Buying a house in Ontario in winter: what if the inspector can't see the roof?
Swipe for the 1 minute answer
- 01Snow hides cracked or curled shingles
- 02Inspectors won't walk an icy roof
- 03Inspections only cover what they can see
When was the roof done? Is there an invoice and warranty? Any past leaks or insurance claims?
Attic looks dry too? Usually fine to move ahead. No paperwork and an old roof? Get a replacement quote and price it in.
A house Yifei sold recently had a broken furnace, crushed eavestroughs and a big basement crack. The inspection took off only a few thousand.
- 01Ask for a longer inspection condition
- 02Tell your inspector to go in the attic
- 03Ask the seller: roof age, invoices, leaks, claims
- 04Attic looks off? Bring in a roofer or drone
- 05Still unsure? Negotiate on a new roof's cost
- 06Deadline close? Ask your lawyer about extending
With fewer buyers out, sellers are often more flexible on inspection conditions. Use that room to check the roof before you firm up.
Tell Yifei the roof age, what paperwork there is and what the attic showed. He'll tell you straight what to do.
Ask YifeiWhen you buy in Toronto or Niagara in winter, the roof is often under snow and the home inspector usually won't go up there; the report will just say the roof wasn't inspected. Don't wait for the thaw. Check the attic from the inside, ask the seller for roofing invoices, and use the conditional period to bring in a roofer or a drone. If you still can't tell, price a new roof into your offer.
Why winter inspections miss the roof
- Snow hides cracked, curled or missing shingles.
- Inspectors generally won't walk an icy roof.
- Ontario's own homebuyer guide says an inspection is visual, the roof is checked only if it is safe, and a snow-covered roof can't be assessed. Inspectors don't open things up either. Inspectors Yifei has worked with don't lift carpet; they use a moisture meter. In one house the main drain in the basement was boxed in, so the only way to trace it was to run water and listen.
So in winter, the roof section of the report is often blank. You have to fill that gap yourself.
Five places to look instead
- The attic. Look at the underside of the roof deck for stains, dark patches, and frost or water on the nail tips. Warm air inside and cold air outside make problems show up here.
- Top-floor ceilings and corners. Look for yellow water rings.
- Eaves. Eavestroughs bent by snow, or a long line of ice along the edge.
- Snow on the roof. If the neighbours still have thick snow and this roof is melting in patches, heat is escaping there. Check insulation and ventilation.
- Paperwork. When was the roof done, is there an invoice and warranty, has it leaked, was there an insurance claim?
What to do in each case
What Yifei has seen
In one house, the buyer's inspector went into the attic and found a section of roof sheathing that had been cut out and patched, with nails poking through. From outside, the shingles in that spot looked patched too. The buyer wanted to know whether it had been repaired and whether there had been an insurance claim. You couldn't see any of it from the street; from the attic it was obvious.
In another, one shingle was damaged and the attic sheathing was already wet, though not leaking through. The shingles were about 10 years old. Yifei flew a drone up to get a clear look, then had a roofer replace that shingle.
Finding problems doesn't always mean a big price cut. A house Yifei sold recently had a broken furnace, eavestroughs crushed by snow and a large crack in the basement, and the inspection only brought the price down by a few thousand dollars. If the price already reflects the problems, the seller won't give much more.
Step by step
- Ask for a slightly longer inspection condition so there's time to book a roofer.
- Tell your inspector you want them in the attic.
- Send the seller a short list: roof age, invoices, past leaks, past claims.
- If the attic raises questions, bring in a roofer or a drone.
- Still unsure? Negotiate based on the cost of a new roof, and have your lawyer write any special clause.
Yifei's view from years of winter deals: fewer people are out looking in winter, and the ones who are tend to be serious. With fewer buyers competing, sellers are often more flexible on inspection conditions, so winter can give you room to check the roof properly before you firm up.
Frequently asked questions
Will a home inspector go on the roof in winter?
Usually not. Snow and ice make it unsafe, so the report will typically say the roof wasn't inspected. Fill the gap with the attic, the paperwork and a roofer.
The seller says the roof is new. Should I take their word for it?
Ask for the invoice. It should show the date, the scope of work and the warranty. Your insurer will likely ask for the roof's age anyway.
Can I wait until spring to inspect the roof?
You can try to negotiate that, but have your lawyer put it in the agreement. Don't rely on a verbal promise.
Tell me about your situation and I'll tell you straight what to do. Yifei (RE/MAX), efay.ai
Sources: Ontario homebuyer guide https://www.ontario.ca/page/what-know-before-buying-home ; RECO home inspections https://www.reco.on.ca/consumers/information-for-buyers/home-inspections/