not inspect your roof. Home Inspection industry standards state that the inspector is not required to: Walk on the roof surface if in the opinion of the inspector, there is a possibility of damage to the surface or a hazard to the inspector. Most inspectors use this as a reason not to inspect the roof. QPI inspectors have been factory trained on how to walk on tile roofs without damaging the materials.

Before choosing an inspection company ask if they will mount the roof and inspect the installation. While our insurance carrier will not allow our inspectors to use a ladder taller than 13 feet, we find that most roofs can be accessed/viewed from first story or balcony access points when present. We do not charge extra for this service, it is part of our standard home inspection.

For an additional fee when required we can provide client's the "Roofing Tile Institute" tile roofing installation standards documentation, defect photo documentation, forensic examination and expert witness litigation support.

Listing Inspection