Lindon, UT · Serving Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, Summit and Wasatch counties
(385) 438-3591
Lindon, UT · Serving Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, Summit and Wasatch counties
(385) 438-3591
Paying for an independent roof inspection instead of taking a free one makes sense in two cases. You need a written report, like a roof certification, or a second look at a new roof before the final payment. Otherwise, a free one usually does the job. I'd pick an inspector by their reviews and how detailed their report is.
Take a free inspection for the home you live in, and pay when you need a written report.
Paid inspections usually include documentation, and a third-party check of new work catches anything installed outside the specs.
Before paying anyone, read their reviews and ask for a sample report.
Utah homeowners can get a roof inspected free. Pay for an independent inspection when you need a written report or a second look at a finished roof.
Mattie Tueller, Master Roofing
An independent roof inspection is worth paying for when you need written proof of a roof's condition. It is also worth it when you want someone else to check a roofer's finished work. Either way, the inspector has to earn the fee.
A free roof inspection does the job when you live in the home and want to know how the roof is doing. Most roofing companies will inspect for free. Master Roofing does it free for people who live in and own the home.
Whether a free inspection comes with a catch has its own full answer. The short version: judge the company, not the price tag.
Check an independent roof inspector the way you would check any contractor: the license, the reviews and a sample of their work.
A good roofer welcomes a second inspection because it confirms the roof was built right. Master Roofing installs to the manufacturer's specs and building code, and its own quality-control people inspect its roofs against the manufacturer's installation guidelines. A third-party check is one more set of eyes on top of that.
I run Master Roofing, a Utah roofing company, and I love it when a homeowner brings in someone else to check our work. That's because we install everything to the manufacturer's specs and building code, and a second inspector confirms it.
We also check our own work. Our in-house people do quality-control inspections against the manufacturer's installation guidelines. Plenty of roofing companies never do any quality control at all. There is no roofer university, so a lot of companies never built that check in. If nobody at the company checks the work, somebody should.
So my advice is simple. Take the free inspection for the home you live in. Pay for an inspection when you need a written report or a second look at a finished roof. Pick the inspector by their reviews and their report. I wish every homeowner would have someone else check the roof we built for them. You end up with a roof someone has actually checked.
Building codes, permit rules, and licensing requirements change over time, and they differ by city and county across Utah. Verify current requirements with your local building department before relying on anything here, and work with a licensed contractor who knows the rules in your jurisdiction.
This article is general information about Utah roofs, not an assessment of yours. Every roof is different, and no article can tell you what is actually happening on your specific house. Have a licensed roofing contractor look at it in person before you act on anything here.
A roof certification is a roof inspection plus a written statement of the roof's condition, often needed for a home sale. The documentation is why it usually costs money. Master Roofing charges for certifications. It inspects free for people who live in and own the home and just want to know where things stand.
A good roofer will not be upset if you hire someone to check their work, and should welcome it. Master Roofing does, and in some markets a third-party check before the final payment is standard. If a roofer pushes back hard on an outside inspection, ask why before you pay the rest.
A licensed roofing contractor who is not doing your job, or a licensed home inspector, can inspect your roof independently. Since January 1, 2026, Utah requires home inspectors to be licensed, and roofing contractors already needed a license. Look up either one on Utah's Licensee Lookup, then read their reviews and ask for a sample report.
If the independent inspector finds a problem with your new roof, get it in writing with photos. Then ask the roofer to fix it before the final payment. Anything outside building code or the manufacturer's specs is the installer's job to make right. A roofer who stands behind its work will come back and fix it.
We're here to see what's going on with your roof. A real assessment starts with your history and your attic, not a number from the driveway. You'll get a straight answer about what's up there, what it needs, and what it costs. Sometimes the honest answer is: your roof looks great.