A roof inspection in Perth covers the roof cover, flashings, gutters, downpipes and eaves from outside, and the roof frame, sarking and insulation from inside the roof space. It is carried out as part of a pre-purchase building inspection under AS 4349.1, which means it is a visual inspection of everything the inspector can safely reach.
The roof is where Perth homes hide their most expensive problems, because nobody looks at it between the day it was built and the day it is sold. This guide covers what the inspection includes, the defects our registered builders find most often, and what each one means for a buyer. It pairs with our list of the most common defects found in Perth homes.
In this article:
- What does a roof inspection cover under AS 4349.1?
- Roof cover defects
- Flashings, valleys and penetrations
- Gutters, downpipes and eaves
- Inside the roof space
- When is a drone used for a roof inspection?
- What a roof finding means for a buyer
- Frequently Asked Questions About Roof Inspections in Perth
| Roof inspection at a glance |
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| Part of every pre-purchase building inspection carried out under AS 4349.1 |
| Outside: roof cover, ridge capping, flashings, valleys, gutters, downpipes, eaves and fascias |
| Inside: roof frame, sarking, insulation coverage, evidence of water entry and previous repairs |
| Access: visual inspection from ladder height where safe, plus the roof space where the access hatch allows |
| Two-storey or steep roofs: $99 drone add-on captures aerial imagery of the roof cover |
| Thermal imaging: detects heat loss from missing insulation in the roof space |
| Get a free instant quote online, 24/7 at bestwestbuilding.com.au |
What does a roof inspection cover under AS 4349.1?
AS 4349.1 is the Australian Standard for pre-purchase inspections of residential buildings, and it defines the roof inspection in two parts: the roof exterior and the roof space. Both are visual inspections of accessible areas. The inspector does not lift tiles, does not test gutters or downpipes and does not walk on fragile or unsafe roof surfaces.
Access is the limiting factor. Where the roof exterior cannot be safely reached from a ladder, or where the roof space has no hatch or no crawl clearance, the standard requires the inspector to report that area as not inspected and to recommend how it can be accessed. That is where a drone or a follow-up visit comes in.
| KEY TAKEAWAY A roof reported as “not inspected” is not a clean roof. It is an unknown, and on a property purchase an unknown should be treated as a cost until proven otherwise. |
Roof cover defects
The roof cover is the first line of defence and the first thing to deteriorate.
Spalling clay tiles
Spalling is the progressive erosion of the surface of a clay roof tile, and it is common on Perth homes aged 30 to 40 years and older. The glazed face breaks down, the tile absorbs water and flakes, and eventually the tile lets water through. Spalling is a whole-roof condition rather than a single-tile repair, which is why inspectors rate it seriously.
Cracked, broken and slipped tiles
Individual cracked tiles come from foot traffic, tree branches and age. Slipped tiles usually point to corroded or missing tile clips or deteriorated battens beneath. Both let water reach the sarking, and where the sarking is damaged, water reaches the ceiling.
Ridge capping and pointing
Ridge caps are bedded in mortar and finished with pointing. When the pointing cracks and the bedding erodes, ridge caps loosen and water enters at the highest point of the roof. Cracked or missing pointing is one of the most common findings on tiled roofs across the older Perth suburbs.
Metal roofing
On sheet metal roofs the inspector looks for surface corrosion, lifted or dented sheets, loose or corroded fixings, rusted valleys and sheets that have been cut short at the gutter line. Coastal suburbs from Rockingham to Two Rocks see corrosion earlier because of salt exposure.
Flashings, valleys and penetrations
Every location where the roof cover is interrupted is a place for water to enter. The inspector checks flashings at walls, chimneys and vents, valleys where two roof planes meet, and the sealing around penetrations such as flues, antenna mounts and solar cable entries. Rusted valleys and lifted or poorly sealed flashings are frequent findings, and they often show up first as water staining on the ceiling below.
