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A commercial roof inspection should walk the whole roof, check every drain, seam, flashing and rooftop unit, and end in a written report with photos that ranks the repairs. On the Grand Strand, book it in spring before hurricane season and again in fall. WeatherShield's on-site assessment for a commercial repair, replacement or installation estimate is free.
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Commercial roof repair in Myrtle BeachThe short answers
What property managers, owners and boards ask first, each answered from the page it comes from.
A structured review of a building's roof system that documents its current condition, finds problems and estimates its remaining useful life. It ends in a written report that lists recommended repairs in order of priority, not a verbal summary from the ladder.
It depends on how much you need. General Roofing Co. lists what moves the price: roof size, height, access, slope and type, how detailed the report is, travel, safety needs and any specialty testing. It sorts paid inspections into four steps that cost more as they go: a basic visual check, an inspection with photos and a written report, a due-diligence report, and one with moisture or infrared testing. WeatherShield's own site says its on-site assessment for a commercial repair, replacement or installation estimate is free.
At least twice a year, in spring and fall, plus after any major storm or construction work that may have damaged the roof. Travelers' risk control team recommends that schedule after an initial roof survey, and Rimkus calls two a year the industry consensus.
Travelers lists supporting structures, the roof covering, flashing, roof edging and fascia, penetrations, expansion joint covers, pitch pans, roof drains, lightning protection systems and evidence of standing water, and it starts the inspection inside the building, looking for stains and cracks.
When to book it on a hurricane coast
The usual advice is two inspections a year, spring and fall. On the Grand Strand, the hurricane season sets the dates for you.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. Travelers' spring check looks for damage from the winter and sets the repairs; on this coast, that visit lands before the season opens.
The National Hurricane Center puts the peak of the season on September 10, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October.
Travelers' fall check looks for any preventive work needed before winter. Here it can come after the season ends on November 30, so it also covers whatever the storms did.
Travelers adds an inspection after any major storm or construction activity that might have damaged the roof, starting inside the building.
The checklist
Use this to judge any inspection you pay for. It combines Travelers' list of inspection elements with what Rimkus and General Roofing say inspectors look at.
| Area | What gets checked | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the building first | Ceiling stains, cracks, damp smells, peeling paint and the spots where leaks keep coming back. | Leaks travel. The stain is not always under the opening, so the inside tells the inspector where to look on top. |
| Roof covering (membrane, metal, built-up) | Splits, holes, open or separating seams, blisters, soft spots and sun damage across the whole field, not only where it leaked. | The covering is the main barrier that keeps water out. |
| Flashing and edges | Where the roof meets walls and parapets, curbs, skylights, vents and pipes; edge metal, coping, fascia and roof edging. | Rimkus says flashing breakdown is frequently cited as a top leak source. |
| Drainage | Roof drains, scuppers, gutters and downspouts, debris in them, and any standing water (ponding). | On a flat or low-slope roof, a clogged drain or a low spot can hold water for months before anyone inside notices. |
| Penetrations and rooftop equipment | Seals, rubber boots and clamps at pipes and vents; HVAC curbs, duct supports, cable runs, pitch pans and foot-traffic wear around units. | Every opening through the roof is a possible leak point, and other trades working on equipment can damage the roof without knowing it. |
| Expansion joints, structure and lightning protection | Expansion joint covers, the supporting structure, and the lightning protection system's rods and cables. | All three are on Travelers' list of elements an inspection should include. |
| Debris and plant growth | Leaves, loose material, and anything growing on the roof. | Debris blocks drainage and holds moisture against the roof; roots can weaken the membrane. |
| Old repairs and records | Failed sealant, patches, coated areas that keep reopening, and any maintenance and repair records the owner has. | A roof patched again and again raises the bigger question of whether repairs are still worth it. |
Beyond looking
Rimkus says most commercial roof evaluations start with a visual walkthrough and add other methods depending on the property's needs: wet insulation you cannot see, layers nobody has records for, or a roof too large or tall to reach easily. It sorts the methods like this.
| Method | What it can find | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| Visual inspection | Surface damage, standing water, membrane wear, flashing problems | Every scheduled inspection |
| Thermal imaging | Hidden moisture trapped under the roof surface | Leak investigation, property sale review |
| Moisture scanning | Wet insulation and hidden water damage inside the roof layers | Suspected moisture problems, pre-purchase review |
| Core sampling | What layers the roof has, how well they are stuck together, their condition | No construction records, verifying roof age |
| Drone survey | Aerial visual and thermal data across large roof areas | Tall buildings, large footprints, hard-to-reach areas |
Why you are booking it
Catches clogged drains, open seams, cracked sealant and loose flashing while they are still small repairs. In spring Travelers checks for damage from the winter; in fall, for anything to fix before the next season.
Travelers adds an inspection after any major storm or construction activity that might have damaged the roof. General Roofing adds rooftop HVAC or solar work and any leak report to that list.
When the inspection is part of a property sale, Rimkus says it often follows the ASTM E2018 framework for commercial property condition assessments. Buyers, sellers and lenders usually need the detailed written report, not a quick look.
