Roof Inspection Pricing and What You Get for the Fee
A roof inspection costs $100 to $400 for most houses, with a national average of $280. The full spread across every inspection type runs $75 to $600, and a handful of large or complicated roofs reach $1,200.
What changes inside that range is method, roof size and whether anyone goes into the attic. This breaks down what each price point buys and what gets billed on top. You can see the services an inspection usually leads into on the TurnKey Roofers homepage.
For a price on your roof specifically, call (504) 732-0336 or use the contact page.
Key takeaways
- Typical range is $100 to $400, national average $280, minimum $75 and maximum $1,200.
- Method drives price: a physical walk on inspection is $75 to $200, a drone flight $100 to $450, and an infrared moisture scan $400 to $600.
- The written report is normally included. A roof certification is not, and adds $75 to $200.
- A standalone attic inspection is a separate $200 to $500 if it isn’t bundled in.
- Commercial inspections run $200 to $600, or $0.05 to $0.10 per square foot.
- Against a $150 to $1,000 minor repair or a $5,700 to $16,000 replacement, the inspection fee is the cheapest number on the page.
What each inspection type costs
You aren’t buying an hour of someone’s time. You’re buying a method, and the method has to suit the roof.
| Type | Cost | What it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Physical inspection | $75 to $200 | The common one. Someone climbs on with no special equipment |
| Drone inspection | $100 to $450 | Steep or multi story roofs, and anything unsafe to walk |
| Infrared inspection | $400 to $600 | Finding trapped moisture under the surface by temperature |
| Roof certification | $75 to $200 extra | A letter on condition and remaining life, usually for a sale |
| Attic inspection, standalone | $200 to $500 | Structure, insulation and ventilation below the deck |
| Commercial inspection | $200 to $600 | Low slope membrane roofs, priced per square foot on big buildings |
Infrared is the one people balk at, and it earns its price in one situation: a low slope roof where water is already inside the assembly. Wet areas hold heat longer than dry ones, so the scan maps the wet insulation instead of guessing at it.
What the fee should include
A fair inspection fee covers the visit, the findings and the paperwork. HomeGuide’s breakdown of a quality report has six parts, and all of them come with the base price.
- An introduction with the address, the date and time, and the inspector’s name and contact details.
- A scope of work stating what was covered and what wasn’t.
- A general description of the roof: size, material, pitch, condition and expected life.
- Itemized findings area by area.
- Photographs of the problem areas, attached or embedded.
- A summary and recommendations, with anything urgent flagged.
Expect three to four pages, delivered one to two business days after the visit. A repair estimate usually comes with it or follows as a separate quote.
What gets billed on top
Two things commonly sit outside the base fee, and both are worth knowing about before you book.
A roof certification adds $75 to $200. The inspector appraises condition and issues a letter estimating remaining life, which requires the roof to be leak free with two to five years of useful life left. It only gets issued after any necessary repairs are finished, and HomeGuide is clear that it’s an expert opinion rather than a guarantee against leaks.
A separate attic inspection runs $200 to $500 and looks at structure, insulation and ventilation rather than just water stains. Most roof inspections include an attic look already, so ask which you’re getting.
What makes one roof cost more than another
Size and age set the baseline. HomeGuide notes that an older house typically has more roof problems, which means a longer inspection and a longer conversation afterwards.
- Pitch. A steeper roof is more hazardous and less accessible, which pushes you toward drone or infrared and their higher fees.
- Accessibility. Multi story homes and cramped attic hatches add time.
- Complexity. Dormers, multiple valleys, skylights and chimneys all add checkpoints.
- Weather. Rain makes a physical inspection risky, though it does make leak paths obvious.
- Purpose. A quick look before a repair is a smaller job than a full appraisal ahead of a sale.
Duration follows the same logic. HomeGuide puts a professional inspection at 45 minutes to several hours, while a certification inspection alone takes 30 minutes to an hour.
Location plays a part as well. HomeGuide notes that roofers in higher cost of living regions charge more, which shows up in inspection fees the same way it shows up in repair labor at $40 to $100 per hour.
When a free inspection is genuinely free
Plenty of contractors include an inspection with a repair or replacement estimate, and there’s nothing wrong with that. They’re hoping to win the work, which is a normal and visible trade.
The pattern to avoid is the unsolicited one. HomeGuide specifically warns about roofing scams that begin with a free inspection you didn’t ask for, and the storm season version of that knock is a New Orleans regular.
A simple rule holds up well. If you chose the company, a free inspection is fine. If the company chose you, take their details, close the door and call someone you picked.
The other thing worth checking is what the free version actually includes. A five minute look from the driveway isn’t the same product as a walked roof, an attic check and a photographed report, even though both get called an inspection.
Ask for the deliverable rather than the price. A contractor who’ll put findings and photos in writing at no charge is giving you something real, and one who won’t is giving you a sales visit.
What the inspection saves you
The fee only makes sense against what it catches. Put the numbers side by side.
- A $280 inspection against a $75 to $150 vent boot that’s already cracked. You’re ahead the moment it stops a leak.
