Free Roof Inspection Checklists & Report Templates
Template Library > Property Inspection Templates > Roof Inspection Checklists
What These Roof Inspection Templates Cover
A roof inspection report template gives inspectors, property managers and maintenance teams one structured format for recording roof condition and turning it into something a decision-maker can act on. Each template on this page covers a different scope of work, so pick the one that matches the roof and the reason for the visit.
- General roof inspection checklist: routine condition checks on any roof type
- Commercial roof inspection checklist: membrane, drainage and rooftop equipment on larger buildings
- Flat roof inspection checklist: ponding, coating condition and internal drains
- New roof and re-roof inspection checklist: workmanship sign-off after installation
- Roof replacement checklist: scope and completion checks across a replacement project
With the GoAudits Property Inspection App, you can:
- Eliminate paperwork: conduct efficient digital audits, add photos from mobile device
- Customize this template or easily create your own
- Save time with instant reports & assign corrective actions
General Roof Conditions
Flat / Membrane Roof
Sloped Roof
Roof Features Condition
Ceiling Conditions
Exterior Wall Surfaces
General Roof Conditions
Flat / Membrane Roof
Sloped Roof
Roof Features Condition
Ceiling Conditions
Exterior Wall Surfaces
Save Time with Digital Inspections
- Easily capture & attach photos, directly on your mobile device.
- Instantly generate and share detailed reports after the inspection.
- Track corrective actions, view historical trends, improve standards.
What Is a Roof Inspection Form?
A roof inspection form is a structured document used to record the condition of a roof and flag any damage, wear or safety risk found during a visit. It walks the inspector through each area in turn: roof surface, flashing and seals, drainage, penetrations, and the ceiling and wall surfaces underneath.
A roof inspection report is the completed output of that form, written up for whoever has to act on it. The form captures the findings and the report presents them, with photos, dates and recommended repairs. Most teams work from the same template for both, which is why a good roof inspection form is built around what the finished report needs to say.
Both are used for routine maintenance, seasonal checks, sign-off after new roofing work, and damage assessment after a storm. Findings recorded consistently over time also build the history insurers and manufacturers ask for, which is why many teams pair the roof form with a property damage report after severe weather.
What Does a Roof Inspection Report Include?
A roof inspection report includes the property and roof details, the date and inspector, a condition finding for each area checked, photographs of every defect, and the recommended repairs with a priority against each one. Anything a reader needs in order to approve a repair or file a claim belongs in it.
A workable roof inspection report template carries these sections:
- Property address, building or unit reference, and the roof area or elevation inspected
- Roof type, approximate age, and the date of the last recorded inspection
- Inspector name, date, time and the weather conditions during the visit
- Condition findings by area: surface, flashing and seals, drainage, penetrations, edge details
- Photographs tied to the specific defect and its location, not a batch at the end
- Recommended actions with a priority and an owner against each one
- Sign-off from the inspector and, where required, the building owner or managing agent
A commercial roof inspection report usually repeats these sections per roof area or elevation, because a large building rarely has one uniform roof. Numbering the areas on a roof plan and referencing those numbers in the findings is what keeps a multi-elevation report readable.
Timestamps and weather conditions matter more than they look. A report recording hail on a named date, with photographs taken that day, is what an insurer or manufacturer will ask to see later. The same findings written up from memory a week afterwards are much harder to defend.
For how inspection documents are structured across other property types, see our inspection report template formats and the building inspection report template guide.
👉 Instant Report Generation: GoAudits builds the finished roof inspection report as the inspection is completed, with each photograph attached to the item it belongs to and repairs already assigned as actions. Nobody writes it up afterwards.
Do You Need a Roof Inspection Report for Insurance?
Yes, in most cases. Property insurers and roofing manufacturers both make coverage conditional on evidence that the roof has been inspected and maintained, and some insurers require a completed roof inspection form before they will write or renew a policy. In parts of the US, including Florida, a licensed inspector has to certify the condition of the roofing system on the insurer’s own form.
An insurance-grade roof inspection report needs a few things a routine one does not:
- Dated photographs of every area referenced in the findings, including the undamaged ones
- The roof covering type, approximate age and remaining service life
- A condition statement for each roof system rather than one overall pass or fail
- Evidence of inspection history, showing the roof was maintained before the claim
- The inspector’s name, credentials where applicable, and signature
Where the insurer supplies its own form, use it. Where it does not, a standard roof inspection report template covering the items above is normally accepted, and the inspection history behind it carries as much weight as the report itself. Warranty claims work the same way, since manufacturers can refuse cover where scheduled inspections were skipped.
