Inspector uses 2 methods to view roof condition
Q: We are in escrow to buy a 25-year-old house. It still has the original roofing, and our home inspector says the shingles should be replaced, but the seller strongly disagrees. He says the roof has never leaked, and he refuses to replace shingles that still shed water. How can we settle this? — Steve A: You have encountered two opposing methods for evaluating the condition of a roof. One method considers the actual physical condition of the shingles. The other disregards the state of the material and simply asks, “Does it leak?” The question now is “Which viewpoint is more practical?’
The perspective of your home inspector is the standard of the roofing industry because it considers the likelihood of continued serviceability, based upon observable conditions, rather than evidence of past leakage. By this standard, deteriorated roofing calls for replacement with new material.
The opposing view — the “does-it-leak” approach — is a form of wishful thinking. It assumes that a roof that has not leaked in the past is not likely to do so in the future, regardless of its age and condition. This is like assuming that an old car that has not broken down in the past is not likely to break down in the coming year.
So how do we resolve this deadlock? One way is to ask some common sense questions: Should we let an old weathered roof remain in place until its failure includes water damage to the interior of the home? More specifically, should we ignore the warning signs of a failing roof, while exposing walls, ceilings and furniture to needless damage when leakage finally occurs?
If roofers and home inspectors were to apply such standards, auto mechanics might just as well forego brake repairs as long as a car is still able to stop. Likewise, a dentist should refrain from filling cavities until the patient is racked with chronic toothaches. Why should you put a fresh coat of paint on your house if the old paint is not yet peeling?
To most people, the answers to these questions are obvious, but real estate transactions can be emotional, and emotions often do not lead to logical conclusions. So here are some suggestions. Since your home inspector and the seller do not agree, a third opinion from a licensed roofing contractor may be helpful in resolving the stalemate.
You might ask the seller to find a roofing contractor who will warrant the roof for a specified number of years. If the roof truly needs replacement, it’s unlikely that a contractor will provide a warranty.
Regardless of the actual condition of the roof, the seller is not obligated to replace it unless such repairs are specified in the purchase contract. Therefore, you may have to negotiate an adjustment in the purchase price of the property, or you might decide to forego the purchase entirely. In that case, the seller would have to disclose the newly revealed roofing conditions to future buyers.