Buying a home can be incredibly confusing, but a last-minute roof replacement may raise the stakes even further.
One buyer turned to Reddit's r/FirstTimeHomeBuyer community after learning that the house they were set to purchase was uninsurable with its existing roof.
Here's what to know
"I had an offer accepted on a house that turned out to need a new roof. My insurance agent said the house was not insurable with the roof as is," the original poster wrote. "The seller is replacing the roof. Should I have my own inspector out to review the work before closing?"
Commenters said yes, and one flagged an issue with a simple warning: "The roofer's customer is the seller, not you."
That same commenter urged the buyer to request "the paid invoice, the permit and its final inspection sign-off, which shingle line and which underlayment actually went on, the installer's certification number as of the install date, and the warranty registration plus the transfer form" before closing.
Their point was that everything could be issued in the seller's name and some warranties only stay valid if a transfer is filed soon after the home changes hands.
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The thread also included straightforward inspection advice. "You can certainly have your home inspector go back out or get another roofing company to inspect the roof post-replacement if you want," one commenter said.
Another wrote: "The piece I would add is that your critical path is probably not the inspection, it is the insurance binder. Your lender will not fund without a bound policy, and the whole reason this roof is being replaced is that your carrier would not write it as is."
Because a roof is one of the most expensive parts of a home, the commenter who issued the warning suggested getting documentation of details that may be hard to confirm later.
They recommended asking for photos of the roof deck, noting, "That is the one condition nobody can inspect once the new roof is on, and it is the thing that decides whether a leak in year three is workmanship or rot that was already there."
The guidance from commenters focused on having key documents lined up before closing, including proof that the job was finished and paid for, confirmation that the permit received final sign-off, and any warranty paperwork needed for a transfer.
A review of the new roof was also worth considering, either by having the home inspector return or by hiring an independent roofing company.
Where can I learn more?
Once a sale is final, figuring out a problem, who should pay for it, and what options remain can be difficult.
• After knotweed surfaced, a new homeowner said lies on a disclosure form would have stopped their purchase.
• Another homeowner was terrified by invasive mint after inheriting a previous owner's garden mistake.
• A homeowner found a devastating scene in their yard after someone cut down a mature tree.
Property surprises have a way of turning into expensive disputes. For anyone navigating a last-minute roof replacement, this is a reminder to get an inspection and documentation squared away before closing.
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