Roof Inspection (Sales Process)

The next step in the successful sales process is conducting an inspection of the property, specifically the damage that must be repaired. During this time, you reaffirm the homeowners’ need for service to be performed and your qualifications to do the job.

Inspect and Measure the Roof
Go up on the roof and inspect for damage. Use iRoofing to measure the roof, but always draw a diagram, and get some accurate measurements (very important). With iRoofing software you need to make sure that at least length and the width of the roof are verified. Do not mark a lot of the hail damage at this time. You may circle one or two hail hits to take pictures and to show to the homeowner. You’re on stage now, so be serious about your work. Let the homeowners, and anyone else who might be watching, know you are a professional. Take the pictures of all sides of the roof, you may need it later. Be detailed on your diagram and fill out in detail a Scope of Work (Property Inspection Checklist). How many vents (low-profile, turbines, ridge or turtle), plumbing boots or 3-in-1’s are there? How much valley, step flashing, drip edge? Does the chimney need to be reflashed? Is it a hip or gable roof? Walk the roof. Does it feel weak or spongy, which would indicate decking problems? You can never have too much information. Do it right the first time, because the entire job depends on your accuracy, both from a production standpoint as well as when dealing with the adjuster.

Inspect the Complete Property
Come down off the roof and walk the entire property, checking for storm damage to gutters, siding, paint, A/C, etc. You will be required to take a couple of pictures of the house. This not only adds to your credibility, but it may help answer future questions in the construction process. This part of your evaluation is very important, not only to the homeowners, but to you because of the overhead and profit involved. Take a little time on this part to do a good job of tallying up what needs to be done. This will prevent a lot of wasted time in the future. It also sets you apart from other companies.

If the homeowners have joined you during the inspection, always:

1. Be conversational in your questioning of the homeowners to make them feel involved in the process and to bring forth important information only they will be able to share about the project.
2. Carefully listen to the homeowners so you can make sure you are learning the valuable information you need to know from them and more about what their expectations are. This will help you get to know them.

Inspecting the Exterior of the Property
Invite the homeowners to show you the specific problems they are concerned with. Ask them to point out the problems, letting them know if they can answer your questions as completely as possible now, you will be able to give them a more thorough and accurate appraisal of the extent of the damage. When you’re outside, walk around the home and carefully assess the problem. If the homeowners are not aware about the damage but you see the damage, invite them to work around the property with you and show the damage on gutters, siding, etc.

Expose the Problems and Highlight the Need to Fix it
Make sure you are checking the property specifically for:

• Problems of which the homeowners are aware.
• Problems of which the homeowners may not be aware.
• Potential problems that may occur in the future.
• Nearby homes that have been fixed by your company.
• Neighbors who have recently had similar work performed on their properties.

Involve the Homeowners Throughout the Inspection
As you inspect the specific trouble spots, make sure you are engaging the homeowners in the process to keep them involved in what you are doing. Ask specific questions of the homeowners, without sounding too “sales-y” or pushy. Try not to put the homeowners on the spot or infer negligence of any sort. Speak with them as if you were a concerned neighbor or a friend. A roof inspection should be performed thoroughly and should provide the homeowner with the current state of the roof that has been damaged by hail or has wind damage. Take the pictures and show them to the homeowner.

Here is a sampling of potential questions to ask a homeowner during your inspection:

• How did you learn about Roofing Giant?
• How long have you owned your home?
• How long have you had this current… (roof, siding, gutter, etc.)?
• Was this problem caused by a recent storm or weather-related incident?
• Has your roof started leaking yet?

Make sure you ask all of your questions in a very conversational manner so the homeowners don’t feel as if they are being put on the spot or grilled.

Establish the Urgency to Fix the Problem
You can move the homeowners toward committing to allow Roofing Giant to fix the problem, and work with you to do just that. You can help the homeowners make an informed, intelligent decision by:

• Using your inspection to expose problems.
• Making the homeowners aware of additional problems that the current problems may cause to their property, which is probably their largest investment.
• Make sure the homeowners agree they have a need. The need is to get their insurance company to pay for fixing the problem, and the sooner the better, before it causes more problems.
• Make sure the homeowners understand that the bill from Roofing Giant for fixing the problem is, in most cases, entirely covered by the insurance they have already paid for, with their only out-of-pocket expense being the insurance deductible.

Remember, during the inspection step, your objective is to make the homeowners understand and agree they have a specific need. This is much different than making the homeowners agree to hire you! Please follow the specific steps outlined in this training to effectively walk the homeowners through the process, which is the best way to lead them toward a decision to hire you.

While You’re inspecting…
When you inspect the exterior damage to the roof, make sure you look for all other areas on the property that may require additional attention.

Make sure to inspect:

• Roof
• Gutters
• Fence
• Siding
• Windows
• Window Screens
• Back Shed
• Interior Damage from the leaks
• Garage Doors
• Main Doors

Many homeowners suspect they have storm damage; however, in many cases they have not found a company they are comfortable working with. Consequently, they have avoided the problem and are not looking forward to confronting it.

They probably don’t realize the seriousness of the problem, and especially don’t want to learn of additional issues. Yet, when they realize the true size of a problem, and how much larger the problem could become, they are typically prepared to take action to correct the situation. It is your job to pinpoint all issues and share your analysis of just how grave the situation is.

Remember to make the entire process, especially the inspection step, as convenient and easy for the homeowners as possible.

At this point you should know how to do the roof inspection, but if you need to refresh your memory then visit Inspector Training and go through the training again.
Take Pictures and document everything!

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