Free roof inspection with deck photos before we talk money - GAF and Owens Corning certified installation
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AfterFast, Reliable Roof Inspection Across Lafayette
A roof inspection in Lafayette typically costs $180 to $420 and takes about an hour on most single-family homes. We schedule Lafayette inspections Monday through Saturday, and we answer the phone with a live person when you call (361) 320-9467. Tree debris, wind-driven rain, and aging wood-shake roofs all behave differently here than they do in flatter East Bay cities, so the inspector you send up the ladder should know Lafayette’s hillside lots, not just Roof Repair - Lafayette in general.
Why Brennan Roofing Is Lafayette’s Preferred Roof Inspection Company
Our Roof Inspection team works Lafayette neighborhoods from Happy Valley Road to the Reliez Valley hills every week. We know the 1950s and 1960s ranchers on the flats, the two-story traditionals climbing the ridges, and the custom homes tucked under oak canopy on larger lots. That matters because a roof inspection here is not the same job it is in Pleasant Hill or Walnut Creek. Downhill-facing planes, valley debris mats, and wood-shake decking are Lafayette problems before they are anywhere else.
Our technicians arrive in uniform, background-checked, and carrying a written inspection checklist. You know the name of the person walking your roof before they set a ladder. Every inspection report includes photos of what we found, a plain-English explanation of each issue, and a written price for any repair or replacement work before you commit to anything. No door-knock pressure, no shifting numbers.
Dispatch and scheduling are coordinated from the brand’s San Francisco Bay Area office; crews serve Lafayette locally. When a January windstorm rips through the tree gaps and a homeowner on Reliez Valley Road calls us about a lifted ridge cap, we get there, document what we see, and put the price on paper before any material is ordered.
Every inspection is backed by the Garrison Standard, the same discipline Travis Oakley applies on every job: written price in hand before work starts, a background-checked uniformed technician on the roof, and a 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing for a full year. If something we inspected fails within that year, we come back at no charge.
Roof Estimate in Lafayette
A roof estimate in Lafayette is a fixed written number for a defined scope of work, not a verbal ballpark that moves when the crew shows up. That distinction matters more here than in most East Bay cities, because Lafayette’s original wood-shake homes from the 1950s through the 1970s often hide soft decking under the shake. An estimator who does not count squares or check decking before pricing will hand you a number that changes the day the tear-off starts. We do not work that way.
A roof inspection and written estimate for a Lafayette single-family home typically runs $180 to $420 for the inspection, with the estimate priced as part of the job when you proceed. If you are pricing a full replacement, the estimate covers square counts, decking condition, valley condition, drip edge, flashing, ridge vent, and gutter attachment. A typical Lafayette tear-off and re-roof on a 1,800 to 2,400 square foot home using GAF Timberline UHDZ or CertainTeed Landmark shingles runs $14,000 to $24,000, depending on decking, pitch, and the amount of wood-shake tear-off involved. That number is written before we order anything.
Counting squares and checking decking
The estimate starts with the roof’s actual square footage, measured, not guessed. On Lafayette’s ranch homes and traditional two-stories, that usually means 18 to 25 squares. The real variable is decking. Original wood-shake roofs from the 1960s commonly have soft spots where years of damp leaf litter sat on the shake. If the decking is punky, the replacement price adjusts before work starts, not after.
Valleys, drip edge, and the downhill plane
We price valleys separately because valley metal is a wear item in Lafayette. Debris from mature oaks and redwoods dams water against valley metal, accelerates rust, and forces moisture into the underlayment. The same is true for drip edge on downhill-facing eaves, which catches the brunt of winter wind. An estimate that ignores these will be too low, and the roofer will eat it or bill you for it later. Ours accounts for them on day one.
Free Roof Inspection in Lafayette
A free roof inspection in Lafayette is offered when the inspection is booked as the first step toward a written replacement estimate on a home that is likely nearing the end of its roof life. That is most wood-shake originals from the 1960s and early 1970s, along with composition roofs that are at or past 20 years. The free inspection covers the same checklist as the paid one: shingle and tile condition, valleys, flashing, ridge vent, drip edge, soffit, and decking where accessible. What changes is that we credit the inspection cost to the job when you move forward.
The value in a Lafayette inspection is not the fee. It is catching the failure modes this town creates before they become an interior ceiling stain in February. The free inspection is how we get ahead of a winter season that punishes downhill planes and debris-clogged valleys.
What the inspector checks on every plane
On a Lafayette hillside home, every inspection is really two inspections: the downhill face and the uphill face. Downhill planes catch wind-driven rain and lifted shingles. Uphill planes wear differently, often showing granule loss from debris sitting in place for months. Both get documented, with photos, on the written report.
