Roof Inspection West Palm Beach, FL | Drone and Attic Check

Roofs in West Palm Beach

The Roofs That Make West Palm Beach Different

Flamingo Park, El Cid and Prospect Park are known for Mission and Mediterranean Revival houses, and those styles put water in places a simple gable never does.

Local field sheetWest Palm Beach, FL

Sheet · Roof Inspection

A Flagler-era city on the Lake Worth Lagoon: 1910s to 1930s historic districts near downtown, towers on Flagler Drive, post-war growth westward with former wetlands filled for building, and gated communities out by Grassy Waters.

County: Palm Beach County, FL
Building code zone: Outside the HVHZ · region set by design wind speed
From our office: 47.7 miles from 3610 N 65th Ave, Hollywood
Typical homes: 1910s to 1930s bungalows, Mission and Mediterranean Revival near downtown, later subdivisions west
Historic districts: 18 local districts and 46 individual sites. Exterior changes go through city review
Roofs: Barrel tile and flat sections behind parapets on older homes. Newer communities vary
Condos: Towers on Flagler Drive, plus Century Village: gated, 55+, West Palm Beach address, confirm the jurisdiction
Water and salt: Lake Worth Lagoon to the east. King tides September to November. Flood zones vary by address
ZIP codes: 33401 · 33405 · 33406 · 33407 · 33409 · 33411 · 33412 · 33415 · 33417

Neighborhoods we cover

Downtown
El Cid
Flamingo Park
Grandview Heights
Central Park
Prospect Park
Southland Park
SoSo (South End)
Old Northwood
Northwood Hills
Northboro Park
Bel Air
Northwest
Villages of Palm Beach Lakes
Ibis
Century Village

Parapets and scuppers
Mission-style houses often hide a flat roof behind a stucco parapet, draining through scuppers. Debris at a scupper can pond water, and the parapet's top and inside face are leak paths a plain tile roof doesn't have. We look at how the water leaves, not only at the surface.
Old-looking tile, newer work
Barrel tile can look historic and still be a recent installation, and the reverse is also true. What matters is the underlayment and the permit date. The city's Civic Access portal searches permits by address, which helps when the seller's paperwork is gone.
Re-roofing in a historic district
A permit is needed, and if the new roof would change the exterior appearance of a house in a local historic district, so is a Certificate of Appropriateness. We don't decide that, but we tell you plainly what condition the roof is in, so you can plan ahead.

On the roof

Six Things We Check on a West Palm Beach Roof

Follow the drone down the list, or tap a pin. Switch to X-ray for the view from inside the attic.

Roof covering
Cracked or slipped barrel tile, worn shingles that have shed granules, rusted metal and blistered flat membranes. Each material on an older roof here ages at its own pace.
Tile · shingle · flat · metal
Ridges & hips
Caps along ridges and hips, plus the mortar or foam that keeps them in place. Older barrel tile hips deserve a close look after a windy season.
Caps · adhesion
Flashing & penetrations
Vents, pipe boots, chimney and wall flashing, plus parapet copings and scuppers, where many leaks start on Mediterranean Revival and Mission-era roofs.
Flashing · parapets · scuppers
Fascia, soffit & drip edge
Fascia, soffit, exposed rafter tails and drip edge. On bungalows with open eaves, old wood gets checked for rot, gaps and ways in for pests.
Rot · gaps
Underlayment & roof deck
Inside the attic, stains, pinholes of daylight and soft spots tell the story. Older houses often have board decking, so we check along the boards for past leaks.
Seen from the attic
Attic ventilation
Intake and exhaust vents move heat and moisture out. Many pre-war attics were not built with modern ventilation, and insulation added later can block what exists.
Heat · moisture

Drone photo of a clay tile roof during a roof inspection in South Florida

Drone · 120 ft

Why inspect the roof

A Roof Inspection Built Around West Palm Beach's Older Roof Lines

Insurers judge the roof, not the house. A 1925 home with a recent roof can raise fewer questions than a 2005 home with its original one, because Florida law and carrier rules look at roof age. Under Section 627.7011, an insurer can't turn down a policy solely over the age of a roof younger than 15. Past that, if an authorized inspector finds five or more years of useful life, age alone can't be the ground for refusal.

Peter covers the tile, flashing, parapets and edges from close range or by drone, then climbs into the attic for the view from below. Old barrel tile can break underfoot, so a drone usually gives a better view at no risk to the roof. You receive photos of every section and an estimate of the remaining useful life, which also feeds a 4-point report if your insurer asks for one.

Drone photos of every roof section
Remaining-life estimate for buyers and insurers
Attic check to catch leaks the surface hides

Buying an older home
Find out what the roof needs before you close, especially where several roof types meet.
Insurance renewal
Citizens wants documentation of five years of useful life on soft roofing over 25 years old or hard roofing over 50.
After a heavy storm
Photos taken soon after wind or record rain give your roofer and your insurer something to work with.
Selling your home
Put the roof's condition in front of buyers early, so it stops being a point of argument.

