📝 Roofing Guide
Flat Roof Guide for Brooklyn Homeowners: Materials, Lifespan, and What It Costs in 2026
By MLM Construction Group · Brooklyn, NY
You don't need to climb on your roof to catch problems early. A smart inspection, done from the ground and inside your home, can reveal warning signs before they become expensive emergencies. Use this checklist twice a year: once in spring, once in fall.
If you spot any of the above issues, or if your roof is 15+ years old and has never been professionally inspected, call a licensed contractor. MLM Construction Group offers free roof inspections throughout Brooklyn. We'll give you an honest assessment with no pressure. A professional inspection takes 30 to 45 minutes and can save you thousands by catching problems early.
Twice a year: spring and fall. Also immediately after any major storm with high winds, heavy rain, or hail. The easiest way to stay on that schedule is a roof maintenance plan that puts both visits on the calendar for you.
The ground level and interior checks above are safe for any homeowner. Never climb on your roof without proper safety equipment and experience, it's dangerous and can damage the roofing material.
MLM Construction Group offers free inspections. Some contractors charge $150 to $300, which is often credited toward any repair work.
| What we check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Flashing at chimney, walls and skylights | Where most Brooklyn leaks actually begin, not in the field |
| Pipe boots and vent collars | Cracked rubber collars are the single most common leak we find |
| Field condition of the covering | Granule loss, curling, blistering, soft or hollow areas |
| Seams and laps on flat roofs | Open seams and shrinking membrane at the perimeter |
| Drains and scuppers | Blocked or undersized drainage is behind most ponding |
| Ponding water | Anything still standing 48 hours after rain |
| Parapet walls and coping | Cracked coping lets water into the wall, surfacing two floors below |
| Roof to wall transitions | More linear feet of this on a row house than people expect |
| Gutters, downspouts and fascia | Overflow marks, separated seams, rot behind the gutter |
| Attic sheathing | Staining, delamination, rusted nail points, frost |
| Attic insulation and ventilation | Wet or compressed insulation, and whether air actually moves |
| Penetrations and equipment curbs | AC curbs, satellite mounts, anything fastened through the roof |
You do not need to climb anything for most of it. After heavy rain, look in the gutters for a dark sandy layer of granules, which means the shingle mat is being exposed. On a bright day go into the attic with a flashlight and look up: pinholes of daylight mean openings, dark staining means water has been there, and damp or compressed insulation in a band usually marks the path. From the street, sight along the ridge for dips rather than looking at the roof face, because a wavy slope points at the deck.
Twice a year on a flat roof and once a year on a pitched one, plus after any storm that moved roof material or brought down branches. Spring to find what winter did, fall to catch anything before it has to survive another one. Morning light is better than afternoon for seeing surface condition accurately, which is why we schedule inspections early where we can.
Photographs of every condition found and a written list separated into what needs doing now, what to watch, and what is cosmetic. That is what makes a report usable: you can compare estimates on the same facts, show an insurer, or simply put a date on the condition and check it again next year. An inspection that ends in a verbal summary and a number is not an inspection, it is a sales call.
Twelve points: flashing at chimney, walls and skylights, pipe boots and vent collars, the field condition of the covering, seams and laps on flat roofs, drains and scuppers, ponding, parapet and coping, roof to wall transitions, gutters and fascia, attic sheathing, attic insulation and ventilation, and every penetration or equipment curb.
Twice a year on a flat roof, once a year on a pitched roof, and after any storm that moved roof material or brought branches down. Spring to find what winter did, fall to catch problems before they face another one. Brooklyn roofs need checking more often than suburban ones because parapets and attached construction add transitions that can fail.
Most of it. Look in the gutters after heavy rain for a dark sandy layer of granules. Go into the attic on a bright day with a flashlight and look for pinholes of daylight, dark staining on the sheathing, and damp or compressed insulation. From the street, sight along the ridge for dips rather than looking at the roof surface.
Yes, with no deposit and no obligation. We go on the roof where it is safe, check the attic where there is access, photograph every condition and give you a written list. You keep the photos and the report whether or not you hire us. Half of these visits end with us telling the homeowner the roof is fine.
Photographs of every condition found, and a written list split into what needs doing now, what to watch and what is cosmetic. That is what lets you compare estimates on the same facts, show an insurer, or date the condition and recheck it next year. A verbal summary and a number is a sales call, not an inspection.
MLM Construction Group serves all Brooklyn neighborhoods. Licensed, insured & Google Guaranteed.
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