When a free inspection makes sense
If your roof is original wood shake from the 1960s or 1970s, or a composition roof that has hit the 20-year mark, a free inspection before the rainy season is the cheapest insurance Lafayette offers. You will know the decking condition, the valley condition, and the exact replacement square count before you decide anything.
Trusted Brands We Service in Lafayette
We install and service roofing systems built around GAF, CertainTeed, and Owens Corning materials, and we stock common valley metal, drip edge, starter strip, and ridge vent components locally for fast turnaround on Lafayette jobs. Homeowners with high-end or custom homes in the hills often ask whether the shingle brand matters for wind damage coverage. The answer is yes, in specific cases. GAF Timberline UHDZ and CertainTeed Landmark Pro both carry wind-warranty options that apply to Lafayette’s gusty winter conditions, and we explain the differences plainly, in writing, before you choose. You pick the material based on fact, not a sales pitch.
Common Roof Inspection Problems We See in Lafayette Homes
- Lifted shingles on the downhill plane. Winter winds funnel through tree gaps and hit the downhill face hardest. Shingles lift, the seal strip breaks, and water gets under the field. This is the single most common wind-related finding in Lafayette.
- Debris-matted valleys hiding dammed water. Oak and redwood debris packs into valleys and along soffits. The debris hides a clogged valley that dams water into the underlayment, and the homeowner sees a ceiling stain three months later. We pull the debris back and inspect what is under it.
- Punky decking under original wood shake. Homes built from the 1950s through the 1970s with original shake often have soft decking where decades of damp litter sat against the wood. Replacement estimates must confirm decking condition before pricing is fixed, or the number is worthless.
- Bent drip edge and crushed ridge vent baffles. The same downhill wind that lifts shingles bends drip edge off the fascia and crushes ridge vent baffles. Both are entry points for wind-driven rain and both are easy to miss from the ground.
Pricing for Roof Inspection in Lafayette, CA
A standalone roof inspection in Lafayette runs $180 to $420 for most single-family homes, based on size, pitch, accessibility, and whether the roof is a walkable composition surface or a walk-only-with-caution wood-shake original. The inspection covers all planes, valleys, flashing, ridge vent, drip edge, soffit, and accessible decking, with a written photo report. If you proceed with repair or replacement work, we credit the inspection cost toward the job. A full wood-shake tear-off and replacement on a typical Lafayette ranch or two-story usually lands between $14,000 and $24,000, fixed in writing before we order material. Call (361) 320-9467 and we will give you the inspection price for your roof and set the appointment.
We Also Serve Cities Near Lafayette
Our crews cover Lafayette and the surrounding East Bay communities, including Roof Inspection work in Walnut Creek, Orinda, Moraga, and Pleasant Hill. The hillside and canopy conditions in each town differ, so we schedule accordingly. If you are just outside Lafayette, call (361) 320-9467 and we will tell you when a crew can be there.
Serving Lafayette, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Lafayette area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Roof Inspection in Lafayette
Yes, debris clearance and valley inspection are part of the inspection. We pull the debris mat back from valleys, soffits, and gutter lines before we assess the shingles, because oak and redwood litter hides clogged valleys that dam water into the underlayment. A shingle-only inspection misses the failure mode that is most common in Lafayette. Call (361) 320-9467 to schedule one for your roof.
Because Lafayette sits on sloped lots where winter storms accelerate through the gaps between mature trees and hit the downhill face of the house hardest. Lifted shingles, bent drip edge, and crushed ridge vent baffles concentrate on that plane. That is why we inspect the downhill roof plane and its valleys first on every Lafayette home. If you have a storm-damaged plane, call (361) 320-9467 and we will look at it in writing.
The inspection checks shingle condition, valley condition, flashing, ridge vent, drip edge, and decking. On original wood-shake homes, the decking condition is the critical item, because decades of damp leaf litter against shake often creates soft spots. We document decking condition in the written report and fix the replacement price only after we know what is under the shake. Call (361) 320-9467 to schedule that inspection.
We measure the roof in squares, check decking, valleys, drip edge, and flashing, and price the full scope against current material costs from GAF, CertainTeed, or Owens Corning lines. That written number is the price, and it does not move at the door or when the crew arrives. If decking is soft, that is accounted for before the number is written, not after the tear-off. Call (361) 320-9467 for your written estimate.
It can. GAF Timberline UHDZ and CertainTeed Landmark Pro carry wind-warranty ratings that apply to Lafayette’s gusty winter storm conditions, and insurers may ask about the shingle manufacturer and wind rating when you replace after wind damage. We document the brand, model, and wind rating in the written estimate and on the final report. Call (361) 320-9467 and we will walk you through which materials make sense for your roof.
Written by Travis Oakley, Owner at Brennan Roofing, serving Lafayette and the surrounding East Bay with written price and the Garrison Standard on every job.