A timed plan for the two days after wind damage, from making the area safe to getting a permanent repair booked without falling for a doorstep trader.
Hour one: safety and the perimeter
Keep everyone away from the base of the building until you know nothing more is going to come down. Tiles, ridge sections and lengths of gutter can be left hanging and drop hours after the wind has dropped.
Cordon off drives, paths and parking with anything you have, and if debris is over a public footpath or affecting a neighbour, deal with that first. This is the part with the most liability attached to it.
Hours one to three: evidence before tidying
Photograph everything before you clear up: the roof from ground level on all elevations, debris where it landed, internal damage and any wet contents. Note the date, time and the storm name if it had one.
The Met Office publishes named storm records and wind speeds, and insurers frequently ask what the wind was doing. Recording the date accurately lets that be checked later. Our detailed storm damage checklist covers what to photograph in what order.
Day one: contact and temporary protection
Ring your insurer to open a claim and ask what they expect before repairs, then arrange temporary protection. Most policies require you to prevent further damage, so a make safe visit is normally supported rather than penalised.
Temporary work means sheeting, securing loose material and clearing outlets. Permanent repairs are better done in daylight and settled weather, and no reputable roofer will rush a permanent repair while it is still blowing.
Day two: the queue and the cold callers
The two days after a storm are when doorstep traders appear, and their opening line is almost always that they were working nearby and noticed damage on your roof. Take a name and a number, then ring a firm you have chosen yourself.
Genuine local roofers will be busy, so expect to wait for a non urgent permanent repair. A firm that can start immediately after a major storm, wants cash and quotes without going up is the one to be careful of.
Once the repair is done, the useful preventative work is clearing gutters and valleys, having ridge and verge mortar checked, securing loose flashings and cutting back overhanging branches.
Most storm damage lands on the parts of a roof that were already marginal. A roof in good order generally comes through the same wind untouched, which is the strongest argument there is for dealing with small faults early.
Should I clear debris from the garden straight away?
Photograph it where it landed first, then clear it. Debris moved before it was recorded is harder to include in a claim.
Will my insurer send their own roofer?
Some appoint a contractor, others let you choose and pay against quotations. Ask which applies before you commission the permanent repair.
How long should a temporary repair last?
Properly fixed sheeting will hold for weeks, not months. It is protection while a permanent repair is arranged, and it should not be left as the solution.
The neighbour's tile hit my car, who pays?
That depends on whether the roof was maintained reasonably. Storm damage to a well maintained roof is generally treated as an act of nature rather than negligence, so it usually goes through your own insurer.
Can you attend after a storm?
Yes, we prioritise make safe work across Witney, Oxford and the surrounding area. Ring 07960 482233 and we will give you an honest position on timings rather than a promise we cannot keep.
Damage after the last storm?
We will make it safe, photograph everything for your insurer and quote the permanent repair separately so the claim is clean.
Evans Roofing & Maintenance Ltd, Witney, Oxfordshire. Call 07960 482233 for a free written quote.