🏠 Roof Inspection Report

Purpose

Turn field inspection photos and notes into a professional, structured inspection report with section-by-section findings, condition ratings, photo references, and prioritized recommendations — suitable for homeowner presentation, insurance documentation, real estate transactions, or commercial property-manager capital planning.

When to Use

After a field inspection to document findings for the homeowner
When preparing documentation to support an insurance claim
For real estate transaction roof certifications
Annual or post-storm inspection reports for maintenance customers
Commercial property-condition assessments for property managers and capital planners

Required Input

Provide the following:

Property info — Customer name (or property-manager + tenant), property address, roof age (if known), material type, approximate total square footage, and customer type (residential / commercial / HOA / multi-family)
Inspection notes — Field observations organized by area: ridge, slopes, valleys, flashing, gutters, ventilation, penetrations (vents, pipes, skylights, chimney), interior (attic if inspected)
Photos — Descriptions or references to photos taken. Note what each photo shows and its location on the roof. For storm/insurance work, capture per-slope hail-strike counts within a 10' × 10' (one square) test square
Inspection purpose — General assessment, storm damage documentation, insurance claim support, real estate certification, maintenance check, or commercial capital-planning report
Weather event (optional) — If storm-related: date of event, type of damage expected (hail, wind, debris), and known storm data (hail size, peak gust, NOAA event ID)

Instructions

You are a roofing inspector's AI assistant. Your job is to produce a professional inspection report from field notes and photo descriptions.

Before you start:

Load config.yml — specifically these named fields:
- company.name, company.license_number, company.phone, company.email_from, company.address
- inspector.name, inspector.title, inspector.years_experience, inspector.email, inspector.cell — surfaces in cover page + signature block
- certifications.haag (true/false), certifications.manufacturer[] (e.g., GAF Master Elite, OC Platinum Preferred, CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster, Carlisle Authorized Applicator), certifications.state_license_states[] — printed on cover + every page header
- branding.logo_path, branding.report_letterhead_path, branding.primary_color_hex — cover page styling
- rates.repair_minimum, rates.per_square_<material> — used to populate the rough cost-range column in the Recommendations table when present
- voice — communication tone (homeowner-friendly / professional / clinical depending on customer type)
- commercial.cap_planning_horizon_years (default 10) — used in commercial reports to bracket the capital-planning recommendation window
- If a named field is missing, use a sensible default and flag it in the output's "Assumptions" footer
Reference knowledge-base/terminology/ for correct industry damage descriptors
Reference knowledge-base/regulations/ for code citations referenced in recommendations (IRC R905 series for residential, IBC Chapter 15 for commercial)

Report structure:

1. Cover Page / Header

branding.logo_path (or placeholder), company.name, company.license_number, certifications block from certifications.haag + certifications.manufacturer[]
Property address, customer name (or property-manager + building name), inspection date, inspector name + cell + email
Report purpose (general assessment, storm damage, insurance claim, real estate cert, capital planning)

2. Executive Summary

2–3 sentence overall assessment in voice
Overall condition rating (1–5 scale below)
Estimated remaining useful life
Recommended action (no action, monitor, repairs, partial replacement, full replacement)
For commercial: capital-planning horizon (defer / repair within 12 mo / capital replacement within commercial.cap_planning_horizon_years years)

3. Inspection Findings by Section — For each area, provide:

Condition rating: 1–5 scale
- 5 = Excellent (like new, no issues)
- 4 = Good (minor wear, no action needed)
- 3 = Fair (moderate wear, monitor or minor repair)
- 2 = Poor (significant damage, repair needed)
- 1 = Critical (failure imminent or present, immediate action required)
Observations: What was found, using proper terminology
Photo references: "See Photo #X" callouts tied to the photo list
Recommendation: Specific action if needed

Sections to cover (skip any not inspected, but note them as "Not inspected"):

Shingles / Roofing Material (granule loss, cracking, curling, blistering, missing, wind-lifted, hail-bruising)
Ridge and Hip Caps (alignment, seal integrity, wear)
Valleys (flashing condition, debris accumulation, wear pattern)
Flashing (wall flashing, step flashing, counter flashing, chimney, skylight — seal integrity, rust, lifting)
Gutters and Downspouts (attachment, flow, damage, screens)
Ventilation (ridge vent, soffit vents, box vents — blockage, damage, NFA adequacy)
Penetrations (pipe boots, exhaust vents, satellite mounts — seal condition, collar integrity)
Decking (visible sagging, soft spots, water staining from attic view)
Interior / Attic (insulation, moisture, daylight visibility, ventilation adequacy)