What Does a Roof Inspection Checklist Cover?
A roof inspection checklist covers the roof surface, flashing and seals, drainage, penetrations and edge details on the outside, then the ceiling, attic and wall surfaces underneath. Interior checks earn their place because water shows up inside a building before the cause is visible on the roof. The same checklist for roofing work applies whether the building is residential or commercial. What changes is the emphasis, not the structure.
Roof Surface and Structure
Check for missing, cracked, curled or blistered shingles and tiles. On flat and membrane roofs, look for punctures, blisters, membrane separation and water still ponding after rain. Record any sagging, uneven rooflines or soft spots underfoot, which point to the decking or support structure rather than the covering.
Flashing, Seals and Penetrations
Inspect flashing around chimneys, vents, skylights and wall junctions. Loose or corroded flashing is one of the most common sources of leaks, and sealant that has dried out, cracked or lifted will fail before the material around it does. Record where each defect is, not just that one exists.
Drainage
Confirm gutters, downspouts, internal drains and scuppers are clear and firmly attached. Standing water is the finding to log on a flat roof, because water that cannot run off will find the weakest point in the membrane. Note the depth and location of any ponding.
Ceilings, Attics and Interior Surfaces
Check the underside of the roof and the rooms below for water staining, discoloration, rot, mold and musty smells. Look for condensation in poorly ventilated spaces, blocked vents, wet or compressed insulation, and daylight visible through gaps. These signs usually appear before anything is obvious from the roof itself, particularly after storms and in older buildings.
Access and Working Safety
Record how the roof was accessed and whether fall protection was in place. Fall arrest anchors, control zone access and edge protection sit on the checklist because roof work is high risk, and an inspection carried out unsafely is a finding in its own right. For steep pitches, multi-storey buildings or longer inspections, scaffolding inspection checklists cover the access equipment separately.
Roof Types and How They Affect Your Inspection Checklist
Not all roofs are built the same, and neither are their problems. The type of roof you’re inspecting will directly shape what you need to look for, how you access the roof, and which issues are most common.
Flat Roofs
Often found on commercial buildings, flat roofs require close attention to drainage. Use the flat roof inspection checklist for membrane-specific checks, or the commercial roof inspection checklist where rooftop equipment and multiple elevations are involved.
- Ponding water after rain
- Cracks or bubbles in the membrane
- Clogged internal drains or scuppers
- Flashing around roof penetrations
Pitched Roofs (Asphalt Shingles, Clay Tiles, Metal, etc.)
Pitched roofs are more common in residential settings and vary by material. Shingle roofs are prone to lifting, granule loss, or curling, while clay tiles may crack or shift. Metal roofs can show signs of rust, fastener loosening, or seam separation.
Things to check include:
- Loose or missing shingles or tiles
- Signs of rust or corrosion (for metal roofs)
- Fastener and flashing integrity
- Gutter alignment and debris buildup
Other Roof Coverings
Slate, wood shake, metal and green roofs each need the checklist adjusted rather than rewritten. Slate cracks and breaks and needs a gentler inspection approach. Wood shakes attract moss, rot and insect damage. Metal shows rust, loosened fasteners and seam separation. Green roofs need the vegetation, irrigation and root intrusion checked alongside the waterproofing underneath. Adjust the checklist to the covering, the local climate and how the building is used.
Always adjust your inspection checklist based on the roof type, local climate, and building use. A one-size-fits-all list might miss critical problem areas.
When Should You Use a Roof Maintenance Checklist?
Use a roof maintenance checklist twice a year, in spring and fall, plus once after any storm that could have damaged the roof. Twice yearly is the interval the National Roofing Contractors Association recommends for commercial and residential roofs alike.
Roofs carrying heavy rooftop equipment, taking regular foot traffic from trades, or already past mid-life usually move to quarterly. A commercial roof maintenance checklist normally adds rooftop equipment, internal drains, scuppers and roof access points that a residential version has no reason to cover.
Three triggers change what you are looking for.
After a Storm
Run the checklist within a few days of high winds, hail or heavy snow, and record the date of the weather event on the form. Look for storm debris blocking drainage, shingles and flashing loosened or gone, dents and punctures from hail or falling limbs, and gutters pulled away from the fascia. Dated photographs from this visit are what an insurance claim will rest on.
Season to Season
Spring inspections find what winter left behind: ice dam damage, moisture trapped under the covering, mold and algae growth. Fall inspections prepare the roof for winter by clearing gutters and downspouts and checking seals before the freeze. Summer heat curls shingles and dries out sealants, so a mid-year check is worth adding in hot climates.