Know your roof

How Long West Palm Beach Roofs Usually Last, by Type

Typical service life for the coverings on houses here, and the weak points of each.

Roof type	Typical service life	What we look for
Clay & concrete tile	30–50 years for the tiles; underlayment often 20–25	Cracked or slipped tiles, underlayment age, ridge and hip adhesion, flashing
Asphalt shingle	About 15–20 years in South Florida sun	Granule loss, curling or lifted tabs, nail pops, worn flashing
Metal (standing seam)	40+ years	Fasteners, seams, rust, coating condition and flashing at walls
Flat / low-slope	About 10–20 years	Ponding water, blisters, open seams and flashing at parapets

Typical ranges only. Actual life depends on installation, maintenance and storm exposure, and your insurer may apply its own age limits.

Simple from start to finish

Your West Palm Beach Roof Inspection, From Booking to Report

Tell us the reason
A purchase, an insurer's letter or storm damage: your reason decides what the report stresses.
Drone and close-up look
We document every section, including parapets and flat areas, then go into the attic.
Condition and remaining life
Each finding gets a photo, and the summary estimates how much useful life is left.
Report within 24 hours
One clear document for your agent, insurer or roofer.

Peter Lemos, certified home inspector in South Florida

Your inspector

Peter Lemos, Certified Master Inspector®

Locally owned in Hollywood, FL and serving South Florida since 2008. Peter holds InterNACHI certifications in wind mitigation, 4-point and mold inspection, and clients rate Global Home Inspectors 5 stars on Google.

Meet Peter

2008Since

4.9★Google

3Counties

24hReports

Client notes · Google reviews

What South Florida Homeowners Say

4.9 Based on 82 Google reviews

“I called Global Home Inspectors to conduct a 4 point inspection and wind mitigation inspection. Peter arrived on time and was very professional. He started the inspection process immediately and took pictures. I received my report the same day and I am very pleased with the service. …”

Monique M.4-point & wind mitigation

“From start to finish, Peter was prompt, professional, and incredibly thorough. He took the time to explain every detail, answer our questions, and provide a clear and comprehensive report.”

Kendry A.Home inspection

“He was able to come out and complete the inspection within 24 hours and send me the report the same day. Most companies would have taken a week to come out and another week to send the report.”

R. Mast4-point inspection

“After a few upgrades to our home, we needed to provide our insurance company with an updated 4 point & wind mitigation inspection. I’m so glad I went with Peter because he was fantastic! He arrived on time, was a great communicator, and sent the reports very quickly. …”

Mari H.4-point & wind mitigation

“Peter visited my place as scheduled and came prepared with a good understanding of my house's historical record. … I received the report 20 minutes right after his leave. Super fast! … p.s. the drone is really cool; used to take a full view of the roof.”

NeilInsurance inspection

“Mr. Lemos is very responsive, attentive, customer friendly. Working with him and mutual customer was an absolute breath of fresh air. …”

Angela C.Insurance agent, State Farm

Read all 82 reviews on Google Leave a review See all client reviews

Good questions

Roof Inspection FAQs for West Palm Beach, FL

What West Palm Beach owners ask about their roofs. Don't see yours? Call (954) 297-0317.

How do I find out when my West Palm Beach roof was replaced?

Try the city's Civic Access portal, which searches permits by address or permit number. If your parcel is in unincorporated county land, as Century Village is generally described, the county's permit center is the place to ask. We can also judge age from what we see, but a permit date is stronger.

Can I replace the roof on a house in a historic district?

Yes, but plan for review. In West Palm Beach, work that changes the exterior appearance of a historic structure needs a Certificate of Appropriateness. A change of material or tile profile is the kind of thing to raise with city preservation staff before you sign a contract.

Can my insurer refuse my policy because of the roof's age?

Not solely for age while the roof is under 15 years old, under Section 627.7011. At 15 or more, the insurer must allow an inspection at your expense, and can't refuse on age alone if the roof shows 5 or more years of useful life. Licensed home inspectors can qualify, subject to insurer approval.

Do you walk on barrel tile?

We avoid it. Those curved tiles are easy to crack, so the drone, nearby vantage points and the attic do that work. On flat sections and shingles, we walk the roof when it is safe to do so.

My flat roof drains through scuppers. What do you check?

Whether water is actually leaving. We look at ponding, debris, the membrane and the seal where the roof meets the parapet. Scupper problems often show up first as a stain on a ceiling or wall inside, so we check those rooms as well.

Do you inspect West Palm Beach roofs after a storm?

Yes. Visible wind and storm damage gets photographed while it is fresh, so your roofer and your insurer see the same record. We report condition, and we have no roofing work to sell.

Is the roof included in a home inspection?

Yes, every home inspection looks at the roof. A standalone inspection goes further and makes sense when the roof is the one thing you need answered.

Often booked together

Other Inspections in West Palm Beach

A roof question often turns into an insurance question. West Palm Beach owners often book these alongside it, starting with a wind mitigation report. All inspection services in West Palm Beach