Roof Inspection Photos That Explain the Problem (and Sell the Repair)

Most people have never stood on their own roof. If your photo is a close-up of a cracked shingle, they have no idea where it is. Start each problem with a wide shot that shows the slope or the corner of the house, then go in close.

Keep the sun behind you, wipe your lens, and hold still. A blurry photo makes even a real problem look like a guess.

Lifted flashing at a chimney, a soft spot near a vent, and missing granules on the south slope are three different problems. Write each one up on its own with its own photos. That way the roofer can price each item, and the client can pick what to fix first.

Use simple words. Say "the metal around the chimney is pulling away and can let water in," not a string of trade terms.

If you also do roof repairs, this is where you make money. Pick the findings that need work, and your software can turn them into estimate lines with your saved prices. The client sees the photo, the problem and the price all together.

That is a lot easier to say yes to than a phone call a week later. For commercial roofs with several sections, label each section on a simple roof map so nobody mixes them up.