Haha, drones are handy but they're no match for boots on shingles. I've seen homeowners catch stuff even I missed at first glance—nothing beats a close-up look. Good on you for getting up there yourself, harness and all. Might feel like a hassle, but trust me, your roof (and wallet) will thank you down the road. Keep it up!
"Haha, drones are handy but they're no match for boots on shingles."
Yeah, drones seem cool and all, but I'm still not totally convinced they're worth the hype. Last summer, I had a drone inspection done—looked great on video—but when I climbed up myself later (with a borrowed harness and shaky knees), I found a cracked shingle tucked behind the chimney. Makes me wonder how much stuff drones actually miss... Anyone else had similar experiences? Maybe I'm just unlucky or something.
I've been wondering about this too. Drones look like they'd save you money upfront, but if they're missing hidden issues, then you're probably paying more in the long run. I haven't tried a drone inspection myself yet—mostly because I'm cheap and skeptical, haha—but your experience makes me even more hesitant.
Last spring, I had a local roofer do a quick checkup (boots firmly planted on shingles) and he found a couple of loose flashing pieces around my skylight. It cost me a bit to fix, but probably saved me from a bigger leak down the road. Not sure a drone would've caught that either, since it was tucked under some shingles.
I guess drones might be good for a general overview or spotting obvious damage after storms, but I doubt they replace a good old-fashioned climb-and-look. Maybe the best approach is a combination—use drones for quick checks, then follow up with a closer inspection if anything looks suspicious? But then again, if you're already paying for someone to climb up there anyway, why pay extra for the drone footage?
Maybe I'm just being overly cautious (or overly cheap), but I'd rather spend a little extra upfront to avoid nasty surprises later. Curious if anyone else has tried both methods and found drones actually worth it...
"Maybe the best approach is a combination—use drones for quick checks, then follow up with a closer inspection if anything looks suspicious?"
Yeah, that's pretty much spot-on. Drones are great for quick overviews after storms—especially if you're dealing with steep roofs or tricky angles—but they're definitely not foolproof. I've seen drone footage miss subtle hail damage or loose flashing plenty of times. Boots-on-the-roof inspections usually catch those hidden issues better.
Funny story: last summer, a homeowner showed me drone pics that looked totally fine. But when I climbed up there, half the shingles on the backside were barely hanging on...the drone angle just didn't catch it. Saved them from a nasty surprise later.
Bottom line: drones can help narrow things down quickly, but don't skip the hands-on inspection if you suspect real damage. Paying a bit extra upfront beats shelling out big bucks later for leaks and repairs.
"Funny story: last summer, a homeowner showed me drone pics that looked totally fine. But when I climbed up there, half the shingles on the backside were barely hanging on...the drone angle just didn't catch it."
Haha, that's exactly why I don't fully trust drones yet. Last spring, after a nasty windstorm, we had a drone inspection done on one of our properties. Footage came back looking pretty decent—just a few minor things here and there. But something felt off, you know? Gut feeling, I guess.
Anyway, I decided to send our usual roofing guy up there anyway. Turns out, the drone completely missed a section of flashing that had peeled back near the chimney. It wasn't obvious from above because of the angle and shadows. If we'd left it alone, water would've seeped in during the next heavy rain and caused some serious interior damage. Dodged a bullet there for sure.
Don't get me wrong, drones are awesome for quick checks—especially when you're managing multiple properties and can't climb every roof yourself (my knees thank me every time I skip a ladder climb). But they're still just tools, and like any tool, they're only as good as how you use them.
Speaking of funny roof stories...a buddy of mine once relied solely on drone footage after a hailstorm. Insurance adjuster approved repairs based on those images alone. When the crew finally got up there weeks later, they found raccoons had moved into the attic through a hole the drone completely missed. Imagine explaining THAT to your tenants...
Makes me wonder though—anyone else have close calls or weird surprises that drones missed? Seems like we've all got at least one good roofing story tucked away somewhere.