Yeah, drones are great and all, but honestly, nothing beats actually getting up there yourself. I mean, drones can spot obvious stuff like missing shingles or big cracks, but they're not gonna tell you if the plywood underneath feels spongy or if there's hidden rot creeping in. Had a similar experience myself—buddy of mine was bragging about his drone inspection skills until he totally missed a soft spot that nearly put his foot through the roof when he finally climbed up there. He doesn't talk about drones much anymore, haha.
I think the real issue isn't just losing confidence climbing roofs, it's losing the instinct and feel for what's normal and what's not. You know how it is—when you're up there regularly, you develop a sense for how things should feel underfoot. You notice subtle dips or weak spots that a drone camera just can't pick up. If inspectors start relying too heavily on drones, they might lose that intuitive sense over time.
Don't get me wrong, drones definitely have their place—especially for steep roofs or quick initial checks—but they shouldn't replace hands-on inspections entirely. Maybe the best approach is using drones as a first step to identify problem areas, then following up with boots-on-the-roof inspections to confirm and dig deeper into any issues.
Anyway, glad you found a roofing crew you trust. That's half the battle right there... finding someone who won't take shortcuts or rip you off. Feels like hitting the homeowner jackpot sometimes, doesn't it?
"Maybe the best approach is using drones as a first step to identify problem areas, then following up with boots-on-the-roof inspections to confirm and dig deeper into any issues."
That's exactly how we've been doing it at our shop lately. Drone first, boots second. Honestly, it's saved us a ton of time on initial assessments, especially on steep or tricky roofs. But you're totally right—nothing replaces actually walking the roof yourself. I've learned more about roofing by feeling soft spots and subtle dips underfoot than I ever could from just looking at drone footage.
Funny story: last month, we had a roof that looked totally fine from the drone pics, but once we climbed up, we found a whole section of plywood that was practically mush. No drone would've caught that. It was a good reminder for me as an apprentice that tech is helpful, but intuition and hands-on experience are still king.
Curious though, do you guys think thermal imaging drones might help catch hidden moisture issues better, or is that still too unreliable? Haven't had a chance to try one yet myself...
"Funny story: last month, we had a roof that looked totally fine from the drone pics, but once we climbed up, we found a whole section of plywood that was practically mush."
Had almost the same thing happen at my place—drone footage looked perfect, but walking it revealed soft spots everywhere. Glad you mentioned thermal imaging though, seems promising if prices drop enough for homeowners like me...
Had a similar situation recently—drone shots looked great, but once we got up there, it was like walking on a sponge in some spots. It's always surprising how deceptive a roof can look from above, isn't it?
"Glad you mentioned thermal imaging though, seems promising if prices drop enough for homeowners like me..."
Thermal imaging is definitely intriguing, especially for spotting hidden moisture or insulation issues. I've experimented with it a bit, and while it's useful, the cost-benefit isn't quite there yet for everyday homeowner use. But prices are dropping steadily, and some rental places even offer thermal cameras now, which could be a decent workaround if you're curious.
In the meantime, good old-fashioned foot inspections still seem to be the most reliable method. Glad you caught your issue before it turned into something worse—roof problems have a sneaky way of escalating quickly.
- Had a similar experience last year. Roof looked perfect from drone footage, but once I climbed up there... total mush in spots. Definitely learned my lesson about trusting aerial views alone.
- Thermal imaging is interesting, but I agree, still feels a bit pricey for casual homeowner use. I rented one last fall just to check it out. It was neat seeing the hidden moisture spots and insulation gaps, but honestly, unless you're dealing with a persistent leak or energy loss issue, it's probably overkill.
- One thing I found helpful (and cheaper!) was just doing a thorough attic inspection after heavy rain. You can spot damp spots or discoloration pretty easily that way. Not as high-tech, but it gets the job done.
- Glad you caught your roof issues early. I've seen small soft spots turn into major headaches pretty quickly. Had a neighbor who ignored a spongy area for months, ended up with mold and structural damage. Not fun at all.
- On the bright side, roofing companies seem to be getting more transparent lately—at least around here. Maybe it's because homeowners are getting smarter with tech and DIY resources online. Either way, nice to hear you found someone trustworthy.