After Work on the Roof
Any trade that goes onto a roof can damage it. Run the checklist after HVAC servicing, antenna or solar installation and any repair work, and use a new roof inspection checklist to sign off completed roofing work before final payment.
How GoAudits Helps With Roof Inspections
GoAudits gives property and facility teams one mobile workflow for every roof inspection across a portfolio, from routine seasonal checks to post-storm damage assessment.
- Run inspections offline on a roof with no signal, then sync when you are back in range
- Attach photographs to the specific defect and location, with a timestamp and GPS on each one
- Generate the finished roof inspection report the moment you close the inspection, branded with your logo and e-signed
- Assign repairs as corrective actions with an owner and a due date, and track what is still open
- Schedule recurring spring and fall inspections per building, and compare roof condition scores across sites on the dashboard
Every template on this page can be edited to match your own inspection standards, or the GoAudits team will build your existing roof forms into the app for you.
FAQs
How Much Does a Roof Inspection Cost?
A professional residential roof inspection usually costs a few hundred dollars, while commercial inspections tend to be quoted per square foot or bundled into an annual maintenance contract. Price moves with roof size and type, pitch and access difficulty, the number of penetrations and rooftop units, and whether moisture surveying is included. In-house inspections run on a standard checklist cost nothing beyond the time, which is why most multi-site operators handle routine checks internally and bring in a contractor for certification, claims or replacement decisions.
Who Can Carry Out a Roof Inspection?
Routine roof inspections can be carried out by anyone competent to work at height and trained on the checklist, including in-house maintenance staff, facility managers and property managers. Certification is different: insurance and warranty work often requires a licensed or manufacturer-approved inspector, and some jurisdictions specify who may sign the form. Confirm what the insurer, warranty or local authority requires before the visit, since an unqualified sign-off can invalidate the report.
Is a Roof Survey the Same as a Roof Inspection?
Not quite. A roof inspection records current condition against a checklist and is normally repeated on a schedule. A roof survey is a one-off, more detailed assessment, usually commissioned ahead of a purchase, a major repair or a replacement decision, and it often includes remaining service life and cost estimates. In the UK the two terms are used more interchangeably, with roof survey the common phrasing for both.
How Long Should You Keep Roof Inspection Records?
Keep roof inspection records for at least the length of the roof warranty, which commonly runs 10 to 30 years depending on the system, and longer where a claim or dispute is possible. Warranty and insurance conditions are the reason: a manufacturer or insurer assessing a claim will ask for the inspection history, and gaps in it are grounds for refusal. Records held in an app stay searchable by building and date, which is what makes them usable years later.
Where Can I See a Sample Roof Inspection Report?
A sample roof inspection report is linked at the top of this page, showing the completed format with findings, photographs and recommended actions filled in. Every roof inspection report example on this page follows the same structure, so findings stay comparable between visits and between buildings. Preview any template before you use it to check the sections match how your team already records roof condition.
Roof Inspection Report Template Formats: PDF or App?
Every roof inspection report template on this page downloads free as a PDF, and the same templates can be completed in the GoAudits app instead. Teams searching for a Word or Excel version usually want something editable, and in practice the app handles that better: you change the template itself rather than reformatting a document after every inspection.
Download the PDF when you want to see the structure before committing, hand a paper copy to a subcontractor, or attach a blank form to a scope of work. It prints, it needs no login, and it works anywhere.
Complete it in the app when the report is the deliverable. Each photograph attaches to the item it belongs to, the timestamp and location are captured as you go, the finished report generates itself when you close the inspection, and repairs become assigned actions with owners and due dates.
That difference shows up most in turnaround. Culham Consultancy cut report time from about an hour per audit to roughly ten minutes after moving off a record-by-hand, retype-into-Word, convert-to-PDF process.
👉 Case Study: How Culham Consultancy cut report time from 1 hour to 10 minutes
Running inspections in one place also makes roof condition comparable across a portfolio over time, which is what turns a stack of separate reports into a maintenance plan. Teams tracking defects across multiple sites often pair this with a construction site visit report for wider site work.
Other Popular Roof Inspection Checklists:
Digitize your Safety Inspections
- Easily perform audits anywhere on the site using a mobile device, even offline
- Attach photos to document issues or prove compliance
- Assign tasks, set deadlines and track progress - all within a single app
- Analyze data from audits to identify trends, pinpoint recurring issues, and assess compliance levels.