What a free inspection looks like on Folly Beach roofs.
A free inspection on Folly Beach is most useful for an owner who has never seen the roof up close: a rental on East Ashley Avenue bought sight-unseen, or a 1960s interior cottage that has been re-shingled over old layers. We walk the roof, photograph every slope, check the fasteners for salt corrosion and the eaves for soft decking, and send you a written grade within 24 hours, wherever you live.
If you are buying on Folly, the report tells you whether a 1990s post-Hugo rebuild at the Washout or a 1980s elevated house on Arctic Avenue has years left or belongs in the price you offer, and it flags the low-slope deck sections, lookouts and salt-rusted flashing that a general home inspector on the ground cannot see.
Folly's elevated houses need the inspection to go under the roof as well as over it. The low-slope sections beneath rooftop decks hide ponding and failed membrane that show as staining on the ceiling below, and the fastener lines on the windward slope tell you how much salt has thinned the nails. We photograph the deck penetrations, probe the membrane, and check every fastener line on the ocean side.
If your carrier has asked for a roof inspection at renewal, which is now routine for barrier-island policies, the report is written to answer their questions: age, material, condition by slope and photos with dates. It is free, and no one is selling anything. When a 1990s post-Hugo roof at the Washout has years left, the report says so, and it becomes the baseline file for the next storm.
1950s to 1970s single-story beach cottages on the interior numbered streets off East and West Erie and East and West Cooper, many on slab or short piers with low-pitch gable roofs; 1980s to 2000s elevated piling houses on East and West Ashley Avenue and Arctic Avenue with steep gables, rooftop decks and low-slope sections; post-Hugo rebuilds from the 1990s at the Washout and along the oceanfront; Sunset Cay and Mariners Cay townhouse and condo regimes on the Folly River side, roofed at the regime level; Little Oak Island villas.
Forty minutes from Mount Pleasant over the Connector, through James Island and down Folly Road to the bridge, with James Island and Johns Island on the same Sea Islands dispatch run.
(843) 284-6333
Jeff Ramsden, founder. 5+ years as a VP at Reimagine Roofing, 1,000+ roofs overseen.
Call (843) 284-6333We walk the roof, photograph every slope, re-seal exposed fasteners, and hand you a written report. It is free.
What is included in every Folly Beach job.
Asked in Folly Beach.
How much does a roof inspection cost on Folly Beach?
Nothing. A Folly Beach roof inspection is free, with a full roof walk, photos of every slope and penetration, exposed fasteners re-sealed, valleys cleared, and a written condition report within 24 hours. The report ends with a repair or replace recommendation and goes to you wherever you live. On Folly the report weighs fastener corrosion on the windward slope and the low-slope membrane under rooftop decks on elevated houses, and if your carrier asked for an inspection at renewal it answers age, material and condition by slope.
Does a roof replacement on Folly Beach need a City permit, and can it trigger flood rules?
Yes to the permit. The City of Folly Beach requires a building permit for all remodeling and repairs, interior or exterior, so a re-roof is permitted by the City, not Charleston County. For houses in a flood zone, the City publishes a Substantial Improvement package for floodplain construction, which is how it tracks the FEMA 50 percent rule. Under that rule, improvements that reach half of the building's market value require bringing the whole house up to current floodplain standards. We price the roof, file the permit, and fill out the City's substantial improvement paperwork when your lot needs it.
How long does it take?
About 45 minutes on site. The report arrives within 24 hours.
Do I need to be home?
No, as long as we have permission to access the property. We walk the results with you by phone or in person.
Can I use the report for insurance?
Yes. The report is yours, with dated photos of every slope, to share with your insurer, your agent or a buyer.
How often should a roof be inspected?
Once a year in the Lowcountry, and after any named storm.