What Usually Has to Be Repaired
Most roofs that fail a certification fail on details rather than on the covering. Here is what we find, roughly in order of frequency.
The usual list
- Perished pipe boots — the single most common item, and an inexpensive fix
- Chimney flashing that was sealed rather than properly stepped and counterflashed
- Lifted or missing shingles, usually along ridges and rake edges after wind
- Exposed or backed-out fasteners
- Debris-dammed valleys, and corroded valley metal on older roofs
- Skylight flashing, or a unit past its service life
- Damaged or missing ridge caps
- Rotted fascia and soft sheathing at the eaves, usually behind a gutter that overflowed
Itemised, not bundled
Every item is priced on its own, with a photograph. That way a seller can decide what to repair and what to disclose, and an agent can take a specific number to the other side rather than a lump sum nobody can interrogate.
A bundled "repairs needed to certify: $X" figure is the format that makes people suspicious, and they are right to be.
Sheathing, the one that grows
Roughly 37% of permitted Sacramento County re-roofs involve sheathing, dry rot or structural work. On a certification repair it is the item most likely to expand once the area is opened, so we fix a per-sheet rate in advance and photograph each sheet replaced.
Nobody can see under the covering before it comes off. What we can do is agree the rate before anyone starts.
When repairs are not the answer
If the covering is at end of life, repairs are money that gets torn off. We will say so, price the replacement, and tell you honestly how long it takes against your closing date — rather than selling a repair list on a roof that needs replacing.
Common questions
What fails a roof certification?
Most often details: perished pipe boots, improperly flashed chimneys, lifted or missing shingles, dammed valleys, failed skylight flashing and rotted fascia. A covering at end of life fails on its own terms, and repairs will not fix that.
Can I use my own contractor for the repairs?
Yes. Have the repairs done by whoever you like and bring us back to inspect and certify, or have another licensed contractor certify work we performed. We would rather be checkable.