What a roof inspection looks at
The inspector checks the roof covering for missing, lifted or cracked pieces, then the points where water gets in: flashings at walls and chimneys, changes in slope and around roof openings, which the 2015 residential code requires to be flashed (R903.2.1). Then comes the attic or top-floor ceiling, because the underside of the roof boards can show water getting in that the surface does not.
The product is a written report with dated photographs; a verbal 'it looks fine' is not an inspection.
What a roof inspection costs in Michigan: estimates, not quotes
Our estimate for a Michigan roof inspection is $90 to $495 per inspection. It is a model, not a quote: one published national range, adjusted for what Michigan roofers are paid. A written roof certification, which a buyer or lender may ask for, costs extra. No Michigan company we looked at published an inspection price we could count, so none is shown.
The row below the estimate is a wage, which is pay and not price.
An inspection involves no permit, so there is no permit fee row.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $90 to $495 per inspection | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Michigan roofer median wage ratio (1.07). No Michigan roofing company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count. |
| Roofer wage, Michigan median | $28.62 an hour (middle half of roofers: $23.02 to $37.56) | What Michigan roofers are paid (BLS May 2025, read through O*NET OnLine), not what you are charged. |
How we estimate costs: the Estimated range row is a model, not a quote. It takes one published national range for this job (a cost guide from a third-party site that we have not verified and do not cite) and multiplies it by Michigan's roofer median wage ratio to the US (1.07, BLS May 2025 data read through O*NET OnLine). The wage and permit rows in the table are what roofing workers are paid and what a city's own schedule charges, and neither is a price. We have not collected quotes, and we found no Michigan roofing company that publishes a price we could count. Full method. Prices as of Oct 19, 2026.
Why the inspector goes up and you should not
MIOSHA's construction standard Part 45 adopts the federal fall-protection rule: workers on a roof steeper than 4 in 12 with unprotected edges 6 feet or more above a lower level need guardrails, nets or personal fall arrest. It binds employers, so we take it as not covering a homeowner on their own roof, which is no reason to climb up. OSHA says falls are the leading cause of death in construction, and not to work on a damaged roof until its structural integrity has been determined. From the ground, binoculars and a camera with zoom go a long way.
An inspection before you file an insurance claim
DIFS tells you to notify your insurer as soon as possible, photograph and film all damage before cleanup, and hold permanent repairs until the insurer has inspected. A roofing company's report is evidence you can send; the insurer's own inspection is what scopes the claim, and DIFS says there is no time limit on how long that investigation takes. Your insurer may suggest contractors, but you may choose your own. The storm damage page lays out the claim steps.
After a storm, and before you buy a Michigan house
After hail or wind, the county storm history tool shows what NOAA recorded near you, which helps you say when and what. Before a purchase, ask how many layers of roofing are on the roof: the 2015 residential code, which LARA still lists as of Oct 19, 2026 (this may change; check LARA), bars a new covering over a roof that already has two or more applications, so a roof with two layers can only be replaced by tearing off to the deck. The layers guide explains it, and the roof life guide covers age.
Attic findings an inspection can report
ENERGY STAR lists ice dams in winter as a symptom of an under-sealed attic and says air sealing combined with attic insulation can help alleviate their formation. That sits in the attic, so an inspection that stops at the shingles will miss it. EPA's average of 15 percent saved on heating and cooling applies to air sealing and adding insulation in attics, floors over crawl spaces and basements; it is not a figure for any roof. The code also sets a minimum net free ventilating area for attics (R806.2, base model-code text; ask your building department whether Michigan amends it).
Who can inspect a roof in Michigan
We found no state license for roof inspectors, and the inspection range above is a modeled estimate, not a collected Michigan price. Roofing is a craft on the residential maintenance and alteration license, and work of $600 or more needs one, so a company that inspects and then repairs must hold it. A company that sells the repair also has a reason to find one, so you may want a second set of photographs. Ask for the license number and check it on LARA.
Signs an inspection should happen now
- Water is coming through a ceiling during or after a storm.
- The ceiling or roof line is sagging. Stay out of the room.
- A tree or limb has landed on the roof.