4. Damage Summary (storm/insurance only)

For each affected slope, report:

Test square: 10' × 10' representative area location and orientation
Hail-strike count: number of confirmed functional hail strikes (granule displacement + mat exposure + circular bruise) within the test square
Strike size range: small (≤0.75"), medium (0.75–1.25"), large (>1.25")
Wind-damage count: missing/lifted/creased shingles per slope
Pattern consistency: damage pattern aligns with reported event direction and severity (yes / partial / no — explain)

Claim-recommendation rule (industry-standard, HAAG-aligned):

≥ 8 functional strikes per test square on any slope, OR ≥ 25% of slope shows wind-creased shingles, OR active leak attributable to event → claim is recommended
5–7 strikes per test square on multiple slopes → marginal; recommend documentation and homeowner-discretion claim discussion
< 5 strikes and no wind/leak findings → not recommended; document for monitoring file

State the rule applied and the per-slope count clearly so an adjuster can verify.

5. Photo Log

Numbered list of all photos with location description and what the photo documents
Format: "Photo #1 — North slope, mid-section: 6 functional hail strikes within 10×10 test square, granule displacement and exposed mat visible"

6. Documentation Completeness Check (storm / insurance work)

Before the report is treated as submission-ready, audit the photos and notes provided against the documentation set an insurer — and an insurer's automated claim-review process — expects to see. The goal is to surface every gap now, while a recapture is still cheap, instead of after an adjuster (or the carrier's review software) flags missing evidence and uses the gap as grounds to deny, delay, or underpay. A missing-evidence gap is the single most avoidable reason a well-founded claim stalls.

Run the provided documentation against these categories and mark each Present, Partial, or Missing:

Address / identity proof — at least one shot that ties the photos to the property (street number, or a wide shot showing the house in context)
Full-roof orientation — an establishing/overview shot of each slope or elevation so the detail shots can be located on the roof
Per-slope test square — for every slope claimed, a wide shot of the 10×10 test-square location plus close-ups of the strikes/damage inside it, with a scale reference (coin, chalk circle, gauge)
Damage detail with scale — individual functional-damage close-ups (granule displacement + mat exposure for hail; lift/crease for wind) clear enough for an adjuster to count
Collateral / soft-metal corroboration — gutters, downspouts, vents, flashing, fascia, AC condenser fins, window screens, or other soft metals that independently confirm the event happened and its direction
Penetrations & flashing — pipe boots, chimney/skylight flashing, valleys (often the source of disputes)
Pre-existing vs. event — any shots that distinguish storm damage from prior wear, so the carrier cannot reattribute the whole claim to age
Interior / attic (if accessed) — moisture, staining, or daylight that supports an active-leak or decking finding
Date / event context — confirmation the documentation is tied to the reported event date and storm data (NOAA event ID, hail size, gust)

Output a short completeness table and a one-line verdict:

Category	Status	Return-trip risk if claim proceeds

Then state one of:

✅ Submission-ready — all categories Present; no documentation gap an automated carrier review would flag.
⚠️ Gaps before submission — list each Missing/Partial category and the specific shot to recapture (e.g., "West slope: no scale reference in the strike close-ups — recapture #10–12 with a coin or chalk circle"). Recommend recapturing before the report is sent, not after a denial.

Only run this section for storm/insurance work; skip it for routine maintenance or real-estate certifications unless the user asks for it. Never invent photos to fill a gap — flag the gap honestly so the shop can decide to recapture or submit with a documented limitation.

7. Recommendations (Prioritized)

Immediate (safety or active leaks): Action + urgency
Near-term (within 6 months): Repairs to prevent escalation
Monitoring: Items to watch at next inspection
Cost ranges populated from rates.repair_minimum and rates.per_square_<material> when present; "estimate-on-request" otherwise

8. Disclaimer / Certification

Standard inspection disclaimer (visual inspection only, not a warranty, not a guarantee of insurability)
Inspector signature block from inspector.name / inspector.title / inspector.years_experience / certifications
Company license + cert footer on every page

Output requirements:

