In short
- A basic roof inspection in Ottawa runs $180–$380 in the HomeStars city table, updated 21.08.2026.
- A detailed inspection runs $300–$600, and a leak inspection $300–$1,200, on the same guide.
- Single-family homes $150–$350, duplexes $200–$400, multi-family buildings $250–$500.
- Scaffolding or a lift adds $200–$1,500+ when the roof is hard to reach.
- After ice dam damage, insurers may ask for documentation and a professional assessment, says the Insurance Bureau of Canada.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic inspection, Ottawa | $180–$380 | HomeStars Ottawa row; Canada-wide basic range $75–$350 |
| Detailed inspection | $300–$600 | HomeStars Canada-wide guide |
| Single-family home | $150–$350 | HomeStars guide, by house type |
| Duplex | $200–$400 | Same guide |
| Roof leak inspection | $300–$1,200 | Includes finding the entry point and judging the damage |
| Drone inspection, single-family | $150–$400 | Same guide; the full drone range is $120–$1,200 |
| Scaffolding or lift for access | $200–$1,500+ | Extra, only for roofs that are hard to reach |
Sources. HomeStars, Roof Inspection Cost Guide, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026 (Canada-wide guide with an Ottawa row). HomeStars, Roofing Cost Guide for Ottawa, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. Insurance Business Canada, Ice dams and home insurance, 25.02.2025, citing the Insurance Bureau of Canada, seen 29.10.2026. Ontario, Compliance campaign results: falls from heights, seen 29.10.2026.
When an inspection is worth booking
Owners book when the roof is a decade old and unchecked, when a thaw leaves a stain on the ceiling, after a windstorm or hailstorm, or when buying a house and wanting the roof read by someone who fixes roofs.
The HomeStars guide lists missing shingles, water stains and debris on the surface as early signs. A stain that appears only in spring is the classic case: water gets in during the melt and dries out by summer. Send dated photos with the request.
What the visit covers
The report follows the roof from the edge inwards. Shingles or membrane, the flashing around chimneys and walls, vent pipes, valleys, the eaves and eavestroughs, then the attic side: sheathing, insulation, frost on nails, light showing through. The attic often explains the roof: warm air leaking upward melts snow from below, and damp wood near the eaves shows it long before a ceiling stains. The ice dams page shows the chain from outside.
Methods differ. A roofer can walk the surface, work from a ladder, or send up a drone. HomeStars says drones cut the risk of walking on the roof and produce high-resolution photos and video. Ask which method the price assumes.
What the price depends on
HomeStars prints $180–$380 for a basic Ottawa inspection and $300–$600 for a detailed one. House type moves the number: $150–$350 for a single-family home, $200–$400 for a duplex, $250–$500 for a multi-family building.
Extras are listed separately on the guide. Scaffolding or a lift for a hard roof runs $200–$1,500+. A follow-up report is $75–$200. On-the-spot repairs, such as a patch or a sealed vent boot, run $100–$600 on top. A leak inspection, which looks for the entry point with moisture meters or infrared, sits at $300–$1,200. Get the inclusions in writing.
The report and what to do with it
A useful report answers four things for each defect: where it is, what caused it, how urgent it is, and what the repair costs. If the roof needs work, the next steps are on roof repair and the price guide for roof repair cost in Ottawa. If the report points to an old roof with many problems, the choice is covered on repair or replace.
Keep the report. It dates the roof’s condition for an insurer, a buyer or the next roofer. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says insurers may require documentation and a professional assessment after ice dam water damage.
Timing in Ottawa
April and May are the natural window. The snow is gone, the ice at the eaves has melted and winter damage is visible: lifted shingles, bent flashing, dents in the eavestroughs. The roof check after winter page lists what that visit covers. Autumn is the second window, before the first snow.
Water coming in now changes the order of work: write that at the top of the request, and use the emergency roof repair page.
Who you are dealing with
Your request goes to one independent Ottawa firm that agrees a time, quotes the visit and sends someone up. The method, the price and the report format are set by that firm; keep its answers in writing.
Questions to ask the company
- Do you walk the roof, use a ladder, or fly a drone, and does the price change with the method?
- Will I get a written report with dated photos of every problem you find?
- Does the price include a look at the attic side: sheathing, insulation, daylight at the eaves?
- If you find a small defect, is fixing it on the same visit extra, and what would it cost?
- Does the inspection fee come off the repair if I hire you for the work?
Have this ready for the call
- The approximate age of the roof and the material: asphalt shingles, metal, flat membrane
- Dates and places of any leaks, stains, ice dams or past repairs
- Roof paperwork from the last owner: invoices, warranty papers, permit notes
- Access to the attic hatch and a clear path to it
- Your insurer's claim number, if the visit follows a storm or a leak
Questions people ask
How often should an Ottawa roof be inspected?
The HomeStars guide recommends a professional inspection annually or every second year, especially once a roof passes its tenth year. In Ottawa a check in April, after the snow and ice have gone, shows what a winter did. Ask the company for a dry week in April or May, once the roof is clear.
Is a roof inspection part of a home inspection?
A home inspection covers the whole house and looks at the roof from the ground, a ladder or a drone, as the inspector’s standards allow. A roof inspection is narrower and goes deeper into the roof and the attic side.
What is a thermal or infrared roof inspection?
It uses a heat camera to show wet insulation and hidden moisture under the surface. HomeStars says visual inspections generally cost less than drone or thermal ones. It suits flat roofs and leaks with no visible source, where the water travels before it shows on a ceiling.
Can I use the inspection report for an insurance claim?
The Insurance Bureau of Canada advises owners with ice dam damage to contact the insurer as soon as possible, and says insurers may require documentation and a professional assessment. Dated photos, the roof age and the cause of damage give the adjuster something concrete.
Why are roofers wary of walking an iced roof?
Ontario’s labour ministry names houses, single and multi-family, as the construction setting with the worst fall injuries and deaths. Frost, snow and ice add to the risk, so a company may wait for a dry day or start with a drone. Ask how it plans to see your roof when it is covered.
Will the inspector tell me to replace the roof?
The report should state the condition, the cause of each defect and the options with rough prices. The decision stays with you, and a second opinion is normal, so ask for the report to be in writing. Ask for photos of each point so a second opinion can be compared line by line.