- A $280 inspection against $150 to $1,000 for a minor repair caught early, versus $1,000 to $6,000 once water reaches the deck and framing.
- A $280 inspection against $200 to $500 per 100 square feet of deck replacement that nobody knew about.
- A $280 inspection against a $5,700 to $16,000 replacement that arrives sooner because maintenance never happened.
Timing matters as much as frequency. HomeGuide recommends a self check twice a year and immediately after severe weather, with professional inspections every three years for shingles and every five for tile, and our residential roof maintenance page covers what goes into that schedule.
What the fee doesn’t cover
An inspection is a snapshot of visible and reachable conditions. There are real limits, and a good inspector states them in the scope of work rather than leaving you to discover them.
- Anything sealed off. Cathedral ceilings with no attic access hide the deck completely, and the inspector can only report on what can be reached.
- Concealed structure. Rot inside a rafter or a wall cavity often shows up only once material comes off.
- Future performance. A certification estimates remaining life, and HomeGuide notes plainly that it is not a guarantee against leaks.
- The repair itself. Inspection fees cover findings, not fixes. The repair is quoted separately.
- Wet insulation on a low slope roof. A visual pass rarely finds it, which is where the $400 to $600 infrared scan earns its keep.
Timing it around storm season
The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 and peaks around September 10, which sets a natural rhythm for a Gulf Coast roof. Booking in late spring puts any repair work ahead of the busiest stretch.
Prices move with demand. HomeGuide notes that areas with frequent severe weather see higher repair costs during those periods, and that roofing companies charge more through their busier spring and summer months.
There’s a paperwork angle too. If the inspection turns into a reroof, the New Orleans residential re-roofing permit costs $60, or $90 inside a historic district, and processing runs two to four days before anyone starts work.
Buying or selling a house
In a real estate transaction the buyer pays for the home inspection, which typically includes a visual or physical look at the roof. That look is rarely as detailed as a dedicated roof inspection.
If the roof is over 15 years old, or you can’t get a straight answer about when it was last replaced, the extra $100 to $400 buys a real assessment rather than a paragraph. Our article on why new homebuyers should ask about roof history covers the questions to ask the seller, and the FAQs page answers the common ones we get.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a typical roof inspection cost?
Most homeowners pay $100 to $400, with a national average of $280. A basic physical inspection can come in at $75, while an infrared moisture scan runs $400 to $600 and large or complex roofs reach $1,200. The written report is normally included in that price.
Is $30,000 too much for a roof?
It depends entirely on size and material. HomeGuide puts an average asphalt shingle replacement at $5,700 to $16,000, so $30,000 is well above the asphalt range for a typical house.
It sits inside the normal band for metal at $7,500 to $40,000, tile at $10,500 to $62,500 and slate at $22,000 to $70,000. Check what material and how many squares the quote covers before judging the number.
Do I need to pay for an inspection before a repair?
Often not. Many roofing contractors fold the inspection into a repair or replacement estimate at no charge, and commercial roofers frequently do the same hoping to win the job. Paid inspections make sense when you want an assessment that isn’t attached to a quote, such as before a purchase or as part of a maintenance schedule.
How long does the inspection take?
A professional roof inspection takes 45 minutes to several hours depending on the roof size and how much damage there is. A certification inspection on its own takes 30 minutes to an hour. Either way, the report typically arrives one to two business days afterwards.
Book the inspection and get it in writing
An inspection with no photographs and no written findings isn’t worth paying for. Ours comes with both, plus a plain answer on the repair or replace question.
Call (504) 732-0336 or use the contact page to get on the schedule.
Related reading
- 4 Things Inspectors Check Before You Sell Your Home with an Older Roof
- How to Extend the Lifespan of Your Roof
- How to Tell If Your Roofing Job Was Done Poorly
Sources
Common questions about working with us
Yes we do, we offer 50 year non pro-rated warranty and 10 year workmanship warranty. We also offer 15 year unlimited wind warranty even from a named storm.
Turnkey roof repair is a comprehensive service where the entire roof repair process is managed from start to finish by a single provider. This includes assessment, planning, execution, and final inspection.
The TurnKey process includes a thorough roof inspection, detailed project planning, sourcing of materials, execution of repairs, and a final inspection to ensure quality and client satisfaction.
The duration varies based on the extent of damage and the size of the project. A professional assessment will provide a more accurate timeline.
Look out for signs such as leaks, missing or damaged shingles, sagging areas, or visible water damage in your ceiling. If you’re unsure, a professional assessment is recommended.
We work across New Orleans and 13 more communities: Metairie, Kenner, Harahan, River Ridge, St. Rose, Gretna, LaPlace, Covington, Mandeville, Madisonville, Slidell, Hammond and Baton Rouge. Call 504-732-0336 and we’ll confirm we cover your street.
Yes. Our 15-year unlimited wind warranty applies even when the damage comes from a named storm. It sits alongside our 50-year non-prorated warranty and 10-year workmanship warranty.
It depends on the size and pitch of the roof, the material you choose, and whether any decking or flashing needs replacing. After a free roof inspection, we give you a plan and a quote. For a breakdown by material and roof size, read our guide to roof replacement cost in New Orleans.
