Most homeowners have never watched a real roof inspection. A man climbs up, walks around for ten minutes, climbs down, and hands over a number. You learn nothing about your own roof. That is not an inspection. That is a sales call with a ladder.
This page walks through our inspection step by step, the same way we run it on homes in Cinco Ranch, Cross Creek Ranch, and the rest of Katy. Nothing is hidden. When you book a free roof inspection in Katy, this is exactly what happens, in this order.
Step 1: The ground check
The inspection starts with both feet on the ground. We walk the full yard and look up at every slope. From the ground you can already see a lot: missing or slipped shingles, sagging lines, debris sitting in the valleys, and stains on the siding below a joint.
We check the gutters too. Granules in the gutter tell us the shingles are shedding their surface. Bent or pulled gutters tell us water has been spilling where it should not. We also look for past patch work. Old tar lines and shingles that do not match show where someone tried a quick fix, and those spots get extra attention on the roof walk.
Step 2: The roof walk
Then we get on the roof and walk every slope, slowly. This is the core of the inspection. We are looking at three groups of parts.
Shingles
We look for cracked, curled, or lifted shingles, and we check how much granule cover is left. Granules are the grit that shields a shingle from the sun. When they wash off, the shingle ages fast. We also press on soft spots. A spongy feel can mean the deck below is weak, or that hail has bruised the mat. After a storm we check for the signs of hail damage most homeowners miss from the ground.
Flashing and vent boots
Most leaks start at a joint, not in the open field of the roof. So we check the flashing at every wall, chimney, and valley, plus the rubber boots around the plumbing vents. Katy heat cracks those boots after a few summers. A split boot is a small part and a common leak, and it is one of the first things we photograph.
Ridge cap and valleys
The ridge cap takes the worst sun and wind on the roof. We check it for cracks and loose caps. In the valleys, where two slopes meet and water runs hard, we look for worn shingles, exposed fasteners, and debris that holds water against the surface.
Step 3: The attic check
A roof is only half the story. From the attic we see the underside of the deck, and the underside tells the truth. We look for dark water stains, wet or flat insulation, and any spot where daylight shows through the deck. Each one marks a leak path, and it often sits far from the stain on your ceiling.
We also check ventilation. A hot, still attic cooks shingles from below and drives up cooling bills in a Katy summer. Blocked vents and weak airflow show up here, not from the roof side. A roof can look fine from the street and still be failing from underneath.
Step 4: The photo report
Every problem we find gets a photo, taken up close, not from the driveway. Soft decking. A split boot. A cracked ridge cap. You see what we see, in the same detail. We shoot the healthy parts too, because proof of what is sound matters when you file a claim or sell the home.
The photos come to you with the report. No blurry printouts, no findings you have to take on faith. If an adjuster or a buyer asks questions later, you already hold the answers.
Step 5: The honest verdict
The inspection ends with a plain verdict in three buckets. Fix now: active leaks, split boots, damage that will grow with the next storm. Watch list: wear that is real but not urgent, with a rough time frame on it. All clear: the roof is sound and needs nothing.
If work is needed, you get the price in writing before anyone asks you to decide. And if the roof needs nothing, that is the verdict too. A free inspection that ends in a sales pitch is not free. Ours ends with the truth about your roof, and the photos to back it up.
Call (281) 677-8586
Inspection, tune-up, or repair?
Homeowners mix these three up, and some companies like it that way. They are three different jobs.
| Service | What it does | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Inspection | Finds and documents the problems | Free |
| Tune-up | Seals and maintains the weak points | From $199 |
| Repair | Fixes a known problem, like a leak | Priced per job |
A tune-up is not a repair, and an inspection is not a tune-up. If your roof is sound but the boots and sealant are aging, a roof tune-up is the right spend. If water is already coming in, skip both and get the leak fixed.
When to book one
After a hail or wind storm. Katy sits in a hail corridor, and storm damage hides. Bruised shingles may not leak for months. A dated photo report right after the storm is also the proof a claim needs.
Before you buy or sell. A home inspection looks at the roof from the ground and the attic hatch. A roofer walks it. Sellers with a clean report sell with fewer fights, and buyers learn the real age and shape of the roof before they sign.
When a stain shows up. A ceiling stain means water already got in. The inspection finds where it came in, and how much damage sits behind it.
Once a year. In storm country, a yearly check catches the small stuff while it is still small. It is the cheapest habit a Katy homeowner can build.
What a good inspector will never do
Pressure you on the spot. A real finding survives a night of sleep. If a quote dies unless you sign today, the quote was the product, not the inspection.
Give vague findings. “Your roof looks bad” is not a finding. A finding names the part, the slope, and the photo that proves it.
Skip the attic. Half the evidence sits below the deck. An inspector who never opens the attic hatch did half a job.
Scare you with age alone. Age is not damage. Old roofs can be sound, and young roofs can leak. The verdict should follow the photos, not a sales target.
Roof inspection questions
How much does a roof inspection cost in Texas?
From a roofer, often nothing. Most Katy roofing companies, us included, inspect free, because the photo report is how honest work gets found and quoted. You should not have to pay to learn what shape your own roof is in.
How much does it cost to have a roof inspected?
It depends on who does it. Book a roofer for a roof only check and it is usually free. Hire an independent home inspector and the roof is priced inside a whole home inspection, and that check stays at ground level. Either way, ask what you get for the money: a walked roof, an attic check, and photos, or a glance from the street.
What is the 25% rule for roofing?
If repairs touch more than 25% of a roof within 12 months, Texas code requires the worked area to meet current code, which often means replacing that section. Inspectors flag it because a roof near that line changes the talk from repair to replacement.
Will insurance cover a 20 year old roof in Texas?
It can cover storm damage on an older roof, but many policies pay less as a roof ages, settling at cash value instead of full replacement cost. Wear and age alone are never covered. A dated photo report from an inspection is what supports the storm side of a claim.
How long does a roof inspection take?
Most Katy homes take 30 to 60 minutes: the ground check, the roof walk, the attic, and the photos. Big roofs, steep roofs, and storm damage take longer. You get the verdict and the photos on the same visit.
How often should a roof be inspected in Texas?
Once a year, plus after any hail or wind storm that hits your part of Katy. Storm country wears a roof faster than the calendar says. A yearly look catches a cracked vent boot while it is still a small fix, not a ceiling stain.
Call (281) 677-8586
Lines open 7 AM to 9 PM.
Book through our roof inspection page for Katy or call the number above. We are DeckingHub, a Katy roof repair crew, and the inspection is how every honest job with us starts: photos first, verdict in plain words, price in writing if work is needed.