Rimkus describes carriers asking for a current roof condition report before renewing coverage, and cites the Insurance Information Institute: more than one-third of commercial property insurance claims stem from wind or hail damage, most of it involving the roof.
Owners use the report to set repair priorities and budget a replacement. Rimkus notes that HOA and condo boards rely on inspection findings for reserve studies.
A report is what you budget, negotiate and file claims with. Rimkus lists what a roof condition report typically includes:
On the last point: Rimkus says independent consultants are generally considered more objective than repair contractors, which matters when a buyer or lender relies on the report. General Roofing describes a roofing contractor's inspection as being about roof condition, leak risk, repair needs and maintenance planning.
Between inspections
Travelers' roof maintenance basics: keep the roof clean and free of debris, keep drains working, fix areas that pond water, train maintenance staff on how the roof is built, allow only authorized people on the roof, and limit new penetrations.
Edges and skylights. OSHA's general industry rule requires fall protection for workers on an unprotected side or edge 4 feet or more above a lower level (guardrails, safety nets or personal fall protection), and treats skylights as holes workers must be protected from falling through.
From our commercial roofing page: whether you are buying a commercial property, checking existing conditions or documenting storm damage for an insurance claim, our commercial roof inspection reports include photographic documentation, condition assessments, repair recommendations and life expectancy estimates.
The on-site assessment for a commercial installation, replacement or repair estimate is free. It documents visible roof condition, leak points, drainage concerns, the existing system and the recommended next steps. More specialized inspection reports, moisture scans or engineering documentation for a sale, insurance claim or warranty dispute may need a custom scope.
WeatherShield does not publish prices and does not offer financing.
Every outside fact on this page links to where it came from. None of them is a WeatherShield price, timeline, guarantee or warranty term.
Grand Strand service area
WeatherShield looks at commercial roofs in Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Conway, Carolina Forest, Socastee and Little River. The request form accepts the Horry County and nearby Grand Strand ZIP codes we serve, and our office is at 215 Ronnie Ct. Unit F, Myrtle Beach, SC 29579.
Owner and manager questions
It depends on the roof's size, height, access, slope and type, how detailed the report is, travel time, safety requirements, and whether moisture or infrared testing is needed, according to General Roofing Co. It sorts paid inspections into four steps that cost more as they go: a basic visual inspection, an inspection with photos and a written report, a detailed or due-diligence report for buyers, sellers and lenders, and an inspection with moisture scans or specialty testing for older flat roofs, repeated leaks or suspected wet insulation. WeatherShield does not publish prices. Its commercial roofing page says its on-site assessment for a commercial repair, replacement or installation estimate is free, and that specialized reports, moisture scans or engineering documentation for a sale, insurance claim or warranty dispute may need a custom scope.
At least twice a year, in spring and fall, and again after any major storm or construction activity that might have damaged the roof. That is Travelers' recommendation after an initial roof survey, and Rimkus calls two inspections a year the industry consensus. On the Grand Strand, a spring visit lands before the Atlantic hurricane season opens on June 1, and a fall visit after the season ends on November 30 shows what that year's storms did.
It should start inside the building, at ceilings and walls, then cover the roof covering, flashing, roof edging and fascia, penetrations, expansion joint covers, pitch pans, roof drains, lightning protection and any standing water, as Travelers lists. The result should be a written report with photos tied to roof areas, recommendations sorted by urgency, and an estimate of the roof's remaining service life.
A condition inspection is not a pass or fail test. Rimkus describes condition ratings for each area and repairs listed in order of priority. The problems an inspection exists to catch are the ones General Roofing lists: clogged drains, open seams, cracked sealant, loose flashing, punctured membrane, ponding water and old repairs that are starting to fail. Rimkus also describes an insurer flagging a gap in maintenance records before it would renew coverage.
Sometimes. WeatherShield's commercial roofing page says its on-site assessment for a commercial installation, replacement or repair estimate is free, and that it documents visible roof condition, leak points, drainage, the existing system and next steps. More specialized reports, moisture scans or engineering documentation for a sale, insurance claim or warranty dispute may need a custom scope. General Roofing advises asking what a free inspection includes, because a quick visual check is not a written condition report.
They can watch for problems between professional inspections, but only with the right access and training. OSHA's general industry rule requires fall protection for workers on an unprotected side or edge 4 feet or more above a lower level, and treats skylights as holes workers must be protected from falling through. Travelers recommends training maintenance staff on the roof's construction and limiting roof access to authorized people.
Not on every visit. Rimkus lists thermal imaging and moisture scanning for leak investigations, suspected wet insulation and pre-purchase reviews, and core sampling when there are no construction records. For a property sale, it says combining a visual walkthrough with thermal imaging and moisture scanning gives a more complete picture, especially when leaks inside do not match what is visible on the roof.
Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Conway, Carolina Forest, Socastee and Little River, plus the nearby Grand Strand ZIP codes the request form accepts. Our office is at 215 Ronnie Ct. Unit F in Myrtle Beach.
Call about a commercial roof, or send the building details through the request form at the top of this page.
Go to the request form