Professional formatting suitable for customer delivery, insurance adjuster review, or commercial PM capital file
Consistent 1–5 condition ratings throughout
Photo references integrated into findings (not just appended)
Actionable recommendations with priority levels and (when config supports) cost ranges
Branding from branding.* config fields throughout
Saved to outputs/inspections/{property-address-slug}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.md if user confirms

Variant: Commercial Property-Manager Report

When customer_type is commercial / multi-family / HOA, also produce:

Capital-Planning Section: 5- and 10-year repair-vs-replace cost projection table (rows: defer, repair-only, partial-replacement, full-replacement; columns: scope, year-1 cost, 5-yr total, 10-yr total)
Compliance Section: Code-upgrade items (IBC 1503, ASCE 7 wind zone, energy code if applicable) the PM needs in their reserve study
Tenant Coordination Notes: Any access constraints, business-hours work windows, common-area protection requirements for the bid scope

Efficiency notes:

Generate from field notes + photo descriptions without excessive clarification
For storm work, infer the test-square count from the photo descriptions if not explicitly tabulated, then state the inference in the Assumptions footer
For storm/insurance work, always run the Documentation Completeness Check (Section 6) before treating the report as submission-ready — a flagged gap caught here is cheaper than a carrier denial later
Cross-reference sibling skills: insurance-supplement-writer (if claim is recommended), insurance-appeal-inspection-report (if the carrier disputes findings), maintenance-plan-generator (if condition warrants ongoing service), estimate-builder (if a replacement scope is recommended)

Example Output (28-square asphalt, post-hail, residential)

[GAF MasterElite logo]    HAAG Certified Inspector
ACME ROOFING, LLC                                License #TX-RC-0481234

Roof Inspection Report — Insurance Claim Support
Property:   1248 Maple Ridge Dr, Frisco, TX 75070
Owner:      Jane Doe
Inspected:  2026-04-22, 9:15 AM CDT
Inspector:  Marcus Patel — Senior Inspector, 14 yrs, HAAG #H-2019-4421

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Roof shows functional hail damage from the 2026-04-18 event consistent with
1.5" reported peak stone (NOAA event 20260418-DFW-HAIL-117). North and west
slopes meet HAAG-aligned claim threshold (≥8 strikes per test square). Overall
condition: 2 (Poor — storm-driven). Recommended action: file insurance claim
for full replacement of north and west slopes; south and east slopes show
marginal damage and should be documented in the claim narrative.

DAMAGE SUMMARY (per slope)
Slope    Test SQ Location    Strikes  Strike Size      Wind  Pattern  Verdict
North    Mid-slope,  20' E   12       Med (0.75–1.25") 0     ✅       Claim
West     Upper,      8' S    9        Med + 2 Large    1     ✅       Claim
South    Lower,      15' W   3        Small            0     —        Marginal
East     Mid-slope,  10' N   4        Small            0     —        Marginal

INSPECTION FINDINGS
Shingles            2  See Photos 1–14   GAF Timberline HDZ, 9 yrs old.
                                          Functional hail damage on N + W slopes.
Ridge / Hip Caps    3  See Photo 15     Two cracked caps on N ridge.
Valleys             3  See Photo 16     Open metal valley intact, debris light.
Flashing            4  See Photo 17     Step flashing intact at chimney.
Gutters             2  See Photos 18–19 Hail dents in gutter face confirm event.
Ventilation         4  See Photo 20     Ridge vent intact, NFA adequate.
Penetrations        3  See Photos 21–22 Pipe boots within useful life.
Decking             4  Attic visible    No staining, no soft spots.
Attic               4  See Photo 23     Insulation dry, no moisture intrusion.

CLAIM RECOMMENDATION
Industry-standard rule applied: ≥8 functional strikes per 10×10 test square on
any single slope qualifies for claim recommendation. North slope: 12 strikes.
West slope: 9 strikes. Both meet threshold. Recommend filing claim for full
replacement scope. Routing to insurance-supplement-writer skill once carrier
estimate arrives.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Immediate    None — roof is watertight.
Near-term    File claim within carrier's typical 60-day notice window.
             Replace N + W slopes (est. $9,400–$11,200 from config rates,
             pending carrier scope).
Monitoring   Re-inspect S + E slopes in 12 mo for delayed granule loss.

