Does the report have to say how the roof was inspected?

Yes. 19 NYCRR 197-5.7 requires home inspection reports to describe the methods used to observe the roofing.

That matters because the methods are not equivalent. Walked, viewed from a ladder at the eaves, seen from the ground with binoculars, or flown are very different inspections, and you are entitled to know which one you paid for. A report that describes a roof without saying how it was looked at is incomplete.

A real photograph from one of Lou’s own inspections, chosen because it shows a building component and nothing that identifies a property or an owner.