Roof Inspection in Des Moines: Free vs. $98 Service Call (2026)

A Bakeris inspection is free when you're calling about suspected storm damage or you want a full roof replacement estimate. If it's one leak, one pipe boot, loose shingles, or any other repair-only problem, the $98 repair service call applies.

Same ladder, different job.

Why storm and replacement visits are free

Those visits are free because the scope is bigger than a single repair. We're looking at the whole roof system, documenting the condition, and telling you whether the next step is replacement, storm documentation, a targeted repair, or no work at all.

Hail or wind moved through your neighborhood. You're seeing missing shingles after a storm. You're thinking about replacing a 15 to 25 year old roof. You're buying or selling a home and need a full replacement estimate, or you need one written up for planning or financing. All free.

We're not trying to turn every inspection into a job. If the roof has years left, we say so and leave. A clean inspection is worth something.

Why the repair call costs $98

The $98 applies when the work is diagnostic repair work. You've got a leak, a ceiling stain, a loose shingle, a cracked pipe boot, a chimney flashing problem, something specific you want tracked down and fixed.

That fee covers the trip, the hands-on diagnosis, and the time it takes to find the real source. Leaks lie. Water gets in at a vent, runs down a rafter, and shows up on your ceiling six feet away. Finding it means time on the roof and usually in the attic.

Approve the repair and the $98 is credited toward the approved repair invoice. That's the part that keeps the diagnosis honest. We can tell you it's a small repair without padding the job to pay for a free visit.

Ranges for the usual fixes are in our Des Moines roof repair cost guide. If you already know you need a repair crew, start at roof repair in Des Moines.

What we look at once we're up there

Shingles first. Curling, cracking, missing tabs, bruising, granule loss. Then every penetration, where a lot of water starts: pipe boots, exhaust vents, ridge caps. Then flashing at the chimney, skylights, walls, and valleys. Gutters, downspouts, drip edge, and any sign water has been running over instead of through.

We walk the roof to feel for decking that's soft or moving underfoot. If the attic is easy to get into, we check ventilation, moisture trails, and daylight through the deck. And we look for storm fingerprints: dents in soft metals, broken seal strips, wind creases.

Photos matter. If we find something, you see what we saw. If the roof looks good, we document that too, which helps before storm season or a home sale.

A look from the driveway misses too much

Central Iowa roofs take a beating. The NOAA NCEI Storm Events data compiled on our Iowa hail statistics page puts Iowa at 3,736 hail events and 4,928 wind events from 2015 through 2025. Polk County alone had 171 hail reports in that stretch.

That doesn't mean every storm damages every roof. It means you can't tell from the ground. Hail bruising is often invisible from down there. Wind damage looks like a lifted corner until you touch the shingle and feel the seal let go. A failing pipe boot can look fine from ten feet away and still be letting water into the attic.

A Beaverdale roof with older decking, a South Side ranch, and a newer build out west all fail in different ways. The inspection has to match the roof.

When to call

Before it gets urgent, which is earlier than most people call. A ceiling stain after rain or snow melt. Shingles or ridge caps in the yard. Fresh hail dents in the gutters or downspouts. A 15 year old roof you know nothing about. A house you're about to list, or one you just bought with no roof history. Neighbors getting storm inspections after the same weather.

If water is actively coming in, treat that as urgent. We can help with temporary protection and then diagnose the permanent fix.

What you walk away with

You'll get one of four answers.

Sometimes there's nothing to do. The roof is doing its job, so keep an eye on it and have it inspected again after major weather.

Sometimes it's a targeted repair: one or two items, a pipe boot, a flashing detail, a small area of shingles. That's where the $98 service call earns its keep.

If the roof is aging out, the repair math no longer works, or there are multiple failure points, we move to replacement planning. We explain the scope and give you a written replacement estimate. The sequence is in our roof replacement process guide.

And if hail or wind caused the damage, we photograph what we found and explain the construction scope. Coverage decisions belong to you and your insurance carrier, and we don't negotiate claims for you. For the storm version, read our storm damage roof inspection guide or go to storm damage roof repair in Des Moines.

Common questions

Do I need to get on the roof before calling?

No, and please stay off it. Ground level photos help if you can take them safely, and so does a look in the gutters and downspouts for dents. If your attic is easy to reach, check for water stains. The roof itself takes the right shoes, the right ladder setup, and insurance.

How long does a roof inspection take?

Plan on 30 to 60 minutes at most houses. Steep pitch, a bigger footprint, awkward attic access, or a lot of damage to photograph push it longer. A leak hunt runs longest.

Does the $98 go toward the repair?

Yes. Approve the repair and the $98 service call comes off the approved repair invoice. Storm damage visits and full replacement estimates don't carry the fee at all.

Should I call insurance before or after the inspection?

If you aren't sure the damage is storm related, get the roof documented first. Photos and a written construction scope put you in a better position to decide. Anything about your policy or coverage, take that to your agent or insurance company.

Getting us out there

Call (515) 967-8199 or request an inspection online. If you want to read up first, our roof inspections page covers it. Bakeris Roofing has been inspecting, repairing, and replacing roofs around Des Moines and Central Iowa since 1990.