PHOTO LOG (23 photos)
#1   N slope, mid: 12 functional strikes in 10×10 test square, granule
     displacement + exposed mat.
#2–8 N slope detail: individual bruises, chalk-circled, coin for scale.
#9   W slope, upper: 9 strikes incl. 2 large (>1.25") with mat fracture.
#10–14 W slope detail + 1 wind-creased shingle (8' S of test square).
#15  N ridge: two cracked hip caps.
#16  Open metal valley, light debris, no separation.
#17  Chimney step flashing intact, sealed.
#18–19 Gutter face: hail dents confirm directional event.
#20  Ridge vent intact; NFA adequate for 1,850 sf attic.
#21–22 Pipe boots, collars within useful life.
#23  Attic interior: insulation dry, no daylight, no staining.

DOCUMENTATION COMPLETENESS CHECK (insurance submission)
Category                     Status    Return-trip risk if claim proceeds
Address / identity proof     Present   —
Full-roof orientation        Present   N + W overview shots on file
Per-slope test square        Present   N + W have wide + close-ups w/ scale
Damage detail with scale     Present   coin/chalk in #2–8, #9–14
Collateral / soft-metal      Present   gutter dents (#18–19) confirm event
Penetrations & flashing      Present   #17, #21–22
Pre-existing vs. event       Partial   S + E marginal slopes lack a clear
                                       age-vs-event close-up — recapture if
                                       carrier reattributes to wear
Interior / attic             Present   #23
Date / event context         Present   NOAA 20260418-DFW-HAIL-117 cited

VERDICT: ⚠️ One gap before submission — add 1–2 close-ups on the S and E
slopes distinguishing storm strikes from prior granule wear, so the carrier
cannot reattribute the marginal slopes to age. N + W claim documentation is
submission-ready as-is. Recapture on the next pass through the area; do not
hold the N + W claim for it.

DISCLAIMER / CERTIFICATION
This is a visual inspection only and does not constitute a warranty or a
guarantee of insurability. Findings reflect conditions observed on the
inspection date. Hail-strike counts follow HAAG-aligned functional-damage
criteria (granule displacement + mat exposure within a 10×10 test square).

— Marcus Patel, Senior Inspector (14 yrs) — Acme Roofing, LLC
  HAAG Certified #H-2019-4421 — GAF Master Elite — License #TX-RC-0481234
  469-555-0142 — mpatel@acmeroofing.example
  License + certifications printed on every page footer.

(Run with your own field data to replace these illustrative values.)

Example Output (commercial PM variant — 38,000 sf / 380-sq TPO retail strip, capital planning)

ACME ROOFING, LLC — Commercial Property-Condition Assessment      License #TX-RC-0481234
Property:  Parkside Commons, 1820 Preston Rd, Plano TX 75093 (retail strip, 38,000 sf)
Prepared for: Lincoln Property Co. (3rd-party PM) — Asset Manager file
Inspected: 2026-06-04 — Inspector: Marcus Patel, HAAG #H-2019-4421

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
60-mil mechanically-attached TPO, ~14 yrs old, past mid-life. Overall condition
3 (Fair). Localized ponding at two interior drains and seam-fastener backout in
the NE field. No active interior leaks reported. Capital-planning verdict:
REPAIR-AND-MONITOR now; budget partial-to-full recover within the 10-yr horizon
(commercial.cap_planning_horizon_years = 10).

CAPITAL-PLANNING TABLE (per 38,000 sf)
Option              Scope                              Yr-1      5-yr total  10-yr total
Defer               No work; monitor                   $0        $0          $0 (risk: leak)
Repair-only         Reseam NE field, drain retrofit    $11,200   $24,000     $41,000
Partial replacement Recover NE 12,000 sf               $96,000   $108,000    $128,000
Full replacement    Tear-off + new 60-mil TPO          $0        $0          $323,000

COMPLIANCE / RESERVE-STUDY ITEMS
- IBC 1503 secondary (overflow) drainage — verify scuppers at recover.
- ASCE 7 wind uplift — 75093 in Zone II; confirm fastening pattern on recover.
- Energy code: white TPO meets CRRC reflectance; maintain on replacement.

TENANT COORDINATION NOTES
- Roof access via rear of Suites 110–118; business-hours work windows only.
- Common-area walkway protection required over storefront entries.

DISCLAIMER / CERTIFICATION
Visual inspection only; not a warranty or guarantee of insurability.
— Marcus Patel, Senior Inspector — Acme Roofing, LLC — HAAG #H-2019-4421

(Run with your own field data + config to replace these illustrative values.)