Incurring a large expense in order to sell a home is one of the last things a seller wants to do. If the expense is not anticipated, such as replacing a ten or twelve year old roof, it can cause the parties several negotiations to resolve or send the buyers in a different direction.
The new homeowners also do not want to unexpectedly replace what they thought was a good roof the first few years of the purchase. If insurance is not involved due to a “pre-existing” condition, a new roof can be a major out of pocket expense. Below are some things to check regarding the roof and gutters for new home buyers.
Things to know about the roof
Obviously if purchasing a new construction home or a home that has had the roof replaced within the last five years, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. On a roof replacement, you should find out if the company that did the work is still around and do the warranties transfer.
When hiring a home inspector, find out if he is going to climb and inspect the roof. Too many times we have reviewed an inspection report stating “have a roofing professional further evaluate.”
Ask your insurance agent, is this roof going to be covered in the event of any storm damage. Most of the time, agents take a few pictures of the property for recording purposes. No physical inspection takes place, you pay your premiums, incur damage and then find out your roof is not covered due to a “pre-existing” condition. Some insurance companies have started implementing on policies for roofs over ten years old (at time of policy purchase) in the event of storm damage only Actual Cash Value is paid or not even covered. Meaning if a storm damages your roof, the insurance company will pay the value of the roof and not what it will actually cost to replace (Replacement Cost Value). Make sure your policy is always for replacement cost with recoverable depreciation.
If the shingles are less than ten years old, they should be okay. If the shingles are over fifteen years, then the seller probably knows the roof could be an issue. The situation is more delicate on roofs between ten and fifteen years. The brand and type of shingle are very important. The amount of granulation is also very important, have the shingles held up over time. Do the shingles still have a tight seal? What is the condition of flues and boots on the roof?
Things to look for when analyzing gutters
When examining gutters around the house…are they intact? Missing any downspouts? Are the gutters pitched correctly towards the downspouts? Are they missing hangers or loose ones? Is there any damaged soffit or gutter boards from water? Dented, beat up, aged, dirty gutters are all signs they may need replaced. Luckily these things can be detected easily from the ground and do not require the buyer relying on a paid opinion.
