When you buy a home, the roof is one of the most expensive things that can go wrong, and one of the easiest to misjudge. A roof can look perfectly fine from the curb and still be near the end of its life, or leaking beneath tile that looks flawless. A general home inspection gives the roof a glance, but for a home in Los Angeles, especially one with a tile roof, it pays to know what a real roof inspection should cover so you are not surprised after closing.
Start with the basics: how old is the roof, and what is it made of. A shingle roof lasts fifteen to thirty years and a tile roof much longer, so age tells you roughly where it sits on its timeline, covered on our page on how long a roof lasts. A roof near the end of its expected life is a real cost to factor into the price, even if it is not leaking today.
This is the big one in LA. On a tile roof, the tile can last fifty years while the waterproof underlayment beneath wears out in a fraction of that. A gorgeous tile roof may be sitting on underlayment that is due for replacement, which is a reroof cost you would inherit. The tile you see tells you little; the age of the underlayment tells you everything, covered on our page on roof underlayment.
Most leaks start where the roof meets a chimney, wall, valley, or skylight. A good inspection looks closely at the flashing at these spots, since that is where problems hide, covered on our flashing failures page. Old caulk over the seams is a sign of patched-over trouble rather than a real fix.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Roof age and material | Where it sits on its timeline |
| Underlayment age (tile) | The real cost hiding under tile |
| Flashing and penetrations | Where most leaks start |
| Attic for leaks and ventilation | Shows problems the surface hides |
| Signs of past repairs | Hints at recurring problems |
The attic tells the truth. Stains, daylight through the deck, damp wood, and matted insulation all reveal problems the roof surface hides, and a musty, stuffy attic points to ventilation issues, covered on our page on attic moisture. A full inspection includes the attic, not just the roof surface, as our page on what a roof inspection includes covers.
The value of a proper roof inspection for a buyer is a written read on the roof's real condition and any near-term costs, so you can negotiate or plan with facts rather than hope. Whether the report points to a simple repair, a reroof, or years of remaining life, you go into the purchase knowing what you are getting. A roof inspection before you close is small money against the price of a roof surprise. Our companion piece on inspections when selling covers the other side of the deal.
A written read on what you are buying. Request an inspection below.
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