← U.S. Residential Roofing Basics
Lab: make a roof-system handover brief
By the end: Summarize a roof system, open questions, and maintenance records for a homeowner.
Your final task is to explain a roof without making promises beyond the evidence. Use plain language first and technical terms second. The brief should be understandable to someone who did not take this course. A good handover tells them what exists, what was checked, what remains unknown, and whom to contact.
Use the fictional information below; do not inspect a real roof. If you use AI to draft a paragraph, mark it as a draft and compare each claim with the scenario. Remove invented product names, inspection results, lifespan promises, and statements of compliance.
Your turn
Case: a supplied drawing shows a 6:12 gable roof with two 20 ft × 15 ft roof planes, asphalt shingles, soffit intake, ridge exhaust, one plumbing vent, and a chimney. The owner may add solar. No professional condition report or product documents have been supplied.
Produce
- Write a six-part glossary for this roof.
- Calculate surface area and squares, explicitly excluding allowances.
- List five documents or questions needed before authorizing work.
- Create a ground-level observation and professional-maintenance record template.
Judge your own work against this
- Correctly separates surface area from footprint.
- Includes roof-to-solar coordination and flashing.
- Does not claim that ventilation, structure, or code compliance has been verified.
Stuck? One hint
Separate what the evidence shows from what still needs verification. Use the worked examples in this module.
Show one good answer — after you have written yours
Two planes: 2 × 20 × 15 = 600 sq ft = 6 squares; no waste or separate materials included.
Glossary could include ridge, eave, rake, deck, flashing, and soffit.
Request a condition report, exact system specification, interface/ventilation plan, permit responsibilities, and written warranty/maintenance terms.
Record date, safe observation location, photographs, symptoms, professional findings, actions, and next review date.Quick check
Which statement belongs in this handover?
End of module 4
Plan and communicate the work
That was the last module. The final exam and practice quizzes are on the course page. Go to the course page →