Established 1976 · Family-Run
Free Roof Inspection in Southern NH and the Merrimack Valley
A foreman comes out, walks the roof, and tells you what he found. No charge for the visit. If you need work done, you get the number in writing before anything starts.
- GAF Master Elite
- Carlisle Certified
- BBB A+ Accredited
- Licensed & Insured
What Is a Free Roof Inspection?
A free roof inspection is an on-site visit where a foreman climbs the roof, checks the shingles, flashing, valleys, vents and decking, and gives you a written summary of the condition. Merrimack Valley Roofing has done this across Southern New Hampshire, northeast Massachusetts and southern Maine since 1976. We are a GAF Master Elite installer and a Carlisle certified installer for flat and low-slope systems, licensed and insured, and family-run out of Sandown, New Hampshire. The visit costs nothing and there is no obligation to hire us afterward.
What Happens During the Inspection?
Somebody gets on the roof. That sounds obvious, but plenty of estimates around here get written off a satellite image and a phone call, and a satellite cannot tell you what the decking feels like underfoot.
- The roof surfaceShingle condition, granule loss, lifted or cracked tabs, and anything that has moved since the last storm.
- The flashing and valleysWhere chimneys, skylights and walls meet the roof. Most leaks start here, not in the middle of a shingle field.
- The seams between old and newA lot of homes around Haverhill, Methuen, Plaistow and Kingston have been added onto twice. Where the addition meets the original house is where water gets in.
- Low-slope sectionsThe porch roof, the shed dormer, the ell off the back. Those need a membrane, not shingles, and they fail differently.
- Gutters and drainageWhere the water goes once it leaves the roof, and whether the current setup is moving it away from the house.
- The written summaryWhat he found, what needs doing now, what can wait, and the number if you want the work done.
When Should You Have Your Roof Inspected?
After a windstorm is the common one. Wind lifts shingles and drops them back down looking fine from the driveway, so the damage sits there until the next heavy rain finds it.
The other times worth calling: your roof is somewhere past the twenty year mark and you have never had it looked at, you are seeing staining on an upstairs ceiling, you found grit from the shingles collecting at the bottom of a downspout, or you are about to list the house and would rather know now than during a buyer's inspection.
If the inspection says you are due, here is what a residential roof replacement actually involves, start to finish.
Winter has its own version. Ice dams form when heat escapes into the attic, melts the snow above it, and the water refreezes at the cold eave and backs up under the shingles. That happens fast and it does not care that the roof is only four years old. We handle ice dam and snow removal ourselves, including steaming dams off without tearing up the shingles.
Who Shows Up at the House?
A foreman from our crew, in a marked truck. He measures the roof line, takes photos of anything worth showing you, and writes the estimate from what he saw in person.
Our crews are GAF Master Elite certified, which is the level GAF reserves for a small share of roofers nationally and the reason we can put their strongest warranty coverage on your roof. For flat and low-slope work we are a Carlisle certified installer, so the same company handles both parts of your roof rather than handing one off.
Merrimack Valley Roofing has been family-run since 1976, working out of Sandown. Same company, same phone number, and we run 24-hour emergency service when something cannot wait for an appointment.
What the Inspection Costs
Nothing. The on-site visit and the written estimate are both free, and there is no obligation to book work afterward.
Every roof is different. What moves your number is the square footage, the pitch, how many layers are coming off, the condition of the decking underneath, and how many valleys, chimneys and skylights are in the way. Two houses on the same street can land thousands apart for reasons neither owner can see from the driveway. That is why we do not publish prices online. The only honest number is the one written down after a foreman has walked the property in person.
What you can count on: the visit is free, the quote is in writing before anyone starts, financing may be available, and the number you were quoted is the number you pay.
Workmanship Guarantee Since 1976 with Flexible Financing
“They did an awesome job getting it done in 1 day for a very reasonable price. Barry the foreman was extremely patient with us and answered all our questions throughout the process.”
Bonnie D.“For this repair I called them yesterday, and my roof is fixed literally less than 24 hours later. Thank you MVR!”
Mark Gibbas“Always shows up on time. And comes back when need. And as a builder who has several crews and several projects, I know what I'm talking about. They even clean up after themselves.”
Harry GeorgeBook Your Free Roof Inspection
Fill this out and we will call you back to set a time. If it is an emergency, call 978-662-7079 and you will get a person.
Where Do You Do Free Inspections?
Southern New Hampshire, northeast Massachusetts and southern Maine. We are based at 496 Main Street in Sandown, so the towns closest to us get looked at soonest.
- Sandown
- Kingston
- East Kingston
- Plaistow
- Danville
- Hampstead
- Atkinson
- Salem
- Derry
- Stratham
- Haverhill
- Methuen
- North Andover
- Lawrence
- Georgetown
Full list on our service areas page. Not sure if you are in range? Call and ask.
Merrimack Valley Roofing
496 Main Street, Sandown, NH 03873
978-662-7079
Common Questions
Is the roof inspection really free?
Yes. The on-site visit and the written estimate are both free, and there is no obligation to hire us afterward. If the roof is fine, we will tell you it is fine and you have lost nothing but the time it took to answer the door.
How long does a roof inspection take?
Most take under an hour. A large or complicated roof, or one with several low-slope sections, can run longer. If the foreman finds something that needs a closer look, he will say so rather than guess at it.
Do I need to be home for the inspection?
It helps but it is not required. Being there means you can walk through the photos and ask questions on the spot. If you cannot make it, we will send the summary and follow up by phone.
What if the inspection finds nothing wrong?
Then you get that in writing, which is useful on its own if you are selling the house or dealing with an insurer. We would rather tell you the roof has years left than sell you a job you do not need yet.
How does Merrimack Valley Roofing quote a roof replacement?
A foreman walks the property, measures the roof line, and writes the estimate from what he saw. The number accounts for square footage, pitch, how many layers are coming off, the condition of the decking, and the flashing work involved. You get it in writing before any work starts. We do not publish prices online because the only honest number is the one written for your specific roof. There is more on what to check in our roofing contract checklist.
Can you inspect a flat or commercial roof?
Yes. We are a Carlisle certified installer for EPDM and commercial flat systems, and low-slope sections on houses get the same attention as the shingle field. See our commercial and flat roofing page for the systems we work with.
Do you inspect gutters at the same time?
Yes, the foreman looks at the gutters and drainage as part of the same visit. If they need work, that goes in the same written summary. More detail on our gutters page.
What if my roof is leaking right now?
Call rather than filling out the form. We run 24-hour emergency service and can usually get somebody out to tarp it and stop the water before we talk about anything else. The number is 978-662-7079.
50 Years. One Phone Number.
Get a foreman out to walk your roof. Free visit, written estimate, no obligation.