The Service
Up On The Ladder provides a free, independent, on-ladder gutter inspection to homeowners across five Northern California counties. Each inspection is approximately forty minutes on your property. A ladder goes up on every roofline. A written Tier 1–5 report with photos is delivered the same day, walked through with you on-site at the end of the visit, and stored in the lookup archive for future reference.
What's Included
The inspection covers the full gutter system and everything adjacent to it. Specifically:
- Every section of gutter, inside and out — debris load, seam integrity, slope, water flow, downspout function.
- Visible fascia, soffits, and the roof edge where the gutter meets the structure.
- Guard or cover systems, if present — condition, seating, and whether the system is performing as specified.
- Water-path indicators beyond the gutter — foundation grading, overflow staining, downspout termination.
- Three to five labeled photographs per finding, watermarked and saved to your report.
What's Not Included
To keep the scope honest, several adjacent services are outside what a free inspection covers:
- Structural engineering assessment of the roof deck, rafters, or framing behind the fascia.
- Building code compliance review or permitted-work verification.
- Repair quotes from contractors outside our referral network.
- Interior water damage investigation — ceiling staining, attic moisture, drywall remediation.
- Tree-trimming or landscape service, even where overhanging branches are contributing to gutter conditions.
If a finding calls for one of the above, your inspector will say so plainly and can point you toward a qualified specialist.
Scheduling and Walk-Through
When you book an inspection, you're committing to a window during which you'll be home. The walk-through at the end of the inspection is where the findings become useful — both of you in the same place, same time, same evidence. If circumstances change, rescheduling is a phone call or text and requires no notice requirement beyond reasonable timing. Same-day cancellations are fine; we simply ask that you let us know so the slot can be released.
Safety and Property Access
Your inspector operates on a ladder at their own risk and carries appropriate equipment and experience for residential roofline work. What we ask of you: reasonable ground access to the full perimeter of the home, a note ahead of time about any gate codes or dogs, and a heads-up on any section of gutter that has been flagged by a prior contractor so we can look at it specifically.
Reporting Accuracy
The Tier rating and the accompanying photos describe the condition of your gutter system at the time of the inspection. Gutters are not static — a Tier 2 home can become a Tier 3 home over a single heavy winter, and a Tier 4 home can become a Tier 5 home in a matter of months. The report is a timestamped observation, not a warranty of future condition. Observations are inspector judgments based on 1,500+ homes of field experience; they are not structural engineering opinions.
Referrals and Partnerships
When a finding warrants work beyond a straightforward cleaning, Up On The Ladder maintains a small network of vetted local contractors and may refer you to one. You are under no requirement to accept a referral, to work with any contractor suggested, or to act on any finding in the report. The inspection is the product. What you do with the information is your decision.
Changes to These Terms
When these terms change, the "effective" date at the top of the page changes with it. Material changes also appear as a brief summary so you can see what's different without re-reading the whole document.
Contact
Questions about any of the above, or about an inspection in progress:
- Email: inspections@upontheladder.com
- Phone or text: (707) 336-2026