I'm kinda stuck deciding between using one of those DIY roof inspection checklists I found online or just biting the bullet and hiring a professional inspector. The DIY seems straightforward enough, but I'm worried I'll miss something important, you know? On the other hand, hiring someone feels like it might be overkill (and pricey). Curious if anyone's tried either route and how it turned out for you—worth the savings or better to play it safe?
"The DIY seems straightforward enough, but I'm worried I'll miss something important, you know?"
Totally get where you're coming from. A couple years back, after a big storm, I thought I'd just climb up myself and do a quick inspection using one of those DIY checklists. Everything seemed fine—no obvious damage or missing shingles. But then winter rolled around, and suddenly we had leaks dripping into the attic. Turns out I completely missed some subtle hail damage that weakened the flashing around our chimney area.
Not saying DIY can't work—if you're careful and thorough, it can—but roofs have sneaky problems sometimes that aren't immediately obvious unless you've got experience looking for them. Hiring a pro felt pricey at first, but honestly, after paying for repairs later, I realized the inspection fee would've been cheaper in the long run. If your roof's older or you've had recent severe weather, I'd lean towards getting someone who knows exactly what they're looking at to avoid surprises down the road.
