A roof inspection should end with photographs and a straight answer, not a sales pitch
Three sorts of people need a roof looked at in this county: somebody with a problem, somebody buying or selling, and somebody with orders and a date. All three deserve an inspection that tells them what is actually up there, in writing, including when the answer is that the roof is fine.
A condition inspection is the free one, and it is what most people need. Somebody walks the roof rather than looking from the driveway or flying a drone over it, and checks the field of the shingles for granule loss and brittleness, every valley, every penetration and pipe boot, the flashing at every wall and chimney, the ridge and ridge vent, the drip edge, the gutters and fascia, and — where it can be reached — the attic underneath, which is where leaks and ventilation problems actually show themselves. You get photographs of all of it, including the parts that are sound, and a written summary of condition with an honest estimate of remaining life. If the answer is that you have eight years left and nothing to do, that is what it says.
A roof certification is a different document and it is the one Fort Campbell families ask for most. When a VA loan is involved, a lender or appraiser will frequently require a written statement from a roofing contractor about the roof's condition and expected remaining life, usually a minimum of two to three years, before a sale can close. The same document gets used for conventional sales where an inspector has flagged the roof. It is a formal written certification with photographs, not a verbal reassurance, and it has to be produced by somebody prepared to put their name on it. We write them, and we write them honestly, which occasionally means a certification that says the roof does not have the remaining life the lender wants — because a certification that says otherwise is worthless to everybody.
PCS timing. This is a Fort Campbell town and permanent-change-of-station dates do not move for anybody's schedule. If you have orders and a house to sell, or you are buying into a short window, tell us the date when you call. We will tell you plainly whether we can get the inspection, the paperwork and any repair finished inside it, rather than booking you and letting it slip. If we cannot hit the date we would rather you knew on the first phone call and used somebody who can.
When to have one done anyway. After any significant wind or hail event in the county, even if the roof looks untouched from the ground — wind damage very often is invisible from below. Before you buy a house. Before a roof hits twenty years, so you can budget rather than react. And after a neighbour's claim is approved, because hail falls in narrow swathes and yours may or may not be in it.
What's included
Somebody actually on the roof
Walked rather than flown or viewed from the ground, so seal strips can be lifted and bruising can be felt.
The attic too
Where it is accessible, because leaks, condensation and ventilation problems show themselves from underneath first.
Photographs of all of it
Including the sound parts, so you can see what was checked and take it to somebody else for a second opinion.
Remaining life, in writing
An honest estimate of the years left, which is the number you need in order to budget rather than react.
VA and sale certifications
Formal written roof certifications for lenders, appraisers and closings, with photographs attached.
PCS dates respected
Tell us the date. We will tell you honestly whether we can meet it before you book, not after.
Roof inspection cost in Clarksville, TN
| Job | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Condition inspection with written report and photographs | Free | The standard inspection |
| Storm or hail inspection after an event | Free | See hail damage |
| Written roof certification for a VA loan or sale | $150 – $400 | Formal document with photographs |
| Pre-purchase inspection for a buyer | $150 – $400 | Independent of the seller's contractor |
| Attic inspection for ventilation and moisture | Included | Where the attic is accessible |
| Infrared or moisture survey, flat roof | Quoted on site | Commercial low-slope |
| Annual inspection, commercial | Quoted on site | Twice yearly is the usual interval |
| Repair quote following inspection | Free | Written scope, no obligation |
These are 2026 ranges for Clarksville and Montgomery County, meant for budgeting rather than quoting. Pitch, the number of layers to come off, the condition of the decking and the flashing details all move the number. You get the scope and the price in writing after the inspection, and the inspection is free.
Recent work
Questions we get about roof inspection
Is the inspection really free?
The condition inspection is, including the photographs and the written summary, and including the times we tell you there is nothing wrong. What is not free is a formal certification document for a lender or a closing, because that is a different piece of work with our name and liability attached to it. We will tell you which one you need before you book.
What is a roof certification for a VA loan?
A written statement from a roofing contractor confirming the roof's condition and its expected remaining life, which VA lenders and appraisers commonly require before closing — typically looking for a minimum of two to three years remaining. It comes with photographs. It is a formal document, not a verbal opinion, and the specific requirement comes from the lender, so it is worth asking them exactly what wording they need.
Can you do it before my PCS date?
Tell us the date on the first call and we will give you a straight answer. Inspections and certifications we can usually turn round quickly. A repair or a replacement depends on the scope, the weather and materials, and if the date is tight we will say so rather than take the booking and let it slip on you. People move on these dates and we treat them as fixed.
Do you use drones?
We use them to supplement, not to replace getting on the roof. A drone gives you a good overall view and it is genuinely useful on very steep or unsafe roofs. What it cannot do is lift a shingle to check whether the seal strip is broken, or press an impact mark to feel whether the mat is bruised — and those two things are most of what matters after a storm.
How often should I have the roof inspected?
Once a year is sensible on a roof past about ten years, and after any significant wind or hail event regardless of age. Twice a year on a commercial low-slope roof, where a blocked drain or an open seam can do a lot of damage quietly. Most problems we find on an annual inspection are cheap at that point and expensive two years later.
Will you tell me if the roof is fine?
Yes, and we do regularly. A report that says you have nine years of life left and one pipe boot worth replacing is a perfectly good outcome and it is what a lot of inspections produce. If somebody inspects your roof and every single time the answer is a full replacement, that is information about the inspector.