I see. You don’t use ladders?
We use a collapsible ladder.
I won’t be needing a ladder or a truck - I’ll just borrow the wife’s transport!
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In the beginning, at least for the 1st 500 roofs, I think you need to walk them, touch them, lift edges, check for multiple layers, evaluate granular loss, identify manufacturer defects etc.
You should demand this of yourself on behalf of your clients and your reputation. Just my 2 cents.
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Nice setup Randy Mayo.
In 1996, I was using Polaroid cameras and instant film.
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Always, ALWAYS get the best constructed ladder that surpasses your body weight! If you are 225 lbs or heavier… DO NOT look at telescoping ladders!! Even the Contractor series ladders are still only rated for 250 lbs. Trust me, these things are dangerous even when used “by the book”!!
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You don’t use a ladder for the roof?
Yep! I use mine for tight closet attic entrance and for the pull down attic stairs. I’ll trust my telescoping ladder more than 90% of those pull downs I come across.
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Great question, Jacob…!
NO…! You do not need a truck!
My lead instructor, Paul, an all life builder, constructor, experienced structural inspector, with 82 years of age… went out to inspect everyday in a Cadillac convertible…!
My assistant instructor, had a nice looking small white Ford transit fully labeled… great marketing tool…!
But the truck stays on the curbside parked…!
We go inside with our BRAINS 
, eyes 
and ears 
and experience = KNOWLEDGE…! We make the inspection, we observe, we see, we note… not the truck…!
About the camera, the extension pole, the drone 4K High Definition camera or the ladder 
… is your personal choice…! Just get the job done…!
I carry 3 ladders in my truck roof…! Very seldom I take them down. It entertains me climbing in a roof, but WE ARE NOT REQUIRED…! (State Minimum Standards of Home Inspection).
But it is all about MARKETING…!
How do you feel if your Doctor does not wear a ‘white rope’ and does not hang a useless Littman stethoscope from his neck…! Would you trust his medical opinion if he is wearing blue jeans and sneakers?
What would you think of your church pastor if he/she shows up for the Sunday service with no cassock or robe…?
The truck is our cassock/robe…!! If is beaten up and old, it will give a sense of expertise…! If is new and shiny it will tell the customer that you are successful and charge a lot…!
I have a tool box worth $10,000 that I take with me to every inspection. Those tools help me do my job…! The truck just gets me there…
Get a 2,000 lumens flashlight, that will impress people…! When you illuminate the attic, the crawl space, the dark spooky basement…!
Yeah! My drone… that gets peoples’ attention, but I usually fly it when I am alone… is not a TOY… I show them pictures after I land… on my High Definition iPad 9th Generation Retina Screen… They do not need to see the 450 Horse Power V8 engine on my monster truck…! I can actually get to the job site in an UBER…!!
Got to have at least something for a ladder. For years I only used a 12-foot that folded into 4 - 3’ sections. That’s still what I use 95% of the time. Every once in a while I pull out my 17’ folding one. If that won’t me there they need to get a roofer, etc. Anyway, IMO there is no way you will make it without ANY ladder. You won’t be through your first inspection and people will be baffled that you aren’t going to get into the attic.
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Thank you for all of your responses they are very informative. So you have ladders but haven’t felt a need to use them because you can see what you need to with your drone/camera pole? What drone do you use?
I have a 13 pilot. I fit a gorilla folding 24’ ladder, and a 18 ’ step ladder in the back. I made shelves for them to fit into, and have 4 tool boxes for various inspections. I also have a sewer scope camera. I still have room to spare. I do have the ferret cameras with a 28’ extension pole for roofs that you shouldn’t climb.
Ray, I get that some of us (Home Inspectors) come from previous trades… we may have a humongous truck already depreciated and a bunch of ladders to climb up on roofs, but this profession has long departed from the old times of a ‘roofer’… we are INSPECTORS of the whole dwelling and we are not expected to spend more that a reasonable percentage of the inspection time on the roof system. We have a whole huge house/building to inspect ahead of us…!
Therefore, we need to ‘distribute’ (time-management) our time and resources. There was once a time when determining the roof age and conditions to the nails was of greater importance, now there are other 9 systems to evaluate… Yes! We look at the roof, as home inspectors, not as FEMA Roof inspectors…! Nor we represent a particular roofing contractor/company. So… We recommended “Further Evaluation by a Licensed Roof Contractor”…! Anyhow, we will NEVER be able to provide a warranty or assurance that the roof system will not fail the very next day after the inspection.
Climbing a roof is fun, but we may even damage the roof if we walk on a rotten area that we could not predict. And now, we are liable…!
I have found able to make better observations on the roof system from the interior of the attic space. Roof Flashings, Counter flashings, Kickoff flashings, Chimney Cricket flashings, all of those could be the responsibility of the professional roofer.
I always educate my customers, buyers, investors, realtors… and the like…! There are TWO (2) Types of Roof: A) The one’s that are leaking today and B) the ones that will leak some day into the future. There are no perfect roofs. Some look newer, or older, or way pass their life span… but all of them need care (maintenance) and attention after every storm, once a year, or twice…! For the life of the dwelling…!
Why have we Home Inspectors been confused with Roof Inspectors. We are not…!
We are not Master Electricians either, nor HVAC licensed technicians, nor Master Plumbers… we have THREE (3) hours to go over 9 dwelling subsystems… we are certainly not ‘Magicians’, are we? 
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I disagree, I consider the roof a vital part of the home inspection if not one of the most important components of the home. I get on every roof I can access.
The OP is searching for members who are willing to give him an excuse not to get on the roof. He doesn’t “plan on using a ladder”. He doesn’t plan on providing a reasonable inspection his clients have paid for him to provide. Good luck to him.
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Yes, you need a ladder. No, you don’t need a truck.
I finally got tired of putting Saudi princes through college, so this year I switched to a Kia Telluride. Way more comfortable than any of my trucks and gets 30 MPG. All of my tools and ladders fit inside, and it doesn’t look like a work truck full of pawnable tools.
I started with a telescoping ladder. Worked great until it didn’t. I’ve been using a Cosco 18’ ladder (Little Giant style) for about 8 years, works great for what I need. They are on sale at Northern Tool for $140 right now, I might just go buy another one for a backup.
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Thanks. When did the telescoping ladder stop being great for you?
Yep, he is listening for what he wants to hear. I’m curious why he brought the question to the forum in the first place.
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I use a Little Giant 17’ and a 6’ step ladder. I also use a pole camera for roofs I don’t feel comfortable getting on. The pole camera does get great pics, but wind makes it challenging.
You should always have a ladder or ladders for unforeseen circumstances. I’ve had to use the 17’ ladder to get into unusually high attic access openings in a garage or other areas.
I own a Subaru Outback and everything fits inside just fine.
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