About NRCIA
In a trade with no federal license for roof inspectors, somebody has to define what a competent inspection looks like. We have been writing that definition since 1995 and training the professionals who work to it.
The Association writes the inspection methodology, trains against it, and issues the credential that says a professional works to it. Members climb the roof, document what they find, prepare the report, and issue applicable certifications.
That separation is the point. It is what lets an owner, an agent, an adjuster, and an attorney read the same report and agree on what it says.
Our history
Four generations of the same family have asked the same question on a roof. Where does the water go?
Our history
Four generations of the same family have asked the same question on a roof. Where does the water go?
Family records trace the Watrous line in Connecticut through the earlier name Waterhouse, which passed through forms including Waterous before settling into Watrous. Generations later, water would take on a second meaning in a family trade built around keeping it out.
Stephen C. Watrous worked as a Connecticut contractor and builder, and his sons and grandsons followed him into the trades. His son Paul Layton Watrous carried the craft forward, along with a practical understanding of how a building actually behaves.
Working beside his father on a roof, Les Watrous received an instruction short enough to remember on a ladder. Water is like a lazy man. It finds the easiest way in.
Think Like a Raindrop™
Les spent years watching owners and agents collect conflicting assessments on the same roof, each one shaped by the job a contractor hoped to sell. He held that an inspection should begin with evidence and end with a document that stands on its own.
The LeakFREE® Process and the Five-Zone Inspection Methodology take shape. Five zones, worked in order, on every roof: interior, attic, perimeter, exterior environment, rooftop. The purpose was to replace assumptions with evidence.
The National Roof Certification Association is founded to carry the method beyond one company. In 2009 the name changes to the National Roof Certification and Inspection Association, because inspection had become the centre of the work.
The Watrous family still leads the Association, four generations on from the first builder in the line. They are running the most thorough rebuild since the founding: governance, standards, accreditation, education, technology, and the InspectionPLUS® platform. The instruction on the ladder has not changed. Everything built around it is being rebuilt.
From Waterhouse to Watrous.
From builder to inspector.
From keeping water out of buildings to thinking like a raindrop.
From a process to a profession.
From a profession to a standard.
Today’s Inspection… Tomorrow’s Protection®Our method
A roofing estimate looks at the roof. The Five-Zone Inspection Methodology looks at the system the roof belongs to, in a fixed sequence, so two accredited members inspecting the same property arrive at the same evidence.
Stains, sag and the marks a leak leaves inside long before anything shows on the outside.
Decking, framing, ventilation and moisture, read from underneath where the damage starts.
Eaves, fascia, gutters and flashings, the edges where most roofs actually begin to fail.
Trees, drainage and adjacent structures, every condition acting on the roof from outside.
Surface, penetrations, transitions and slopes, walked in sequence and photographed.
The sequence has been in use since 1993 and sits underneath the LeakFREE® Process. It is what makes one member’s report readable against another’s.
What we are for
We serve the work with excellence.
We’re on a mission to redefine how the world views roof inspections by equipping accredited professionals with a service-first philosophy and an inspection-first system that eliminates uncertainty and establishes a higher standard of trust.
Roof Assurance is what that mission leaves behind. Not a promise about a roof, but what a property owner holds once somebody accredited has been up there, worked a documented process, and written down what they found.
You know what you have, what it is likely to cost, and how long you have to decide. The report is yours, and it reads the same to a buyer, a lender and a carrier.
Your judgment is carried by a method somebody else can follow and a credential somebody else can check. Your name goes on a document that holds up.
One member’s report can be read against another’s. Findings can be compared, questioned and relied on, which is what turns a trade into a profession.
Our core commitments
We train members to protect themselves, the people they serve, and the properties entrusted to their care. Sound judgment and safe practices always come before completing an inspection.
We hold the standard when the work is difficult. That means acting with discipline, reporting findings honestly, and having the courage to say what the evidence supports.
We listen before advising, place people at the center of the work, and use our abilities to serve with humility and genuine care.
What we stand for
Ten commitments that define the professional conduct expected of NRCIA and its accredited members. Open any letter.
The Inspector’s Pledge
“As a dedicated NRCIA Roof Inspector, I solemnly pledge to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and accuracy in the conduct of my inspections and the preparation of my reports.”
“There’s no licensing requirement for roof inspectors in California. I can’t gamble on that. When I recommend someone, my reputation is on the line. I choose NRCIA inspectors because they’ve already proven themselves through training and accountability.”
In their words
“Being a member of the NRCIA is what differentiates us from every other person that’s knocking on doors out there right now… It has absolutely helped us as a team, because we’re all proud to be part of the NRCIA.”
“Thanks to their expertise and dedication, I have experienced a remarkable return on investment… The level of care, precision, and reliability you bring to every interaction is truly impressive.”
Sean DriscollNRCIA Forensic Roof® Inspector · Driscoll and Company Construction · Orange County“This was the best inspection certification I have, because it enables me to really have an actual specialty as opposed to the very general approach which is common with home and commercial inspections. I have exponentially doubled my services since I became a member.”
Max CohenNRCIA Forensic Roof® Inspector · Roof Eval · Nassau County“One of the things I appreciate most about NRCIA is the strong sense of community and accountability. We meet weekly to stay aligned with the organization’s core values and to continuously improve how we serve homeowners.”
Luis felipe GutierrezNRCIA Forensic Roof® Inspector · Vast Roofing · Duval CountyProperty owners, attorneys and agents who called an accredited member.
“There’s no licensing requirement for roof inspectors in California. I can’t gamble on that. When I recommend someone, my reputation is on the line. I choose NRCIA inspectors because they’ve already proven themselves through training and accountability.”
“I desperately emailed NRCIA and was surprised by a prompt and very detailed answer, giving me good guidance along the way. Once you lose trust in your contractor, a neutral and professional point of view is crucial.”
“NRCIA provides outstanding expert consulting support to my law firm and my clients on defective roofing cases by providing thorough, credible, evidence-based inspection reports and expert opinions on damages. The reports are easy to understand and reliable.”
An accredited NRCIA member inspects to the published standard, documents what the roof is doing, and hands you a report you can take to a buyer, a lender, or a carrier.
Accreditation, training, and the systems behind the credential. Built by roofers, for roofers, and held to the same Code every member signs.
