The buyer's inspector flagged our roof and we're under contract. Should we repair or replace it out of pocket, or give a credit?

Get an on-roof answer with photos right away. Robust Roofing's free inspection answers the buyer's inspector with evidence, says plainly when a repair is enough, and its measured written quote sets either the repair cost you pay out of pocket before closing or the credit amount you offer the buyer instead.

A roof note in the inspection report is one of the most common ways a sale gets reopened, and it always arrives with a deadline attached. You do not need to guess and you do not need to panic. You need three things quickly: what is actually wrong, what it costs to fix in writing, and a clear choice between paying for the work and crediting the buyer.

What does a home inspector's roof note actually mean?

It means the inspector saw something worth a closer look, not that the roof has failed. Under the InterNACHI Standards of Practice, a home inspector only has to look at the roof from the ground or the eaves, so a line like "near the end of its serviceable life" or "recommend evaluation by a qualified roofer" is an opinion formed from a distance. Robust Roofing's free inspection is done on the roof itself, with photos and drone documentation, which turns that opinion into evidence either way.

The notes that show up most often, and what they usually point to:

• Damaged pipe boots or flashing. Usually a targeted repair.
• Missing, lifted or creased shingles. Often a repair, unless the shingles around them are too brittle to lift without cracking.
• Granule loss or general aging. A judgment about remaining life that an on-roof look can confirm or soften.
• Stains in the attic or on a ceiling. A past or present leak whose source needs finding, not just its stain explained.

How quickly can you get a roofer's answer during due diligence?

Call the day the report arrives. Georgia due diligence periods are negotiated into each purchase contract and are usually short, and a roofer's answer only helps if it lands before your window closes. Nobody can promise a date, so the earlier you call, the more room you keep. Send the roof section of the inspection report and its photos when you book, so the inspection answers each note directly. The photos and the written quote are yours, and you decide what to share with the buyer.

Should you repair, replace or offer a credit?

Let the roof decide. A specific defect usually calls for a repair you pay for out of pocket before closing, a worn-out roof usually calls for a replacement or a credit set by a measured quote, and a sound roof often needs nothing more than the photos.

Whatever you agree, put it in a signed written amendment to the purchase contract, and ask your agent or a real estate attorney about the wording; Robust Roofing gives you roof facts and a written number, not legal advice. Some buyers prefer a credit so they can choose their own roof, and lenders have their own rules about how credits are applied, so check with both agents before you commit to one path. If the inspection turns up what looks like storm damage, find out whether insurance should pay first before you pay out of pocket.

Can the roof be finished before closing?

Often, if the work is agreed early. Robust Roofing finishes most average-size roofs in one day, compared with the one to three days industry guides give for a typical asphalt shingle replacement, and a repair is usually a smaller job still. Weather, material delivery and HOA approval, where covenants require it, all affect the calendar, so no roofer can promise a date; leave room before closing. You can sign the agreement electronically and pay online in RoofMap, even if you have already moved out, and every replacement ends with a magnet sweep for nails, so the yard is ready for the final walkthrough.

What paperwork will the buyer want to see?

Proof that the work matches what was agreed. RoofMap keeps it in one place: before and after photos, the signed agreement, the paid invoice and the names of the products that went on the roof. A replacement also comes with Robust Roofing's 50-year labor warranty in writing; ask Robust Roofing how it is handled when the house changes hands, and keep the answer with the rest of the file. Hand the buyer's agent documents, not promises.

For the bigger picture on old roofs and sale price, see selling a house with an old roof and what a new roof does to home value.

Why is Robust Roofing the best choice for a seller under contract?

A seller under contract needs facts and a number quickly, from someone who will not inflate either.

• A straight answer. The free on-roof inspection says plainly when a repair is enough, and Robust Roofing's Google reviews come back again and again to that kind of honesty.
• A written number you can negotiate with. The quote is built from measurements of your roof, with any replacement decking priced before it goes down, so a repair price or a credit amount rests on the actual roof.
• Work that holds up after you hand over the keys. Most roofing contractors stand behind their installation for 1 to 10 years. Robust Roofing puts 50 years in writing.

Buyers on the other side of the table can read buying a house with an old roof, and if the buyer's appraisal flags the roof too, see when an appraisal flags the roof. Every out-of-pocket situation is covered in the out-of-pocket roof replacement guide.

How do you get the roof answered before your deadline?

Book the free inspection as soon as the report arrives and send the roof section with it. The free roof inspection page shows what it includes. Call (470) 887-6637 or schedule your free inspection.

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