Drones VS Traditional Roof Inspections at your HOA
Have I ditched the ladder for a drone?
When it comes to roof inspections, safety and accuracy are everything. Traditionally, roof inspections demanded us to haul out the ladder (sometimes two) to accomplish a thorough inspection. I have climbed over 1000 roofs searching for defects, storm damage, assisting install crews and performing repairs. By the grace of God, I have not injured myself, but I know a few people that have. Would I trade all my experience for convenience? Perhaps on occasions, but there are trade-offs to everything!
With the rise of drone technology, many roofing contractors have stopped performing manual inspections and switched over completely to using drones. This can be a great solution to get images and viewpoints you could not otherwise get, and it reduces the risk of injuries. However, to gain the full picture of a roof’s condition, especially following a storm or the materials are getting very old, drones cannot capture all the required information I feel we need to give my HOA customers a truly comprehensive summary of their association roofs.
The answer: I have refined my approach to include the traditional manual inspection techniques, combined with a drone and all of its wonderful technology.
Why Roof Inspections Matter for Your HOA
Whether you're a homeowner, board member, or association manager, you should have a basic level of understanding for the age and condition of the roofs at your HOA, or at the associations you actively manage. Roof conditions play a large factor in assessing property values and insurance rates; they can also make a big difference in curb appeal and affect the structural integrity of the building.
Having an annual roof inspection performed is a part of the due diligence critical to maintaining a healthy association. We can identify aging or broken components, excessive wear, potential structural issues, storm damage from wind and hail, or areas responsible for leaking. Being proactive about scheduling annual roof inspections can prevent costly repairs later. It will also provide you with an in-depth understanding for the condition and life expectancy of the roofing materials. All this information can help CAMs and Board members make informed decisions on maintenance and repairs, as well as keeping pace on their reserve funds for when the larger projects come due.
Be aware, the methods vendors use to inspect your roofs can make a big difference in the feedback you receive!
Pros & Cons of Drone Roof Inspections:
PRO: High resolution photos and video - including difficult to access areas that are very steep or high up.
PRO: Many drones can run AI software to identify damage, create geotags, and store memory. Some are also capable of thermal imaging and site mapping.
PRO: Efficiency & Safety. Easy to pull out and fly VS setting up and moving a ladder from building to building.
PRO: You look cool doing it.
CON: A good drone package is expensive. Battery life can be short, and they do not fly well in high wind.
CON: Drones cannot touch or feel for damage. Some AI software will call out ANYTHING as damage (even bird poop!)
CON: Drones cannot perform repairs.
CON: Some areas are not accessible due to air restrictions.
Pros & Cons of Traditional Roof Inspections:
PRO: Hands-on methods can be used to test for damage.
PRO: You can obtain the closest and best angles needed for photos.
PRO: Repairs can be performed.
CON: Climbing is risky!
CON: There may be limited accessibility due to steep slopes, high elevations, or certain roofing materials.
CON: It can be time-consuming to set up ladders and inspect every roof at an association.
CON: There is a potential for damage by walking on fragile materials.
Our Approach at HOACC:
Having climbed my fair share of roofs and used a quality drone for many years, I found the best results I can provide our customers derive from combining our available methods and technology. My primary clients are townhome boards and association managers, and in most cases, the associations are made up of 6 or more buildings. We want to thoroughly examine the roofing materials while still maintaining a level of operational efficiency. Most importantly, we want to deliver the customer a detailed report in which they can be confident we are providing reliable data to make important decisions.
Once we have the HOA mapped out, we will identify a minimum of 25% or 3 of the structures, whichever is more, to physically set up a ladder and perform a manual inspection. The other structures will be examined using a drone. It is important to note that the more inconsistency or damage we find, the more manual inspections will be performed. This method allows us to be very detailed while still covering a lot of ground (or roof) during our inspections and provides us with outstanding data to demonstrate a full picture to our customers regarding the condition and life expectancy of their HOA roofs.
If you are a property management professional or if you serve on a townhome or condo association board, we would love to share more of our methods with you and get you booked with one of our free property inspections. You will not be disappointed in our level of detail and professional care!
All the Best,
Kyle Miller
Founder & Faithful Servant
HOA Commercial Construction LLC
