Roofing
After a hailstorm: what roofers should do in the first 72 hours
In the first 72 hours after hail, answer every call, book inspections in windows grouped by neighborhood, and photograph every slope plus gutters, vents and other soft metals, since dents there are clear hail evidence. Remember the homeowner files and handles their own claim. Check your state's rules on what a contractor may say or do, and be the local shop they can still reach next year.
Hail tore through part of your service area last night. By seven this morning your phone has more missed calls than a normal week. Every homeowner with a dented gutter or granules in the downspout is about to call somebody, and what you do in the next 72 hours can shape your whole season.
Hours 0 to 24: answer every call
The first day is a phone day. The roofer who picks up is usually the one who gets the inspection, because a homeowner looking at dents in the gutter isn't going to wait for a callback when three other numbers are on the fridge magnet and the door hanger.
- Get every caller's basics. Name, callback number, service address with city, and what they're seeing: dents, missing shingles, a leak, broken skylight.
- Pull leaks to the top. Water coming inside is a same-day problem. Everything else can go into an inspection window.
- Say what the inspection is. A free or paid look, how long it takes, and that you'll give them photos either way.
- Don't promise anything about insurance. Not coverage, not approval, not "you'll get a new roof out of this."
Hours 12 to 48: book inspections by neighborhood
Hail falls in a path. The calls come from the streets it crossed. If you book them in the order they come in, your crew spends the week zigzagging across town. Book them by area instead.
- Look at where the calls are coming from. A rough pin map on your phone or a list sorted by zip code is enough.
- Give each neighborhood its own windows. For example, the north side gets morning windows Tuesday and Wednesday, the east side gets afternoons.
- Offer callers the windows for their area. Most will take a slot two days out if they know you'll actually show up.
- Keep one open window a day for leaks. Something will come in that can't wait, and you want room for it without bumping a booked inspection.
Tight routing isn't just about fuel. More inspections per day means you get to the homeowner before the next knock on their door.
On the roof: photograph like an adjuster will read it
Safety first: Wet, steep or granule-covered roofs are slick. Don't send anyone up in rain, lightning or high wind, use fall protection, and skip any roof that isn't safe to walk. Ground photos and a drone, where your local rules allow one, are better than an injury.
Your photos become the homeowner's evidence, so shoot them in an order anyone can follow.
- Every slope, labeled. A wide shot of each slope first, then close-ups. Name them by direction so nobody has to guess.
- Soft metals. Gutters, downspouts, roof vents, flashing, ridge vent caps. Round dents in soft metal are some of the clearest hail evidence you'll find, and they're easy to see in a photo.
- Shingle hits. Close-ups with something for scale, like a coin or a tape measure, and chalk circles if you mark them.
- Collateral damage. AC condenser fins, window screens, siding, mailboxes, painted wood. They help show the storm, not age, did the damage.
- Anything that isn't hail. Old repairs, worn shingles, previous damage. Noting it honestly makes the rest of your photos more credible.
Write the storm date on the report, and keep a copy of the local weather report or hail map for your files.
The claim belongs to the homeowner
This is where good roofers get in trouble by trying to be helpful. The homeowner files their own claim and deals with their own insurance company. In many states, a contractor can't negotiate the claim for them. That's work reserved for licensed public adjusters or attorneys. Rules on contingency agreements, contract cancellation and what you can say about coverage also vary. Check your state's rules and, if you're unsure, ask an attorney who works with contractors.
What you can almost always do is explain the general process and hand over good documentation. It can sound like this:
HomeownerSo is insurance going to pay for a new roof?
YouThat's between you and your insurance company, and I can't tell you what your policy covers. What I can do is give you these photos and a written report of what I found on each slope. Check your policy or call your agent about deadlines. If they send an adjuster, I'm happy to be here to show them what I saw.
Rule of thumb: Never offer to cover, waive or rebate a deductible, and never write an estimate for damage that isn't there. Some states ban deductible deals outright, and neither one is worth your license or your name.
Hours 24 to 72: warn homeowners about storm chasers
Within a day or two, out-of-town crews start knocking on doors in the hail path. Some are legit. Many aren't. They sign contracts, collect deposits, and are gone before the first leak shows up on a ceiling months later. Some towns require storm contractors to register or pull a local permit. Know what yours requires.
You don't need to bad-mouth anyone. Give homeowners a short list of questions for anyone who knocks: Where's your local office? Are you licensed here, if your state licenses roofers? Who do I call if it leaks next spring? Then be the answer to all three. A local name they can still call back in a year is worth more than any door hanger.
What to set up before the next storm
Most of this is easier if it's ready before the sky turns green. Write your inspection greeting and what you'll say about insurance. Decide how you'll group neighborhoods and how many inspections a day your crew can handle. Build a photo checklist your guys follow on every roof. And look hard at how many calls you'd lose if hail hit tomorrow at dinnertime. The roofing guides on the roofers page go deeper on estimates and follow-up, and what a missed call costs shows what those unanswered storm calls are really worth.
Common questions
Can a roofer talk to the insurance adjuster for the homeowner?
Rules vary by state. In many places a contractor can attend the adjuster's inspection and point out damage, but negotiating the claim on the homeowner's behalf is reserved for licensed public adjusters or attorneys. Check your state's rules before you promise a homeowner anything about the claim, and put your role in writing.
Should roofers sign contracts right after a storm?
Many do, but read your state's rules first. Some states give homeowners extra cancellation rights on storm-related contracts, limit contingency agreements, or require specific wording. A clear, plain contract that the homeowner has time to read protects you when a claim takes longer than anyone expected.
How soon after hail should a homeowner file a claim?
Policies set their own deadlines, and some are shorter than people assume. Tell homeowners to read their policy or call their agent soon after the storm to find out. Your job is to document the damage well, not to tell them what their policy covers or whether to file.
What if the roof has hail damage and an active leak?
Deal with the leak first. Book it as urgent, get it dried in with a tarp or temporary repair when it's safe to go up, and photograph the damage before and after. Many policies expect homeowners to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, so keep the receipts and pictures for the homeowner's file.