Shingles in the yard? Water coming in? Start here.
Take a breath. Most storm damage looks worse than it is, and the next hour matters more than the next week. Here's exactly what to do, and two local contractors who will tell you the truth about the rest.
Water coming in right now? Call (843) 555-0123. We tarp first and sort out the rest after.
The first 24 hours after storm damage
Do these in order, and don't skip number five.
Stay off the roof.
A storm-damaged roof is not a place for anyone without fall protection, and nothing up there is worth a hospital visit. Everything you need to see can be seen from the ground or documented by us.
Photograph everything you can safely see.
Shingles in the yard, damage visible from the ground, stains or drips inside, standing water. Phone photos with today's date are gold for your insurance claim later.
Protect what's under the leak.
Move furniture, lay towels, set a bucket, and if water is pooling in a ceiling bubble, a small drain hole releases it before the whole ceiling comes down.
Get it tarped.
A proper tarp stops the damage from growing while decisions get made, and insurance expects you to prevent further damage. Call us and we'll get you covered.
Don't sign anything at your front door.
After every storm, out-of-town crews sweep the lowcountry knocking on doors. Some are fine, and some will own your insurance claim by sundown. Signatures can wait until you've had one calm conversation with someone local.
Call your insurance with facts in hand.
You'll have a smoother claim once the damage is documented and tarped, and you can speak to what actually happened instead of guessing under stress.
How to spot a storm chaser
They arrive with the rain and leave before the warranty matters. Here's the pattern, and what dealing with locals looks like instead.
The red flags
- Knocks on your door unprompted right after the storm, pushing to sign today
- Asks you to sign over your insurance check or an "assignment of benefits"
- Wants a large deposit before any work happens
- No local address, no local references, out-of-state plates
- Offers to "cover your deductible," which is insurance fraud with your name on it
- The warranty is only good if you can ever find them again
What local looks like
- You call us, or a neighbor gives you our number
- You get a written scope and price before anything is signed
- Your claim and your check stay yours, always
- Two owners you can meet, in a town you can find us in
- The deductible is the deductible, and we'll say so out loud
- We're here next year when the warranty is worth something
We document. You stay in control.
We're contractors, not adjusters, and that's exactly what makes this clean: we give you the evidence, the number, and the finished work, and every decision about your claim stays yours. Damage photographed properly from every angle. A written scope and price your carrier can read. The repair or replacement done right, and the after photos to close the file. That's what an adjuster wants to see, and it's what you'll have.
From storm day to solid again
Storm questions, answered plainly
Should I call my insurance company or a roofer first?
Roofer first, in most cases. Get the damage documented and tarped, then call your carrier with facts: what happened, what it looks like in photos, and what a written repair scope says. You'll have a calmer, smoother claim than calling in a panic with no information, and you're required to prevent further damage anyway, which the tarp handles.
Will my homeowner's insurance cover the roof damage?
Usually yes for sudden storm damage like wind and fallen limbs, and usually no for gradual wear an older roof was already showing. The honest complication is that many coastal policies pay actual cash value on older roofs instead of full replacement cost, meaning depreciation comes out of the check. We can't promise what your policy says, but we can document the damage so clearly that the answer comes back fair.
How fast can you get a tarp on my roof?
Call us and we'll tell you honestly based on the day, because after a big storm everyone in the lowcountry needs one at once. What we won't do is promise you an hour and show up Thursday. If we can't get there fast enough for your situation, we'll say so.
Can you waive or cover my deductible?
No, and be careful with anyone who says yes, because that's insurance fraud with your name attached to it. Your deductible is your deductible. What we can do is give you a fair price on the work itself, which is real money saved honestly.
Do you do small repairs, or only full replacements?
Both, and we'll tell you which one you actually need. A few missing shingles is a repair, and we're happy to do repairs, because the homeowner who trusts us with a $600 fix calls us in five years for the whole roof.
The damage looks minor. Should I even bother?
Get it looked at anyway, because water is patient. A lifted shingle you can barely see becomes a decking rot problem two summers from now, and the twenty-minute look is free. If it's truly nothing, we'll tell you it's nothing and you'll sleep better.
When the storm passes, call the ones who stay.
Two local contractors, a straight answer, and photos of everything. The door-knockers will be gone by Christmas. We'll be at the hardware store.
(843) 555-0123Call or text, day of the storm or the week after. Not urgent? The form works too, and photos of the damage help.
Tell us what the storm did
Got it. ✓
You'll hear back from us shortly, usually within minutes during working hours.