Gutters, downpipes and eaves
Gutters and downpipes are visually inspected. The inspector is looking for rust, sagging sections, joints that have separated, downpipes that are disconnected at the base and gutters holding debris or standing water. These are reported as observed conditions, not as a test of the drainage system.
Eaves linings are checked for damage, gaps and sagging. On homes built before 1990, eaves linings may be a suspected asbestos-containing material. Inspectors note the presence of suspected materials they observe, and a specialist asbestos assessment is always the recommended next step.
| WHY IT MATTERS Gutters and downpipes are cheap to fix and expensive to ignore. Water that overflows behind a fascia ends up in the roof frame and the eaves, and that is where a small maintenance item turns into a timber replacement job. |
Inside the roof space
The roof space is where the inspection earns its fee, and it is the part of the roof the buyer never sees.
- Roof frame: sagging or deflected rafters and purlins, undersized or cut members, struts without proper bearing, and previous repairs that were never engineered
- Sarking: torn, missing or perished sarking that leaves the ceiling exposed to any water that gets past the cover
- Water entry: staining on timbers, wet insulation and rust on fixings that show where water has been getting in, even if the roof is dry on the day
- Insulation: gaps in coverage, batts moved by trades and insulation missing over whole rooms, which the thermal camera picks up as heat loss from the rooms below
- Timber pest evidence: previous termite or borer damage to roof timbers is noted for follow-up in the timber pest inspection
- Ventilation and services: blocked vents, disconnected exhaust fan ducts and unsupported cabling are recorded where visible
A sagging ceiling is a related but separate finding. It is often cosmetic rather than structural, and we explained the difference in Buyer Beware: Ceiling Sag Is Not Structural.
When is a drone used for a roof inspection?
Two-storey homes, steep pitches and fragile roof covers cannot always be inspected from a ladder. In those cases a $99 drone inspection add-on captures aerial imagery of the entire roof cover, so ridge capping, flashings and valleys that would otherwise be reported as not inspected are documented and photographed.
Thermal imaging is a separate tool used from inside the home. The camera detects heat loss from missing insulation in the roof space and concealed defects such as leaking pipes or pooling water behind plasterboard. It does not detect moisture in cavity brick walls and it does not detect termites. Read more about what thermal imaging inspections can and cannot show.
What a roof finding means for a buyer
Roof defects range from a handful of maintenance items to a full re-roof, and the report tells you which end of that range you are looking at. A cracked tile and some worn pointing are normal on an established home. Widespread spalling, sagging framing or long-term water entry are the findings that change what a property is worth to you.
Bestwest does not quote repairs. What the report gives you is a documented, photographed description of the condition so that a roofing contractor can price the work and you can negotiate with facts. Every inspection is carried out by Bestwest Building’s extensive team of highly experienced registered builders, with a same-day digital report and a phone consultation to talk through the findings.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Roof Inspections in Perth
Does a building inspection include the roof?
Yes. A pre-purchase building inspection carried out under AS 4349.1 includes the roof exterior and the roof space, where they can be safely accessed. Areas that cannot be accessed are reported as not inspected.
Can the inspector walk on the roof?
Only where it is safe and the roof cover will not be damaged. Most tiled and metal roofs are inspected by walking on the roof where safe, or from ladder height at the gutter line, with a drone used for two-storey homes and steep or fragile roofs.
What is spalling on roof tiles?
Spalling is the progressive erosion of the surface of a clay roof tile. It is common on Perth homes over 30 to 40 years old and it affects the whole roof rather than individual tiles, which is why it is treated as a significant finding.
Will the inspector check my gutters and downpipes?
Gutters and downpipes are visually inspected for rust, sagging, separated joints and disconnected downpipes. The drainage system itself is not tested as part of a building inspection.
Does thermal imaging show roof leaks?
Thermal imaging can show pooling water or a leaking pipe behind plasterboard and heat loss from missing insulation in the roof space. It does not show moisture inside brick walls and it does not detect termites.
