Commercial roof inspection
A commercial roof inspection you can actually use.
Every seam, flashing, drain and penetration walked, photographed and written up in plain English — so building owners and facility managers know exactly what they have and what it needs.
Why inspect
Most commercial roof problems are invisible from the ground.
On a flat or low-slope roof, you can't see the condition of the membrane from the parking lot. Small problems — a lifted seam, a cracked pipe boot, a clogged drain — stay quiet until they turn into a leak over a tenant's suite or a wet ceiling in the warehouse.
A commercial roof inspection gives you a clear picture before that happens. It is useful before buying or leasing a building, before budgeting for the next few years, after a major storm, when a leak shows up, or simply as part of responsible building management.
Elliot Thorpe, who owns and operates Golden Rule, worked as a professional property inspector and a firefighter before roofing full time. Inspections are where that background shows most: careful, methodical and honest about what is there.
What we check
A full walk of the roof, not a look from the hatch.
We walk the entire roof surface and check the areas where commercial roofs most often fail. On a membrane roof that means the seams and field; on metal it means fasteners, laps and trim. On every roof it means the edges, transitions and anything that cuts through the roof.
- 01
Membrane seams & field
Open or weak seams, punctures, blisters, shrinkage, cracking and surface wear across TPO, PVC, EPDM and modified bitumen.
- 02
Flashing & edges
Wall and curb flashings, termination bars, counterflashing, coping and edge metal — where wind and water get under a roof.
- 03
Penetrations
Pipe boots, pitch pans, HVAC curbs, vents, skylights and conduit — every place the roof has been cut.
- 04
Drains, scuppers & ponding
Clogged or damaged drains and scuppers, standing water and low spots that hold water after rain.
- 05
Coating condition
On coated roofs, we check for thin spots, peeling, cracking and areas where the coating has worn through.
Documentation
A written report with photos of everything we find.
After the inspection, you get a written report with photos of the conditions we found, organized so you can see where each issue is on the roof. We explain what each item means in plain English, which items need attention now and which ones are worth watching.
That record is useful well beyond the day of the inspection. Property managers can share it with ownership, facility managers can use it to plan budgets, and if a storm comes through later, you have a baseline showing the roof's condition before the event.
If we find damage from hail or wind, our commercial storm restoration process takes it from there. If insurance is involved, you file the claim with your carrier, and we can be on site when your adjuster inspects the roof.
After the inspection
Clear options, no pressure.
Sometimes the answer is that the roof is in good shape and simply needs routine attention — that's where commercial roof maintenance comes in. Sometimes there are a few specific problems that a targeted commercial roof repair will handle.
And sometimes the roof has reached the end of its useful life. If that's the case, we'll show you why and walk through commercial roof replacement options, or whether a roof coating is a realistic alternative for your roof.
The report is yours to keep regardless of what you decide. For an overview of everything we do, see commercial roofing. Looking for a home instead? See our residential roof inspections.
Common questions
Straight answers.
How often should a commercial roof be inspected?
A common practice is to have a commercial roof looked at on a regular schedule — many owners choose spring and fall — and after any significant hail or wind event. Regular inspections catch small problems before they become leaks.
What does a commercial roof inspection include?
We walk the full roof and check membrane seams and field, flashings and edges, every penetration, drains and scuppers, ponding areas and coating condition where applicable. You get a written report with photos.
How long does a commercial inspection take?
It depends on the size and complexity of the roof. We block enough time to walk the entire roof rather than looking from the hatch.
Can you inspect a roof before we buy or lease a building?
Yes. A pre-purchase or pre-lease inspection gives you a documented picture of the roof's condition so you can plan and budget with real information.
Do you inspect residential roofs too?
Yes. This page covers commercial properties; for homes, see our residential roof inspections page.
Need a clear picture of your commercial roof?
Call or text and we'll get an inspection on the calendar.