- A look before you buy, scheduled around the closing.
- A routine check in a dry month.
- A few shingle pieces in the yard with no stain inside.
What to check from the ground and inside before you book
- Walk the house after a storm and photograph each slope and anything in the yard from the ground.
- Look at top-floor ceilings for stains, then through the attic hatch at the underside of the roof boards. Note the date.
- Collect the policy, past roof invoices and any earlier report, and write down when leaks showed.
- Ask for the inspection to be written, with photographs, and for the license number.
Permits and licensing around a roof inspection
A permit attaches to work, not to looking. Roofing is not on the state's R105.2 exemption list, and enforcement is local: Grand Rapids charges $66 for a residential re-roofing permit, while Portage requires none to remove and replace shingles only. Whatever the inspection finds, the building department decides whether the fix needs a permit.
Before any work starts, ask for the license number and check it with your state's licensing board.
- LARA M&A Contractor License Information Read Oct 19, 2026.
- MCL 339.2403 Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Mich. Admin. Code R. 408.30505 Work exempt from permit (LII) Read Oct 19, 2026.
- LARA Statewide Jurisdiction List (PDF), Rev. 10/6/2026 Read Oct 19, 2026.
A tool for this job
Storm history for your county
Pick your county to see how many hail and severe wind reports NOAA recorded there between July 2024 and June 2026. We kept counts, not a dated list of storms, so the answer tells you how often weather was reported nearby and nothing about what happened to your roof. It runs in your browser and asks for nothing.
Open the toolQuestions people ask
How much does a roof inspection cost in Michigan?
Our estimate is $90 to $495 per inspection, with a roof certification costing extra. It comes from one published national range adjusted for what Michigan roofers are paid (the median is $28.62 an hour, BLS May 2025, medium confidence), so use it to judge a written quote, not as one.
Do I need a roof inspection before filing a claim in Michigan?
DIFS does not require one; it asks you to notify your insurer as soon as possible and photograph the damage before cleanup. The insurer's own inspection scopes the claim.
Does homeowners insurance cover roof leaks in Michigan?
DIFS says standard homeowners policies cover a range of winter damage including ice dams and leaky roofs, depending on cause and policy wording. Read the coverage guide.
Should I climb on my own roof to inspect it?
No: OSHA names falls the leading cause of death in construction and says not to work on a damaged roof until its structural integrity is known. Inspect from the ground and the attic.
Can an attic problem look like a roof problem?
Yes: ENERGY STAR lists ice dams in winter as a symptom of an under-sealed attic. See the ice dam guide.
- BLS May 2025 wages for roofers (SOC 47-2181), Michigan, as shown by O*NET OnLine Read Oct 19, 2026. Confirm with the source before you rely on it.
- RooferMatch: how we estimate costs (editorial policy) Read Oct 19, 2026.
- 2015 IRC Chapter 9, R903.2 Read Oct 19, 2026.
- MIOSHA Construction Safety Standard Part 45 Fall Protection (as amended April 6, 2015) Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Roof Tarping (Blue Roof) Safety, OSHA FactSheet Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Protecting Roofing Workers, OSHA 3755-05 Read Oct 19, 2026.
- DIFS: Disaster Preparedness and Insurance Recovery in Michigan Read Oct 19, 2026.
- DIFS: Your Guide to Homeowners Insurance for Michigan Consumers (08/2019), p.14 Read Oct 19, 2026.
- DIFS: Tornado / Severe Storms Read Oct 19, 2026.
- LARA notice: 2021 Code Injunction, Residential Part 5 and Energy Part 10 (PDF) Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Attic Air Sealing Project | ENERGY STAR Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Rule Your Attic | ENERGY STAR Read Oct 19, 2026.
- 2015 IRC Chapter 8, R806.1-R806.3 Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Re-Roofing or Re-Siding of Existing Residential Building Permit - City of Grand Rapids Read Oct 19, 2026.
- City of Portage FAQ, Community Development - Building, Construction & Permits (same wording in the Tornado Response FAQs) Read Oct 19, 2026.
- DIFS: Winter Storms Read Oct 19, 2026.