Roof certification in Phoenix for buyers, sellers and lenders

A certification starts with a full inspection: the roof surface, flashing, penetrations, drainage, visible underlayment and the attic. If we find problems, we list the repairs needed before we can issue a certification, with a price. Once those repairs are done, we issue a letter describing the roof, its type and approximate age, the work performed and our opinion that it should remain watertight under normal conditions for the term stated in the letter.

It is important to understand the limits. A certification is not a promise that the roof will never need work, and it does not turn an aging roof into a new one. It usually excludes damage from severe storms, hail, foot traffic from other trades, solar work and changes made after it is issued. Terms of two to five years are common in the trade, but the length depends on the roof's condition, and we set it only after seeing the roof.

Timing is everything in escrow. Buyers usually have a short inspection window, and roof questions tend to surface near the end of it. We try to get out quickly, inspect the roof, and give both sides a clear repair list and price. Sellers can then decide whether to make the repairs, offer a credit or negotiate. Once repairs are done, the certification letter can go into the escrow file so everyone is working from the same document.

Our guide for buyers looking at a Valley home explains what to ask for and how to read the letter. If the roof is truly at the end of its life, certification usually is not possible, and the honest answer is a repair estimate or replacement pricing instead. That information still helps the parties settle on a fair price, which is the real goal of the process.

On concrete tile roofs, the most common issue is underlayment near the end of its life. If the felt is brittle and torn where we lift tiles, a short certification may still be possible after repairs, but we will say clearly that underlayment replacement is coming. Slipped and cracked tiles, missing bird stops, worn valley metal and failed pipe flashings are also frequent fixes. On shingle roofs, it is usually pipe boots, lifted tabs and granule loss.

Flat and foam roofs bring their own list: worn coating, ponding near scuppers, blistered foam and failed parapet caps. If a foam roof is overdue, a recoat may be needed before we can certify it. Older homes in neighborhoods like Maryvale often carry flat sections behind pitched fronts, so we check every part of the roof, not just what shows from the street. We also note solar arrays, since panels limit what can be seen.

Some problems are simply outside a roof certification. Cracked stucco on a parapet wall, rotted fascia boards, a sagging patio cover or a leaking evaporative cooler pan may all be real issues, yet they are not the roof covering itself. We point them out in plain words so the buyer is not surprised later, and we price them separately if the parties want them handled before closing. Keeping the letter focused on the roof makes it clearer for everyone who reads it.